Chinese Idioms and Their Stories中国成语故事（英文版）

“中国优秀传统文化传承系列”由上海译文出版社精心策划，获国家出版基金、上海出版资金资助出版，系列共含以下6册：
Chinese Idioms and Their Stories《中国成语故事（英文版）》
Ancient Chinese Who Left Their Marks on History《中国历史人物（英文版）》
Gems of Chinese Classics《中国历史著述（英文版）》
Chinese Mythology & Thirty-Six Stratagems《中国成语故事与三十六计（英文版）》
Brush Away the Mystery of Traditional Chinese Painting《中国历代著名绘画作品鉴赏（英文版）》
The Stories of Ancient Chinese Architecture《中国古建筑及其故事（英文版）》

《中国成语故事（英文版）》以地道流畅的英语，深入浅出地介绍了100则成语故事，每则故事配以彩色插画，赏心悦目，图文并茂，是读者学习中国传统文化、讲好中国故事的生动材料。
本书彩色印刷，装帧精美，封面采用进口环保艺术纸，运用了模切镂空工艺，正文采用105克东方雅韵艺术纸，裸脊彩线装订，图书可完全翻开摊平。

 
本书用英语讲述了一百条中国成语背后的故事，带你了解引人入胜的中国文化历史。黔驴技穷、螳臂当车、天衣无缝、高山流水……这些故事无一不反映出中国人传统的思维方式，同时也涉及了中国古代的诸多习俗。
This collection of one hundred Chinese idioms details the stories behind each one and offers a humorous and fascinating insight into the cultural history of China. From paper tigers to praying mantis, to the music of nature and heavenly robes, these tales have not only shed light on the traditional Chinese way of thinking, but also illustrated many of its ancient customs.

张慈贇，国内资深英文媒体人，高级编辑，享受国务院政府特殊津贴。曾就读于美国斯坦福大学，获硕士学位。长期从事英文新闻工作，参与《中国日报》的创办，主持创办《上海日报》《北京周末报》《上海英文星报》，均任第一任总编辑。现为中国翻译协会常务理事。曾在国内外报刊上发表大量新闻报道、特写、评论和专栏文章。
Born in Shanghai in 1949, ZHANG Ciyun (Peter) is the founding Editor-in-Chief of Shanghai Daily, a leading regional English-language daily newspaper on the Chinese mainland. He is also a prolific translator and writer.

Mr. Zhang graduated from Jilin Normal University in China, majoring in English language, and later from Stanford University in the United States with a master’s degree in journalism. 

Starting from 1980, he had worked in several news agencies in China and helped bring into existence four English-language newspapers, including China Daily and Shanghai Daily.

