Chinese idioms：毛遂自荐 (Máosuì zì jiàn)

Máosuì zài Zhào Guó dài le sān nián, yìzhí bú bèi zhòngyòng. Yí cì, Zhào Guó bèi Qín Guó jūnduì wéigōng dūchéng, xūyào Píngyuán Jūn（Zhào Wáng de dìdì）xuǎn 20 gè rén qù Chǔ Guó qiújiù. Píngyuán Jūn guówáng tiāo le 19 gè rén, zuì hòu hái quē yí gè rén.
毛遂（Máosuì）在赵国待了三年，一直不被重用。一次，赵国被秦国军队围攻都城，需要平原君（赵王的弟弟）选20个人去楚国求救。平原君国王挑了19个人，最后还缺一个人。
Maosui had been living in the State of Zhao for three years, but never received an important position. Then, one day, the State of Zhao was besieged by the Army of Qin. Twenty people were sent by Prince Pingyuan (the brother of Emperor Zhao) to ask for help from the State of Chu. Prince Pingyuan had already picked nineteen people, but one was still needed.

Yúshì Máo Suí duì Píngyuán Jūn shuō:” wǒ jiù xiàng shì cáng zài dàizǐ lǐ de zhuīzǐ, ná chūlái yīdìng néng fā chū guāngmáng.” Píngyuán Jūn suīrán yǒu xiē huáiyí, dàn háishì dāyīng le dài shàng tā.
于是毛遂对平原君说：“我就像是藏在袋子里的锥子，拿出来一定能发出光芒。”平原君虽然有些怀疑，但还是答应了带上他。
Maosui told Prince Pingyuan, “I’m like a tool hidden in a bag; I will only be useful when I am taken out.” So with great reservations, Prince Pingyuan agreed to take him.

Dào le Chǔ Guó, Píngyuán Jūn yǔ Chǔ Wáng shāngliàng chūbīng jiù Zhào de shì, kěshì shǐzhōng tán bù chū jiéguǒ. Máo Suí kàn shíjiān bù děng rén, yì shǒu tí jiàn jiù chōng dào le Chǔ Wáng miànqián. Tā bǎ chūbīng jiù Zhào duì Chǔ Guó yǒulì de dàolǐ xiáng xì dì fèn xī gěi chǔ wáng tīng. Jiéguǒ Chǔ Wáng dāyīng mǎshàng chūbīng, Qín jūn hòu lái jiù chètuì le.
到了楚国，平原君与楚王商量出兵救赵的事，可是始终谈不出结果。毛遂看时间不等人，一手提剑就冲到了楚王面前。他把出兵救赵对楚国有利的道理详细地分析给楚王听。结果楚王答应马上出兵，秦军后来就撤退了。
When they arrived in the State of Chu, Prince Pingyuan and Emperor Chu began to discuss dispatching troops to help the State of Zhao, but the discussion was futile. Maosui realized there was no time to waste, so he rushed to Emperor Chu’s side and began to argue his point. His detailed analysis of the benefits helping the State of Zhao would bring the country persuaded Emperor Chu to dispatch troops immediately. In the end, the Qin army was forced to retreat.

Words：
重用：(zhòngyòng) v. put sb. in an important position
求救:(qiújiù) v. seek help
锥子:(zhuīzi )n. awl
光芒:(guāngmáng) n. rays of light
冲:( chōng) v. to crash
详细:(xiángxì) adj.detail
Meanings：
“毛遂自荐”比喻自告奋勇，自己推荐自己担任某项工作。
“毛遂自荐” means one who voluntarily offers to undertake a certain task.

Sentences：
1.Gōngsī yào pài rén qù chūchāi, tā máosuí-zìjiàn.
公司要派人去出差，他毛遂自荐。
The company needed somebody to go on a business trip and he volunteered.

2.Bān lǐ yào xuǎn bānzhǎng, Xiǎo Wáng máosuí-zìjiàn cānjiā jìngxuǎn, zuìhòu tā dāng shàng le bānzhǎng.
班里要选班长，小王毛遂自荐参加竞选，最后他当上了班长。
The class selected a monitor and Xiao Wang volunteered. In the end, he was selected.