mǎ shǒu shì zhān 马首是瞻

成语 (Idiom)：马首是瞻

意思（Meaning)：

首：头；瞻：往前、向上看，也有仰慕之意。马首是瞻，原指作战时士卒看主将的马头行事；比喻凡一切行动进退，都得听从领导者的命令或指挥。
Using horse head to mean leader of a task force, everyone in the task force must look forward and look up to the leader. In other word, it means the task force must follow the instructions or command of the leader exactly when they are on the field.  

例如（An example):

这只商业团队能密切行动，成为这次胜利的团队，关键在于他们明白马首是瞻的道理。
The team from this company could work and cooperate closely, and becomes this time winning team, their success hinges on their good understanding of this idiom. 

典故（Classical Literature)：

《左传·襄公十四年》：“荀偃令曰：‘鸡鸣而驾，塞井夷灶，唯余马首是瞻。鲁国史官左丘明根据鲁国国史《春秋》编成。（http://baike.baidu.com/view/84048.htm）

yǐ dé bào yuàn 以德报怨

成语 (Idiom)：以德报怨 （Respond Resentments with Virtues） 

意思（Meaning)：

德：好的品行；道德；恩惠。报：传达，告知；回答。怨：仇恨；不满意；责备。

有两种解释：

1. 有人对我们有仇恨或不满意，有人责备我们的过错；处理的方法是：

•    用恩惠来回答仇恨
•    用好的品行来回答不满意
•    用道德来回答责备

简单的说是以'德'的行为来应对‘怨‘，如此，可以避免再听到同样的怨言。

2. 现今不少词典都做这解释：不记别人的仇，反而给他好处。

There are two interpretations:

1. When people confronted us with hatred or dissatisfaction or blame, handle it as below:

• using grace to handle hatred
• reply dissatisfaction with manner or good behaviour
• using virtue to handle blames

By doing these, one could avoid from hearing the same grudges, resentment or grievances.

例如（An example):

常常以德报怨的人，不会常有仇恨伴身边，也会减少许多不满意和责备。
以德报怨的行为，能够减少许多不满意和责备，也可避免碰到仇恨的行为。
The practice of  '以德报怨', could reduce dissatisfaction and blames from other people, and  likely not have to face with hatred behaviour.

典故（Classical Literature)：

《论语·宪问》：“或曰：‘以德报怨何如？’子曰：‘何以报德？以直报怨，以德报德。’”

shí nián shù mù 十年树木

成语 (Idiom)：十年树木

意思（Meaning)：

比喻长期培育；常用在培育人材方面，十年可以种成一棵树；在恰当的土壤里，许多树在十年里都已会开花结果！当十年树木与百年树人连用时，比喻培养和教育人材是长久之计，并非一朝一夕可完成；也是强调培育人材的长久之计需要比较长的时间，有如种植一百年的树一般，要有耐心和爱心。（十年树木，百年树人）
This idiom is used to describe bringing up human like growing trees in a 10 year time frame; the soils must be prepared for the trees to crop. When it is used to describe growing human in a hundred years, it is often referred to growing talented people. 

例如（An example):

小学与中学教育注重十年树木方式的栽培学生，以期学生毕业后，就能对社会有所贡献。不会如耗子般偷吃过日子，或猛兽般猎杀以为生！时时面对生命危险，朝朝夕夕为三餐而忙碌，无能储存。
Using this idiom to tell the importance of educating pupils of primary and secondary schools like growing trees.

典故（Classical Literature)：

管子：“十年之计，莫如树木；终身之计，莫如树人。“

yī rì qiān lǐ 一日千里

成语 (Idiom)：一日千里 (A Thousand Mile A Day)

意思（Meaning)：

如骏马一般能一日行一千里，比喻进展很快。
Like a fine horse able to travel a thousand mile in a day,  metaphorical meaning is improvement at a tremendous pace.

例如（An example):

电脑领域里一日千里的进展, 为许多人带来了喜悦。
Using this idiom to describe the advancement of computer technology, has brought joys to many people.

