Relieving hunger with a picture of cakes Once in the Three Kingdoms Period , the duke of the Wei, Cao Rui, planed to select a very capable man to work for him. He said to his ministers: 'When choosing a talented person, always beware of one with a false reputation. A false reputation is just like a picture of a cake; it can' t ease hunger.' 譯文 三國時代魏國的皇帝曹睿,準備選拔一個有才能的人到朝廷來做官。曹睿對他的大臣說:“選擇人才,不能光找有虛名的人。虛名好像是畫的一塊餅,只能看,不能解決肚子饑餓的問題啊!” 寓意 后來人們就用“畫餅充饑”這個成語比喻用空想安慰自己,不能解決實際問題。 Later, this idiom came to be used to mean comforting oneself with unrealistic thoughts, without solving practical problems. |
|