Chinese Idiom:束之高阁 (shù zhī gāo gé)

2018-02-14

During the Eastern Tsin Dynasty (dōng jìn 东晋,317—420AD),there were two tremendously talented young men named Yin Hao (yīn hào 殷浩) and Du Yi (dù yì杜义) ,both gained their big fame through metaphysics (xuán xúe 玄学) study.

 

At that time,Yu Yi (yǘ yì 庾翼),a famous general who attempted to reclaim the North area found himself in a urgent situation of talents shortage. One day,some officials strongly recommended that the two meta-physicists serve as his think tank. However,after serious consideration,he responded: "Though the two have household names across the kingdom concerning the metaphysics,they are rather high-hearted and pretty impractical. On accout of this,we just can’t take the risk to rely on such kind of persons in the battlefileds. They shall be tied up in and put in the high attic until the country come to it’s peace and prosperity."

 

Since then,this idiom"To be put in the attic"is used to refer putting something away without using it.

 

在东晋的时候,有两个著名的玄学家,一个叫殷浩,一个叫杜义。虽然玄学很虚幻,但是他们还是很喜欢进行它的研究,并取得了一些成就。

 

那个时候,一个名叫庾翼的著名的将军当时正想收复北方,想请一些有才能的人帮他共同完成这项任务。当时,有很多人建议将军启用很有名气的殷浩。但是经过慎重的一番考虑之后,庚冀打消了这个念头,认为这些玄学家虽然在玄学方面很有想法但是,其实在实际的作战中,他们并不能帮上多少忙。他常对人说:杜义、殷浩这类人,只能把他们像东西那样捆起来,放在高高的楼阁上面不去管它。等天下太平了,再考虑让他们出来做些事。

 

后来,束之高阁就被用来形容把东西放着不用。

 

束之高阁 (shù zhī gāo gé)

【翻译】To be put in the attic.

【释义】高阁:储藏器物的高架。捆起来以后放在高高的架子上。 比喻放着不用。

【例句】他喜欢买书,但是却从未真正认真看过它们,每次总是买来就束之高阁了。

【近义词】置之不理、置之度外

【反义词】爱不释手、掌上明珠

[ Web editor:Robin Wang, Wu Jianhan    Source:tcfl.tingroom.com ]