典故(Classical Literature): 

《庄子·秋水》：“骐、骥、骅、骝，一日而驰千里。”《史记·刺客列传》：“臣闻骐骥盛壮之时，—日而驰千里；至其衰老；驾马先之。”

yī mǎ dāng xiān 一马当先

成语（Idiom）：一马当先

意思（Meaning)：

比喻领先，起带头作用。

Take the lead, be in the forefront.

例如（An example):

“一马当先“, 成为我的博客里的第一个成语！
This idiom is the first idiom used in my blog.

典故(Classical Literature): 

明·施耐庵《水浒传》第九十六回：“即便勒兵列阵，一马当先，驰下山来，犹如天崩地塌之势。”

qǔ gāo hè guǎ 曲高和寡

成语（Idiom）：曲高和寡

意思（Meaning)：

曲调高深，能跟着唱的人就少。旧指知音难得。现比喻言论或作品不通俗，能了解的人很少。
Literally，this idiom means music composed with high pitch, deep and complex content, can only play or sing along by few people. It is usually used to describe a piece of work which is outstanding and not simple, and only few people could appreciate or understand it.

例如（An example): 

交响乐曲，一般都曲高和寡，有一些音乐修养的听众才会起共鸣；普通听众多只是喜欢听乐曲优美的旋律，称赞交响乐高超的水准和为乐队精彩的表演喝采。
This idiom is used to describe high standard symphony music played by orchestra. Such music pieces required audiences with music background to fully appreciate the pieces. The general audience like the pleasant melody of the symphonies, will praise the brilliant standards and applause the wonderful shows performed by the orchestras.

典故(Classical Literature): 

战国·楚·宋玉《对楚王问》：“引商刻羽，杂以流徵，国中属而和者，不过数人而已。是其曲弥高，其和弥寡。”

qīng chū yú lán 青出于蓝

成语 (Idiom)：青出于蓝

意思 (Meaning)：

靛青是从蓼蓝草里提炼出来的染料，但颜色比蓼蓝草更深；这成语源自古代制作靛青色的颜料，用来比喻提炼过的更加出色，或更精深！这成语经常也这样用：青出于蓝而胜于蓝。
Indigo is a dye processed from indigo grass, the colour of the dye is darker from the original colour. It is usually used to describe the latter performed better than the former, often used to encourage students to outperform their teachers.

例如（An example):

现任慈善机构的领导人青出于蓝，吸取了先人的经验，从事了基本改革；从此，同样的问题不再发生。
Using this idiom to praise a current leader of charity organization able to learnt from past experiences to stop recurrence of the same problem.

典故（Classical Literature)：

《荀子·劝学》：“青，取之于蓝而青于蓝；冰，水为之而寒于水。

About this Blog

My Chinese Idioms in blogspot is a place where I keep my thought and knowledge on Chinese Idioms. It is published to share with readers and to promote the usage and understanding of Chinese Idioms.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, my first step was I created 'Chinese Idioms on Spot' in blogspot on 22th February 2014, my second step is I decide to publish my blogspot with what I have now. I will add idiom as and when I have good examples where I will add value to the existing resources which are already available in Internet websites  and printed books.

My resources:

1. Chinese-Tool.com

Chinese-Tool.com has a Chengyu Dictionary of more than 30000 Chengyu(Chinese proverbial idioms) with calligraphy, pinyin, English translation, Chinese explanations, synonyms and context examples.

Chinese-tools: Chengyu stories, chinese idioms

2.百度百科（全球最大的中文百科全书）

Baidu Search 百度词典查询

3. Books:

1. A Dictionary of Chinese Idioms with English Translations published by Intellectual Publishing Co.

2. 汉语成语词典 出版：智力出版社；A Dictionary of Chinese Idioms published by Intellectual Publishing Co.

3. 四用成语典，出版：雷鼓出版社，编著者：雷鼓出版社编辑部