 
按图索骥 A Winged Steed
百步穿杨 Shooting a Willow Leaf
班门弄斧 Respecting Rank
别开生面 Drawing New Faces
兵不厌诈 Nothing is Too Deceitful in War
博士买驴 A Donkey Receipt
跛鳖千里 A Lame Tortoise Triumphs at Last
沧海桑田 Forever Changing
城门失火 City Gate on Fire
重蹈覆辙 Following the Track
唇亡齿寒 Lips and Teeth
从善如流 Following Good Advice
得陇望蜀 Insatiable Desire
东施效颦 Imitating Beauty
对牛弹琴 Lute Before Cattle
釜底抽薪 Removing Burning Firewood
覆水难收 Spilt Water Lost
高山流水 Finding Source of Inspiration
狗尾续貂 Wagging the Dog
邯郸学步 Learning to Walk
画虎类犬 Be Tiger or Dog
画龙点睛 Eyes of the Dragon
画蛇添足 The Feet Too Far
鸡犬升天 Relative Power
狡兔三窟 The Wily Hare
金城汤池 Fortress Tactics
锦囊妙计 A Pouch of Ploys
近水楼台 Waterfront Towers
举棋不定 Two Minds’ Folly
刻舟求剑 A Lost Sword
困兽犹斗 Like a Cornered Animal
滥竽充数 Playing Off-key
老马识途 Trust an Old Horse
老生常谈 A Mere Platitude
乐不思蜀 Forgetting One’s Home
梁上君子 Gentleman on the Beam
两袖清风 Clean Hands
鹿死谁手 Who will Take the Deer?
洛阳纸贵 Paper Price Soars
满城风雨 Tempest in a Line
毛遂自荐 Promote Yourself in Due Modesty
门庭若市 Crowded Courtyard
模棱两可 Pleasing Both Sides the Best Way to Survive
鸟尽弓藏 When Birds Are Gone
抛砖引玉 Ploys to Collect Gems
破釜沉舟 The No-way-out Order
旗鼓相当 A Match of Flags and drums
骑虎难下 Plight of Riding a Tiger
歧路亡羊 Pick a Path and Stay on Course
杞人忧天 Easing Anxious States
千万买邻 True Value of Neighbors
黔驴技穷 The Guizhou Donkey
强弩之末 A Powerful Crossbow
青云直上 Meteoric Rise in Rank
请君入瓮 Torture by Own Design
罄竹难书 Not Enough Bamboo
人杰地灵 Inspiring Greatness
塞翁失马 Relativity of Hidden Values
三顾茅庐 Three Calls at the Thatched Cottage
三人成虎 Lies Turning into Truths
死灰复燃 Dying Ashes Flare up
四面楚歌 Mournful Songs
守口如瓶 Tight-lipped Counsel
守株待兔 Hare-brained
水滴石穿 Art of Water Torture
水深火热 Water or Fire Option
太公钓鱼 Fishing Hookless
贪生怕死 Imperial Indulgences
螳臂当车 The Praying Mantis
螳螂捕蝉 Wasted Warnings
天罗地网 Dragnet of Deception
天衣无缝 The Heavenly Dress
铁杵成针 Li Needled into Action
投鼠忌器 Spare a Rat for a Vase
完璧归赵 Defending the Stone
玩物丧志 Folly of the Senses
亡羊补牢 Never Too Late to Fix
望梅止渴 The Power of Illusions
危如累卵 An Eggy Tale of Risk
味如鸡肋 Chicken Ribs Maneuver
未雨绸缪 Duke’s Poetic Advice
卧薪尝胆 Biding Time for Revenge
物以类聚 Birds of a Feather
相煎太急 From Brotherly Beans
胸有成竹 Life Lesson from Artist
悬梁刺股 Studies Can Be Painful
掩耳盗铃 Stealing a Bell
叶公好龙 A Dragon Passion
一鸣惊人 The First Sweet Song
一诺千金 Worth Weight in Gold
一丘之貉 Outspoken to Death
一叶障目 Leaf of Sad Illusion
饮鸩止渴 Poisoned Wine Relief
游刃有余 Master of His Cleaver
愚公移山 Moving Mountains
鹬蚌相争 Third Party Thinking
越俎代庖 Stay out of the Kitchen
自相矛盾 Spear and Shield
朝三暮四 Monkeying Around
纵虎归山 Setting the Tiger Free

Whenever the “cat gets your tongue” or a situation demands meaning “in a nutshell,” there can be no better way to “say it with words” than injecting an idiom into the conversation. The Chinese language is especially rich in idioms where a suitable phrase can be found for nearly every occasion. 
It goes without saying that the expression contained in idioms is innately linked to their native culture and, although they are a refined method of expressing a specific meaning, the richness of this form of language can be greatly enhanced by an understanding of the historical background and origin of such phrases. 
Chinese idioms abound in stories, many of which are now forgotten or unknown to Chinese speakers today even though the idioms themselves are still being used every day. 
Originally published in a weekly column in Shanghai Daily, this collection of one hundred Chinese idioms details the stories behind each one and offers a humorous and fascinating insight into the cultural history of China. 
From paper tigers to praying mantis, and from the music of nature to heavenly robes, these tales have not only shed light on the traditional Chinese way of thinking, but also illustrated many of its ancient customs. 
So for those who delight in history and are eager to gain a better understanding of the Chinese culture and language, the book Chinese Idioms and Their Stories provides an excellent way of “killing two birds with one stone.”