Meaning of the Idiom

ai wu ji wu（love me, love my dog）

There was a state called Zhou in the chinese history. One day, the king of Zhou asked his officials for advice on dealing with prisoners of war. An official said, “I once heard if you love someone, you are intended to love even the crows on the roof of his house; if you hate someone, you are intended to hate even the walls and the parapets of his. The prisoners of war were enemies fighting against us. In my opinion, we’d better kill them all.”

But the king didn’t agree with him. “I think we should treat the prisoners of war differently by differing them into those who are guilty and those who are not. The guilty ones will be sentenced to death in order to avoid future disasters.” Another official put forward his suggestion. The king didn’t think it was a proper way, either.

Then a third one said, “Your majesty, I think all the prisoners should be set free and sent back home to work in the fields and support themselves by their own labor. Moreover, you should keep strictly the rules for reward and punishment and try to your relatives and friends impartially. The people are sure to believe in you if you administer our country by morals and laws.” The king thought the official’s proposal was quite reasonable so he accepted and followed it. As a result, the domestic situation soon settled down and gradually the country became more stable and stronger.

The idiom is then used to mean that if you love someone, you’ll love people and things relative to him as well.

爱屋及乌

ài wū jí wū，该成语的意思是指因为爱一个人而连带爱他屋上的乌鸦，比喻爱一个人而连带地关心到与他有关的人或物。

出自《尚书大传·大战》。

例句

既然你爱上他，就应该爱屋及乌，包容他的缺点。

出于爱屋及乌的感情，她竟然把我和小狗狗一起搂在她的怀抱里。

因为哥哥是杰出校友，老师爱屋及乌，对我也特别好。

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Meaning of Words

 

词语	华文解释	英文解释
穷奢（shē）极欲	意思是形容奢侈和贪欲到了极点。 例句：这个昏庸的国王过着穷奢极欲的生活，很快就被愤怒的民众推翻了。	extremely extravagant and luxurious
残暴无道	意思是残暴狠毒，丧尽道义。 例句：历史上经常会出现一些统治者，他们残暴无道，最终被反抗者推翻。	be have tyrannously without justice
辅佐（fǔzuǒ）	协助，多指政治上，如协助君主治理国家。 例句：再英明的领袖，也需要有能臣的辅佐才能治理天下。	assist a ruler in governing a country
讨伐	指出兵攻打。 例句：十字军东征实际上是以讨伐异教徒的名义，去抢掠财富和黄金。	send a punitive expedition against
倒戈(gē)	指军队投降敌人，反过来打自己人。 例句：执政党已有好几名议员倒戈，投票支持反对党。	change sides in a war
攻克	意思是战胜，攻下城镇、据点。 例句：在科学的崎岖之路上，还有许多难题需要去攻克。	capture
处置	意思是处理。 例句：我先解决眼前的问题，其他的人过几天再处置。	deal with
豁（huò）然开朗	意思指由狭窄幽暗突然变得宽阔明亮的样子。比喻突然领悟了一个道理。 例句：当我想通了那个原理，忽然觉得豁然开朗，立刻冲回办公室在黑板上写下了那个公式。	be suddenly enlightened
归附	指归顺，依服。 例句：如果你真心归附，那我一定不会亏待你的。	submit to the authority of another

Meaning of the Idiom

si mian chu ge（hearing the Chu songs on four sides）

At the end of the Qin Dynasty(221-206 B.C.) the State of Chu and the State of Han fought for control for the country.

Xiang Yu, the king of Chu, was besieged at a place called Gaixia by the Han army led by Liu Bang. Xiang Yu was in a desperate situation, with little food and only a few soldiers.

At night, the surrounding Han troops started to sing Chu folk songs. Xiang Yu was very surprised at this, and said:” Has Liu Bang occupied the whole of Chu? How can he have drafted so many Chu people into his army?” Then he fled together with the remainder of his forces.

This idiom is used metaphorically to mean to be in a helpless and critical situation, surrounded by the enemy on all sides.

四面楚歌

sì miàn chǔ gē，指四面八方皆响起楚地的山歌；比喻四面受敌，孤立无援。

出自汉·司马迁《史记·项羽本纪》。

例句

这种四面楚歌的境地，他想来当真没有多大把握能够冲的出去。

你若在会议上提出这个问题，必然四面楚歌，备受责难。

破产的消息传了出来，跟他讨帐的人纷纷而来，他顿时陷入四面楚歌的境地。

Reading The Paragraphs!

