中英版成语故事:邯郸学步
<p> 邯郸学步，也作“学步邯郸”。比喻一味地模仿别人，不仅学不到本事，反而把原来的本事也丢了。</p><p> 相传在两千年前，燕国寿陵地方有一位少年，不知道姓啥叫啥，就叫他寿陵少年吧!</p><p> 这位寿陵少年不愁吃不愁穿，论长相也算得上中等人材，可他就是缺乏自信心，经常无缘无故地感到事事不如人，低人一等——衣服是人家的好，饭菜是人家的香，站相坐相也是人家高雅。他见什么学什么，学一样丢一样，虽然花样翻新，却始终不能做好一件事，不知道自己该是什么模样。</p><p> 家里的人劝他改一改这个毛病，他以为是家里人管得太多。亲戚、邻居们，说他是狗熊掰棒子，他也根本听不进去。日久天长，他竟怀疑自己该不该这样走路，越看越觉得自己走路的姿势太笨，太丑了。</p><p> 有一天，他在路上碰到几个人说说笑笑，只听得有人说邯郸人走路姿势那叫美。他一听，对上了心病，急忙走上前去，想打听个明白。不料想，那几个人看见他，一阵大笑之后扬长而去。</p><p> 邯郸人走路的姿势究竟怎样美呢?他怎么也想象不出来。这成了他的心病。终于有一天，他瞒着家人，跑到遥远的邯郸学走路去了。</p><p> 一到邯郸，他感到处处新鲜，简直令人眼花缭乱。看到小孩走路，他觉得活泼、美，学;看见老人走路，他觉得稳重，学;看到妇女走路，摇摆多姿，学。就这样，不过半月光景，他连走路也不会了，路费也花光了，只好爬着回去了。</p><p> 故事出自《庄子·秋水》。成语“邯郸学步”，比喻生搬硬套，机械地模仿别人，不但学不到别人的长处，反而会把自己的优点和本领也丢掉。</p><p> ImitatingAnotherwithoutSuccessandLosingWhatUsedtoBeOne'sOwnAbility</p><p> Traditionhasitthatmorethan2,oooyearsago,therelivedayoungmanintheShoulingareaoftheStateofYan.Ashisnameisnotknown,wejustcallhimShoulingyoungmanforconvenience'ssake.</p><p> selfconfidentHewasatalossastohowtobehaveallthetime.</p><p> Hisfamilymembersadvisedhimtoovercomethisshortcoming,buthethoughttheywerefondofpokingtheirnosesintohisbusinessandwereunwillingtoprovidehimwithtuitionfee.Hisrelativesandneighbourssneeredathim,sayingthathewouldneverbeabletolearnanything.Asthedayswentby,heevenbegantodoubtwhetherheshouldwalkthewayhedid,forhefeltmoreandmorethathiswalkinggesturesweretooclumsyandawkward.</p><p> Oneday,hemetsomepeopleontheroadwhowerechattingandlaughing.OneofthemsaidthatpeopleinHandanwalkedmostgracefully.Andthatwasjustwhathewasmostconcernedabout,sohehurreedtowardsthemandwantedtomakefurtherinquiries.Tohissurprise,whenthesepeoplesawhim,theystalkedofflaughing.</p><p> Hecouldnotpicturetohimselfinwhatwaytheirwalkinggesturesweregraceful,nomatterhowhardherackedhisparentsoneday.HewenttoHandanwhichwasfarawaytolearnhowtowalk.</p><p> AssoonashearrivedinHandan,hewasdazzledtofindthateverythingwasnovel.Helearnedfromthechildrentherehowtowalk,becausehethoughtthatthechildren'swalkinggestureswerelivelyandpleasingtotheeye.Helearndfromtheoldpeopletherehowtowalk,becausehethoughttheoldpeople'swalkinggesturesweresteady.Helearndfromthewomentherehowtowalk,becausehethoughtthewomen'swayingwalkinggestureswerebeautiful.Thatbeingthecasewithhim,inlessthanhalfamonthheevenforgothowtowalk.Ashehadalreadyuseduphistravelingexpenses,hehadtocrawlbackhome.</p><p> Thisstorycomefromthearticle“AutumnWater”inTheWorksofXhuangZi(ZhuangZiwasafamousancientChinesephilosopherofabout300B.c.)。Laterthesetphrase“initatinganotherwithoutsuccessandlosingwhatusedtobeone'sownability”isusedtorefertoactsofcopyingothersmechanisallyindisregardofspecififcconditions.</p>
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