成語是古代語和事的高度凝練和濃縮，往往文言色彩濃厚，保留着許多古漢語詞彙的痕跡，現代人可以藉以瞭解當時的社會、文化、語言等面貌。下面是本站小編爲您整理的英語成語小故事大全，希望對你有所幫助!
英語成語小故事篇一：highly talented才高八斗
tsau pi and tsau jr were sons of tsau tsau. both were very gifted writers, and tsau jr was especially quick-witted.
曹丕與曹植都是曹操的兒子，二者均有才華，特別是曹植更具文采。
after tsau tsau's death, tsau pi took over the throne of the kingdom of wei. jealous of tsau jr's literary ability, and afraid that he might cause problems, tsau pi was always looking for a way to kill his brother.
在曹操死後，曹丕繼任大統，但他嫉妒曹植的才華，同時也懼怕曹植回謀反，所以一直在伺機殺害曹植。
one day, tsau pi called tsau jr into see ordered his brother to make up a poem within the time it took to walk seven steps, adding that if he could not, his life would be in danger.
有一天，曹丕要求接見曹植，他要求曹植在他七步之內作詩一首，如果做不到，就會有生命危險。
greatly saddened, tsau jr began to walk and to think. before he had taken the seven steps, he had already finished his poem, the meaning of which was: "brothers are of the same family, so why should the oppress each other?"
悲憤之下，曹植急中生智，作出七步詩，是的意思就是“本來就是親兄弟，爲什麼要這樣步步緊逼，傷及感情?”
tsau jr was very intelligent and loved to study. he wrote many outstanding articles which showed his artistic talent and earned him the admiration of many people. one scholar said of him: "heaven gave the world ten decalitres of talent, and tsau jr alone has eight of them."
曹植文采俱佳，熱愛學習，他曾做過不少才華橫溢的文賦，均令世人感嘆不已。曾有一位學者說道：“如若天下文采共有十鬥，曹植一人獨佔八斗。”
英語成語小故事篇二： a drop in the bucket九牛一毛
li ling was a great general during the time of emperor han wu-di (hàn wǔ dì漢武帝). he was a very good fighter, and he won every battle.
西漢時代有個很有名的大將軍名叫李陵，他驍勇善戰，百戰百贏。
one time, however, li ling's troops were so hopelessly outnumbered by the huns that although they fought bravely, the whole army was soon taken captive.
有一次，雖然李陵的軍隊奮勇殺敵，因爲兵力不足而戰敗投降。
li ling shamefully surrendered for the moment, planning to wait for an opportunity to strike back.
李陵打算暫時先忍辱投降，以便伺機等待機會反擊。
but when news of the surrender reached the capital, the emperor's jealous ministers began to degrade li ling in front of the emperor.
但當李陵投降的消息傳到首都，皇上身邊嫉妒的大臣們都開始指責李陵。
what he heard made the emperor so angry that he had li ling's wife and mother put to death.
皇上十分氣憤，他將李陵的妻子與母親都賜死了。
ze-ma chian, who had always respected li ling, believed that he wouldn't surrender without a reason, and urged the emperor not to believe rumors.
司馬遷一直很敬重李陵，他不信李陵會無緣無故投降，便諫言皇上不要聽信謠言。
this time, the emperor grew angry at sz-ma chian, and locking him up, punished him severely.
但就因爲這樣，皇上便遷怒司馬遷，並將他囚禁，進行嚴懲。
sz-ma chian then wrote a long letter to a friend, saying, "i am now in the middle of writing a history book. if i die, it will be as if one ox in a group on nine were to lose a single hair. i am willing to withstand punishment in order to complete this book." sz-ma chian finally did finish his book - the very famous shr-ji.
司馬遷隨後寫了一封長信給他的朋友，說道：“我現在在寫一部歷史長篇，如果我死了，就如同九牛一毛般微不足道，但我願意承受住這般的懲罰，來完成這部書。”最終，司馬遷完成了這部名流千古的史學著作——《史記》。
英語成語小故事篇三： be afraid of one's own shadow草木皆兵
in ad 383, the king of former qin (秦朝), fu jian (fú jiān 苻堅), led a huge army to attack eastern jin.
公元383年，秦王苻堅率領步兵、騎兵90萬，攻打江南的晉朝。
after losing the first round of fighting, fu jian looked down from a city wall, and was terrified when he saw the formidable battle array of the eastern jin army.
在一輪戰敗後，苻堅從城牆俯視周遭，當他看到勢不可破的東晉部隊，他感到很害怕。
and then looking at the mountains around, he mistook the grass and trees for enemy soldiers.
此時，苻堅在壽春城上望見晉軍隊伍嚴整，士氣高昂，再北望八公山，只見山上一草一木都像晉軍的士兵一樣，於是更加恐慌。
as a result, when the nervous fu jian led his army into battle, it suffered a crushing defeat.
後來苻堅全軍覆沒，帶着少數殘餘的隊伍逃回去了。
英語成語小故事篇四： within an ace of winning功虧一簣
Once a man planned to build a terrace.
古時，有一個人要築一座九仞(八尺=一仞)高的山。
He worked very hard and spent a lot of time digging and carrying earth.
他十分努力的建造這座山，並且花了很多時間挖土、搬運泥土。
When the mound was almost completed and only one more basket of earth was needed, the man gave up.
終於當山快要建成的時候，幾乎只差最後一籃子的泥土就行了的時候，他放棄了。
The terrace was never completed.
這座山便永遠無法完工。
英語成語小故事篇五：To have an image of bamboo in one's mind入木三分
Wang Xi-zhi is one of the most famous calligraphers during the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China. When he was very young, he practiced his art every day and never stopped.
王羲之是中國東晉時代一個很有名的書法家，他從小就刻苦練字，從不間斷。Later he absorbed the strong points of all the other schools of calligraphy, and developed his own unique style of writing. Because of his achievements, he has been honored as one of China's sages of calligraphy.
以後又吸取了各個不同書法派的優點，形成他自己獨特的個性。因爲他在書法上的成就，人們都尊稱他爲中國書法界的“聖人”。
One time, Wang Xi-zhi sketched in wood for an engraver to cut. Then the engraver found the ink had penetrated one centimeter into the wood.
有一次，王羲之在木板上刻字，後來刻字的人發現墨汁滲入木板有三尺深。
"Ru Mu San Fen" is got from this story, which means the calligraphy is penetrating.
“入木三分”就是從這個故事中得出來的，用來形容書法有力。
Now it is often used to describe expressing sharp ideas or profound views.
現在多用來比喻分析問題很深刻。