Meaning of Words

词语	华文解释	英文解释
率领	意思是带领，领导。 例句：几个年轻人在小强的率领下，一齐拥到球场里要和那几个学生比拼一下球技。	lead , head , command
互不侵犯	指双方相互关系中不得以任何借口进行侵略、打扰。 例句：这两个国家经过几次谈判，最终确定了互不侵犯的原则。	Non-aggression
规劝	指郑重地劝说、劝告。 例句：他因为不重视父母的规劝，结果犯了大错。	admonish
劣势	意思是在力量或态势上处于比对方不利的地位。 例句：对手比他高大，而且体重也高过自己，这让他的拳击比赛存在一些劣势。	inferior position (strength)
思乡之情	是指思念家和家乡的一种情绪。 例句： 看到这些熟悉的景物，让他不由心里涌出一股思乡之情。	homesickness
计谋	意思是用某种方法算计人或事物，使其达到自己预期的目的。 例句：这位侦探使用了一些计谋，终于让那个嫌疑人说了真话。	stratagem; scheme
扰乱	指打乱；使混乱。 例句：一辆汽车突然冲了过来，扰乱了行进的游行队伍。	disturb; create confusion
被迫	意思是指受外界迫使。 例句：在警察的包围下，匪徒被迫放下武器。	forced to

Meaning of the Idiom

hua long dian jing（Putting the finishing touch to the picture of a dragon）

In the Southern and Northern Dynasties Period, there was a painter called Zhang Sengyao.

Once he visited a temple and painted on the wall four dragons, but gave none of them eyes. The onlookers felt that this was odd, and asked why he had not painted the eyes.

He answered, ‘Eyes are crucial for dragons. With the eyes painted on , the dragons would fly away.’

Nobody believed this, so Zhang Sengyao took up his brush and added eyes to two of the dragons. No sooner had he finished than the two dragons flew into the sky amid a thunderstorm. The two without eyes stayed painted on the wall.

This idiom is used to describe how, when writing or speaking, one or two key sentences will enhance the contents.

画龙点睛

huà lóng diǎn jīng，“画龙点睛”原先是形容梁代画家张僧繇作画的神妙，后多比喻写文章或讲话时，在关键处用几句话点明实质，使内容更加生动有力。

出自《历代名画记·张僧繇》。

例句

这盆花摆在这里，的确有画龙点睛之妙，把整个客厅的气氛衬托得非常得好。

文章的结尾画龙点睛，点明了中心思想。

一个好题目，常常对作品有画龙点睛之妙。

Reading The Paragraphs!

Meaning of Words

 

词语	华文解释	英文解释
活灵活现	意思是形容神情逼真、传神，使人有亲眼所见的感觉。 例句：他讲的西游记生动有趣，把里面的人物说的活灵活现的。	vivid; lifelike
逼真	意思是极像真的。 例句：假葡萄无论如何逼真，也不会有美好的味道。	true to life
轻易	指轻松容易。 例句：他作为游戏高手，轻易的闯过第一关。	easily
目瞪口呆	形容因吃惊或害怕或激动而发愣、发傻的样子。 例句：当年轻人突然拿出刀子要钱，几个小孩子都被吓得目瞪口呆。	stunned

Meaning of the Idiom

li bu cong xin（unable to do as much as one would like to）

Ban Chao, was one of the greatest diplomatists in the history of China. He led 36 warriors conquered and pacified over 50 countries in the Western Region of Han Empire and defeated the powerful Kushan Empire’s invasion.

Many years later, Ban Chao was sick, so he pleaded to come back to his hometown.

His litter sister Ban Zhao, now an influential female politician, also wrote to emperor to summon him back. In the letter, she mentioned that, as Lao Wang is advanced in years, he is not able to work as he would have liked to do.

After Ban Chao finally came back to the Han Empire, he was highly respected and achieved countless honors. He died a year later, at the age of 71.

力不从心

lì bù cóng xīn，指心中想做某事而力量达不到或无力去做。

出自《后汉书·西域传》。

例句

年纪渐大，想要做的事还很多，但常感到力不从心。

如今，我们工作十分忙，要想多照顾一下父母，却又力不从心。

真抱歉！不是不肯帮忙，实在力不从心。

Reading The Paragraphs!

