成语是古代语和事的高度凝练和浓缩，往往文言色彩浓厚，保留着许多古汉语词汇的痕迹，现代人可以借以了解当时的社会、文化、语言等面貌。的小编精心为您带来了英语成语故事简短最新6篇，您的肯定与分享是对小编最大的鼓励。
In Qin dynasty, there was a powerful and evil counselor named Zhao Gao。
在秦朝，有个很得势的奸臣叫赵高。
Zhao Gao wanted to rebel, but he didn't know how many people in the court would stand by his side。
赵高想造反，但是又不知道群臣中有多少人会支持他。
So he worked out a way to test the people。
于是他想了个办法来测试。
He presented a deer as a tribute to the emperor in front of the court, and said that it was a swift horse。
他在群臣面前送了一头鹿给皇上，并说这是一匹千里马。
The emperor not accepting his statement said, "This is obviously a deer."
皇上不信，说“这明明是鹿啊。”
Then, Zhao Gao took this opportunity to ask the court, "Is this a deer or a horse?"
然后赵高借机问各位大臣，“这是鹿还是马？”
In the court, those who didn't dare to go against Zhao Gao agreed with him and said that it was a horse, those who dared to go against Zhao Gao said that it was a deer。
在大臣中，不敢反抗赵高的都赞同说是马，敢于反对赵高的说是鹿。
Later, Zhao Gao remembered the counselors who didn't agree with him and persecuted them to solidify his power。
后来，赵高记住了这些反对他的人并加以迫害，以巩固自己的势力。
This story is still popular even today. People use this idiom to describe someone who calls white black。
这个故事流传至今，人们用这个成语来形容一个人颠倒黑白。
This idiom comes from Records of Three Kingdoms• Kingdom of Wei • Biography of Lu Yu. When Lu Yu, the minister of the State of Wei was young, his parents and brothers all died one after another, and he became an orphan. In such a difficult situation, he still studied very hard. Finally he became a talented person and served as a high officialof hisstate.Hewassouprightin performing his official duties that he was promoted to the minister of the Board of Civil Office, in charge of the officials' appointments and removals.
Owing to the vacancy of Lu Yu's original post, it had to fill up a new official for it. Although there were many officials to recommend some well-known people for the post, all were refused by Emperor Wen. He only let Lu Yu do it and also pointed out:"It depends on you whether we can find the right person for the important post. But we can't choose someone only with fame in stead of his real ability. You see, the fame is just like drawing cakes on the ground to allay hungry."
Then Lu expressed his idea:" You are right, YourMajesty, selections should depend on their real learning and abilities. But the real fame is still very important, such as self-possession and high moral character. So we should select people with both of them."
Now we use it to describe comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts, without solving practical problemsand feeding on illusions.
蛙臂挡车
One day, Zhuang Gong, King of the State of Qi, went out in a chariot to hunt.
一天，齐庄公乘车外出打猎。
On the way, he saw a small insect raise both its arms, trying to stop the wheels of the chariot. Zhuang Gong of Qi was curious and asked the driver:
路上，他看见一只小虫举起双臂，想阻挡车轮前进。齐庄公很好奇，就问车夫:
"What kind of insect is it?"
“这是什么虫子？”
"It is a mantis," the driver replied promptly. "This kind of insect only knows how to advance but not retreat, blindly underrating its enemies and overrating its own abilities."
车夫连忙回答:“这是蝗螂。这种虫子只知前进，不知后退，盲目轻敌，不自量力。”
Hearing the driver's reply, Zhuang Gong smiled to himself and remained silent.
听了车夫的回答，庄公暗自发笑，默默无语。
一鸣惊人
In the Warring States Period, Duke Wei of Qi neglected state affairs, for the first three years of his reign, giving himself over to dissipation. One of his ministers, Chun Yukun who had a good sense of humour, said to him: 'There is a big bird which has neither taken wing nor sung for three years.' The duke answered, 'Once that bird starts to fly and sing, it will astonish the world.' The duke thereupon devoted himself to his duties and built his state up into a powerful one.
战国时代，齐威王即位后做了三年国君，只顾享乐，不理政事。有个善于说笑话的人叫淳于髡，一天对齐威王说：“城里有一只大鸟，三年不飞也不叫，你知道这是什么道理？”齐威王说：“这鸟不飞则罢，一飞就冲天；不鸣则罢，一鸣就惊人。”在淳于髡的激发下，齐威王开始治理国家，取得很大成绩，齐国的声威一直保持了几十年。
买犊还珠
In the past, a man of the State of Chu intended to go to the State of Zheng to sell pearls.
从前，有个楚国人准备到郑国卖珍珠。
First he used rare lily magnolia to make a small exquisite case which he fumigated with the delicate fragrance of osmanthuses and Chinese prickly ashes. Furthermore, the case was inlaid with emerald-green jadeite, and adorned with attractive rosy jade. The whole case was decorated in an extremely exquisite way.
他先用名贵的木兰做了一只精巧的小匣子，又用幽香的牡桂和花椒把匣子熏了一下，并且在匣子上面镶了碧绿的翡翠，还嵌上引人注目的玫瑰石，整个匣子装演得十分考究。
A man of the State of Zheng saw this exquisite case and liked it very much. He bought it with a great deal of money, but he returned the pearl in the case to the man of Chu.
有个郑国人看到这只精美的匣子，非常喜欢，就用重金买了下来。但是，他却把匣子里的珍珠退还给了那个楚国人。
Later, people ridiculed the man of Chu by saying that he was good at selling cases, but not good at selling pearls.
后来，人们都嘲笑这个楚国人，说他很善于卖匣子，却不善于卖珍珠。
To go too far in the pursuit of form just like letting a presumptuous guest usurp the host's role, which brings about opposite results.
过分追求形式，反而会喧宾夺主，效果适得其反。
A young man ran a business in the market.
One day, he held up a shield and said proudly: “My shield is very strong.
It can stop any spear in the world.” Then he held up his spear and bragged: “My spear is very sharp. No matter how strong a shield is, my spear can pierce it.”
People all around here laughed when they heard the words of the young man.
One of them asked: “So, according to what you said, your spear is the sharpest. No matter how strong a shield is, your spear can pierce it. And your shield is also the strongest.
No matter how sharp a spear is, it can’t pierce your shield. Well, what will happen if I pierce your shield with your spear?"
The young man was too embarrassed to say anything.
古时候，有一个人，他既卖矛又卖盾。一天，他在集市上叫卖，非常得意。他举起他的盾说：“我的盾非常坚固。无论怎样好的矛，都戳不穿它！”说完，他又举起他的矛夸口说：“我的矛非常锋利。无论怎样坚固的盾都能戳进去！”
站在旁边的人听了，都暗暗地发笑。
有人问他：“照你这样说，你的矛是最锋利的。无论怎样硬的盾都戳得进去。你的盾又是最坚固的。无论怎样锋利的矛，也别想戳进去。
那么，现在我用你的矛来戳你的盾，看看结果会怎样呢？”
那个人窘得连一句话也答不上来。