磨砖成镜《景德传灯录慧能大师》：“开元中有沙门道一住传法院常日坐禅，师知是法器，往问曰：'大德坐禅图什？'一曰：'图作佛。'师乃取一砖于彼庵前石上磨。一曰：'师作什？'师曰：'磨作镜。'一曰：'磨砖岂得成镜邪？'师曰：'坐禅岂得作佛邪？'”后用作比喻事情不能成功的典实[查看详情]

缘木求鱼爬上树去找鱼。比喻行事的方向、方法不对必将劳而无功。例今以所重加非其人望其毗益万分，兴化致理璧犹缘木求鱼，升山采珠。——《后汉书刘玄传》英Do the impossible as one who climb a tree to catch fish—a fruitless approach;[查看详情]

徒劳无功徒劳的尝试或无用的姿态。例他们的种种失败徒劳无功，简直像花儿和昆虫适合于共生一样惊人。英futility; make a futile effort; flog a dead horse; mount on a dead horse; shoe a goose; work to no avail;徒劳无成效的努力；常指空跑一趟而未遇见想要找的人。英wa[查看详情]

抱薪救火抱着柴草救火。比喻欲除其害反助其势。例且夫以地事秦譬犹抱薪救火，薪不尽火不灭。——《史记魏世家》英carry faggots to put out a fire; take oil to extinguish the fire;[查看详情]

南辕北辙与事实相反背道而驰。例使南辕北辙，无苦征途。——《福惠全书》英try to go south by driving the chariot north-act in a way that defeats one's purpose;截然相反。英poles apart,poles asunder;[查看详情]

竹篮打水比喻费了力没有效果。例唐二古怪和唐春早父子俩年年竹篮打水，两手空空。——刘绍棠《蛾眉》英draw water with a bamboo basket; all in vain;又作“竹篮打水一场空”[查看详情]

舍本逐末指做事舍弃根本的部分却过多地追求细枝末节形容轻重倒置。也说“舍本求末”例如果作者本没有什么新颖独创之见却勉强去雕砌一些警句、格言之类来等着读者喝采那是舍本逐末的作法。——《义论、考据和辞章》英attend to trifles to the neglect of essentials; be penn[查看详情]