Meaning of Words

 

词语	华文解释	英文解释
派遣	指差使人到某处做某事。 例句：部长特别派遣了几名官员陪同议员回国。	to send (on a mission)​, to dispatch
屡建奇功	屡，几次，数次；屡建奇功指多次完成意料之外、难以实现的功劳。 例句：霍去病少年英武，才十八岁就率领骑兵在塞外屡建奇功。	establish unusual merits repeatedly
年事已高	指一个人的岁数已经很大了。 例句：他年事已高，不再适合担任这个职务了。	very old
安度晚年	意思是安然的享受老年生活。 例句：经过了这么多年的征战，他终于可以解甲归田、安度晚年。	to live in comfort in the old age
尽忠	意思是竭尽忠诚。 例句： 他从小就立志要效法岳飞，尽忠报国，因此投身军旅。	be loyal to
年老体衰	意思是年事已高，身体衰弱。 例句：据说那个年老体衰的老头是独自一个人在家去世的。	old age and physical decline
辜负	意思是使别人或者自己对自己或者别人的希望落空；违背了别人的好意、希望。 例句：我决不辜负老师的期望。	fail to live up to one’s expectation; be unworthy
千辛万苦	指各种各样的艰难困苦。 例句：经过千辛万苦，唐僧师徒四人终于来到西天，取得了真经。	go through untold [many] hardships
体会	意思是指体验领会。 例句：他体会到把外语作为一种工具使用的重要性。	understand
辞世	指逝世；去世。 例句：在母亲辞世的第二天早晨，他就默默收拾行装，离开了家。	died

Meaning of the Idiom

yi ming jing ren（Startling the World with a Single Cry）

In the Warring States Period, it had been three years since King Zhuang of Chu ascended the throne, but he had neither issued a decree nor dealt with any state affairs. Furthermore, there were no deeds worth mentioning. All the civil and military officials of the court couldn’t understand what was the matter.

One day, a military official quietly asked King of Chu in the carriage:

“Your Majesty, I heard that in the south, there was a big bird dwelling in the hills. Three years passed, it neither flew nor cried. Could Your Majesty tell me the reason?”

King Zhuang of Chu smiled and answered:

“It didn’t spread its wings to fly for three years in order to grow full-fledged. It didn’t cry for three years in order to carefully observe the conditions of the people in the world. This bird, once it flies, will soar high into the sky; once it cries, it will startle the world with a single cry.”

Another half a year passed before King Zhuang of Chu began to personally administer state affairs. He abolished ten outmoded rules and regulations, issued nine new policies, sentenced five ministers to death for their evil deeds and promoted six persons with real talents. From then on, the State of Chu became stronger and stronger.

一鸣惊人

yī míng jīng rén，原义是一叫就使人震惊，现比喻平时没有突出的表现，一下子做出惊人的成绩。

出自《韩非子·喻老》。

例句

他平常成绩并不出色，这次竞赛竟然得了全校第一，真是一鸣惊人。

这位喜剧演员果然具有实力，首次公演便一鸣惊人。

他平时不露声色，关键时刻却往往一鸣惊人。

Reading The Paragraphs!

Meaning of Words

 

词语	华文解释	英文解释
归附	指归顺，依服。 例句：入夜，喧闹了一天的会场慢慢归附了平静。	submit to the authority of another
盟约	意思是结盟时所订的誓约或条款、协议。 例句：为了共同抵御俄国的势力，日本和英国签订了盟约。	convention
不服气	指不平，不心服；不认输。 例句：这次输给他，我不服气。	not convinced
无奈	意思是表示没有办法了，无计可施。 例句：无奈反对意见太多，只得取消了这次会议。	helpless
窝窝囊囊	意思是受委屈之后表现出的烦恼，窝气或指人懦弱，没本事。 例句：我不能再这样窝窝囊囊地活着。	cowardly
寻欢作乐	意思是寻求欢快，设法取乐；形容追求享乐。 例句：有哪个富人会在寻欢作乐之际，想到那穷苦潦倒的人们。	pursue pleasure
多才多艺	意思是具有多方面的才能和技艺。 例句：这个姑娘琴棋书画样样精通，真可谓多才多艺呀！	versatility
心甘情愿	心里完全愿意，没有勉强。多指自愿做出某种牺牲。 例句：为了儿女，父母心甘情愿劳苦一生。	be most willing to; be perfectly happy to
奉承	指用好听的话恭维人。 例句：他这个人禁不起别人奉承几句，就晕头转向了。	flatter
进谏（jiàn）	指向君主或尊长直言规劝。 例句：他不顾长官的反对，直接向部长进谏，要求减免附加费用。	remonstrances
提拔	指选拔提升。 例句：他不顾众人的反对，特别提拔了几个有能力的年轻人。	promote