Chinese Idiom (1): 毛遂自荐To Recommend Oneself

Key Learning Point:

毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn): to volunteer for a task; to recommend oneself for a difficult job

Idiom Story:

Máo Suí zài Zhàoguó dāile sān nián, què yìzhí bú bèi zhòngyòng.
毛     遂   在  赵国      待了   三    年，  却   一直 不  被   重用。

In ancient China, there was a man named Mao Sui. He stayed in the country of Zhao for three years with its leaders paying no attention to his humble existence.

Yícì, Zhàoguó bèi Qínguó jūnduì wéigōng, xūyào xuǎn èrshí ge rén qù Chǔguó qiújiù.
一次，赵国      被   秦国      军队     围攻，   需要    选     20   个  人   去   楚国   求救。

One day, Zhao was attacked by the country of Qin. The Emperor decided to choose 20 men to go to the nearby country of Chu for help.

Zhàoguó tiāole shíjiǔ ge rén, dàn zuìhòu hái quē yí ge rén.
赵国         挑了    19   个  人，但    最后     还   缺   一个人。

After drawn out debate, 19 were chosen, leaving one vacancy.

Yúshì Máo Suí zhǔdòng shuō: "wǒ kěyǐ." Dàn dàole Chǔguó, què shǐzhōng tán bù chū jiéguǒ.
于是    毛    遂    主动       说：“我  可以。”但 到了    楚国，  却    始终       谈  不  出   结果。

Mao Sui volunteered simply saying: "I can do the job." They arrived in Chu. After long and tiresome pleadings no offer of aid was given.

Máo Suí kàn shíjiān bù děng rén, jiù chōng dào le Chǔwáng miànqián,
毛      遂  看    时间   不   等    人，就  冲       到    了 楚王        面前，
bǎ chū bīng jiù Zhào duì Chǔguó yǒu lì de dàoli xiángxì de fēnxī gěi Chǔwáng tīng.
把   出   兵    救  赵    对   楚国       有 利的   道理  详细    地   分析 给   楚王      听。

Mao Sui considered the issue as life-and-death, so he rushed to the Emperor of Chu and shrewdly listed the advantages in aiding Zhao.

Jiéguǒ Chǔwáng dāying mǎshàng chū bīng, Qínjūn hòulái jiù chètuì le.
结果      楚王          答应     马上      出    兵， 秦军     后来   就   撤退 了。

Finally, the emperor of Chu agreed to help, leading to the tyrant army of Qin leaving the country of Zhao.

Key Learning Point:

毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) to volunteer for a task; to recommend oneself for a difficult job

"毛遂 (Máo Suí)" is a man's name; "自荐 (zìjiàn)" means to recommend oneself.

Examples:

Xiǎomíng jīnnián xuéxí chéngjì zài bān lǐ dìyī, yúshì xiàng lǎoshī Máo Suí zìjiàn dāng
小明       今年  学习    成绩 在   班 里第一,于是 向   老师    毛  遂   自荐   当
xuéxí wěiyuán.
学习  委员。

As the top student in his class, Xiaoming volunteers himself to act as the class representative in charge of studies.

             Jīntiān de bānhuì shuí lái Máo Suí zìjiàn zhǔchí yí xià?
Teacher: 今天 的  班会      谁    来  毛   遂   自荐  主持  一下？

 　        Who wants to volunteer to hold today’s class meeting?

             Lǎoshī, wǒ lái shìshi ba.
    Emily: 老师，我  来  试试  吧。

               Sir, let me have a go at it.