Chinese language vocabulary 汉语词汇 卧薪尝胆——Sleep on Brushwood and Taste Gall

“卧薪尝胆”一词原指中国春秋时期的越国国王勾践励精图治以图复国的事迹，后演变成成语，形容人刻苦自励，发奋图强。出自《史记˙越王勾践世家》：“越王勾践反国，乃苦身焦思，置胆于坐，坐卧即仰胆，饮食亦尝胆也。”

chūnqiū shíqī wúɡuó hé yuèɡuó zhījiān jìnxínɡ le yìchǎnɡ zhànzhēnɡ

春秋时期，吴国和越国之间进行了一场战争，

 

wúwánɡ búxìnɡ shòule zhònɡshānɡ bùjiǔ jiù sǐle

吴王不幸受了重伤，不久就死了。

 

tāde érzi fūchāi zuòle wúɡuó de xīn ɡuówánɡ tā fāshì yàotì fùqin bàochóu

他的儿子夫差作了吴国的新国王，他发誓要替父亲报仇。

 

yúshì tā yánɡé de cāoliàn tāde shìbīnɡ

于是，他严格的操练他的士兵，

 

bǎ tāmen xùnliàn chénɡle yìzhī fēichánɡ lìhài de búduì

把他们训练成了一支非常厉害的军队。

 

sānnián yǐhòu tāduì yuèɡuò fādònɡle zhànzhēnɡ

三年以后，他对越国发动了战争，

 

zhuāzhùle yuèwánɡ ɡōujiàn bǎtā dàihuíle wúɡuó

抓住了越王勾践，把他带回了吴国。

During the spring and autumn period （770－476bc）, the state of wu launched an attack against the state of yue. The king of wu was seriously wounded and soon died. His son fu chai became the new king. Fu was determined to revenge. He drilled his army rigidly until it was a perfect fighting force. Three years later, he led his army against the state of yue and caught its king gou jian. Fu took him to the state of wu.

 

wèile fùchóu

为了复仇，

 

fūchāi rànɡ ɡōujiàn zhùzài tā fùqin mùpánɡ de pòshíwūlǐ tiāntiān kànmù wèimǎ

夫差让勾践住在他父亲墓旁的破石屋里天天看墓、喂马。

 

ɡōujiàn biǎomiànshànɡ fúcónɡ xīnlǐmiàn què xiǎnɡzhe fùchóu

勾践表面上服从，心里面却想着复仇。

 

jǐnián yǐhòu ɡōujiàn bèi fànɡhuí yuèɡuò tā lìkè háishì mìmì jùjí yìzhí jūnduì

几年以后，勾践被放回越国。他立刻开始秘密聚集一支军队。

 

wèile tíxǐnɡ zìjǐ búyào wànɡle fùchóu tā shuìzài cháishànɡ

为了提醒自己不要忘了报仇，他睡在柴上，

 

hái měitiān zài chīfàn shuìjiào qián chánɡyìchánɡ kùdàn

还每天在吃饭睡觉前尝一尝苦胆。

 

tónɡshí tā zhuānxīn zhìlǐ ɡuójiā dàlì fāzhǎn nónɡyè jiāqiánɡ mínzhònɡ jiàoyù

同时，他专心治理国家，大力发展农业，加强民众教育。

 

jǐniánhòu yuèɡuò yòu biàndé qiánɡdà qǐlái

几年后，越国又变得强大起来，

 

ránhòu ɡōujiàn zhuāzhù yíɡe shìdànɡ de jīhuì xiāomièle wúɡuó

然后，勾践抓住一个适当的机会消灭了吴国。

In order to avenge his father's death, fu let him live in a shabby stone house by his father's tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him. gou pretended to be loyal to fu but he never forgot his humiliation. Many years later, he was set free. gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state. In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and ate a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed every night. At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people. After a few years, his country became strong. Then gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe off the state of wu.

 

hòulái rénmén yònɡtā lái xínɡtónɡ rén kèkǔ zìlì yǐ dádào zìjǐ dìnɡxià de mùbiāo

后来，人们用它来形容人刻苦自励以达到自己定下的目标。

Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one's resolve to realize one's ambition.