在中华民族五千年的传统文化中，成语故事是汉语中的璀璨明珠，是中华民族语言的瑰宝。其精练、形象，极富表现力，有着历史历史文化、民族文化的丰厚积淀。通过这些历史成语故事去了解中华民族悠久的历史、高超的智慧和历久弥新的语言文字。下面本站小编为大家带来中国经典成语故事四则，欢迎大家阅读!
中国经典成语故事：半日清闲
One day, a high official wanted to amuse himself in a temple.
一天，有一个大官，要到寺院里去游玩。
His subordinates notified the monks in the temple three days in advance to prepare a good meal on time. So all the monks in the temple busied themselves with the preparation.
他的手下人便在三天前就通知寺院里的和尚，准时备好饭菜。于是，寺院里所有的和尚，都忙着张罗了起来。
The temple was situated in a remote mountain, surrounded by bamboo groves, and very tranquil. After the high official had strolled about for a while, he was very pleased. While dining, he recited lines from a poem of the Tang Dynasty:
寺院坐落在深山里，四面都是竹林，的确非常清静。大官游玩了一番之后，非常高兴，一面吃饭，一面吟起了唐人的诗句:
"Passing through the bamboo courtyard and meeting a monk,A half day's leisure is gained in this fleeting life."
“因过竹院逢僧话，又得浮生半日闲。”
When the old monk heard these lines of the poem, he couldn't help laughing.
老和尚听了诗句，不觉笑了起来。
The high official asked hastily:
大官连忙问道:
"What are you laughing about?"
“你笑什么?”
The old monk replied:
老和尚回答道:
"Your Honour have indeed gained a half day's leisure, but I have been busy for three whole days."
“您老人家固然清闲了半天，可是我老和尚却已经忙了整整三天!”
中国经典成语故事：忘乎所以
The gorillas in the valleys in the south often lived together in groups of several tens. They were fond of drinking wine, and even fonder of imitating man's behavior.
南方山谷里的猩猩，常常数十成群地生活在一起。它们喜欢喝酒，更喜欢模仿人的行为。
People knew very well their habits and often put wine or distiller's grains on the roadside together with many straw sandals connected together with ropes.
人们掌握了它们的习性，经常把酒或酒糟放在路边，旁边又放着许多草鞋，草鞋用绳索连接起来。
The gorillas knew this was a trick to lure them into traps and cursed:
猩猩知道这是人们引诱它们上当，便破口大骂:
"Humph! Do you think we don't know your tricks? We'll never be taken in!"
“哼!你们以为我们不知道吗?我们决不上你们的当!”
So they called one another, turned round and left.
于是，互相招呼，回头就走。
But they had already smelled the aroma of the wine, and couldn't bear to part with it. Even after they left, they would turn their heads to look back. When they saw no one there, they would turn back; and after they turned back, they were afraid of being deceived, and left again. After much hesitation, they finally said to themselves:
但是，它们已经闻到了酒香，总有点恋恋不舍，就是走了，也要回过头来望望。回头望不见人，便又转过来;转过来了又怕上当，再返身回去。犹豫了好久，它们最后自言自语地说:
"Just for a taste of the wine. It won't matter as long as we don't get drunk."
“去尝尝味道，不喝醉就不碍事。”
Shortly afterwards, they agreed to come back to drink the wine. When they got drunk, they forgot everything. Every gorilla put on the straw sandals and imitated the way man walks.
不一会儿，大家同意了，都回来喝酒。等到喝醉的时候，它们一切都忘记了，一个个穿上草鞋，学着人走路。
As a result, they fell down one after another and were all caught alive by people.
结果，一个个都跌倒了，统统被人活捉。
中国经典成语故事：何必当初
In a village in the mountain in front, there was a man named Wang Laowu notorious for his laziness. Everyone called him "Lazy Laowu", but he never admitted he was lazy. Whenever someonecalled him "Lazy Laowu", he would glare and say:
前山村里有个王老五，懒得出奇，大家都叫他“懒老五”。可是王老五从来不承认自己懒，一听有人叫他“懒老五”，他就瞪眼，说:
"Who is lazy? It is just that I don't want to make my efforts in vain."
“谁懒了?我只是不愿意干那种白费劲的活儿罢了。”
One day he went out. Before he had taken several steps, he stumbled and fell down. He got up and walked for a few more steps, then fell down again. This time he lay on the ground and would not get up. He said to himself:
有一天，他出门刚走了两步就跌了一跤。他爬起来走了儿步，又跌了一跤。这一回，他索性趴在地上不起来了。他自言自语地说:
"If I knew this earlier, why did I get up in the first place?"
“早知如此，刚才何必爬起来呢!”
中国经典成语故事：贪得无厌
One day a man walking on the road met a celestial, who happened to be an old friend of his.
一天，有个人走在路上遇到一个神仙。原来，这个神仙还是他的老朋友呢。
Seeing that his life was hard, the celestial pointed with his finger at a brick on the roadside, which turned into a gold brick at once. And he gave it to the man.
神仙看到他生活很困难，就用手指朝路边的一块砖头一指，砖头立即变成了金砖。神仙把金砖送给了他。
But the man was not satisfied. The celestial pointed again with his finger at a large stone lion at the gate, which at once turned into a gold lion. And he gave it to him too. But the man still complained it was not enough.
他并不满足。神仙又把手指一指，门前的一尊大石狮马上变成了一尊金狮，也送给了他。可是他仍旧嫌少。
The celestial asked him:
神仙问他:
"My friend, how much will be enough for you? What should I do to satisfy you?"
“朋友，你要多少才能满足?我怎么做你才满意?”
The man hummed and hawed and said:
他支支吾吾地说:
"I want your finger."
“我想要你的这个手指头!”