胆小如鼠 dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ cowardly as a mouse

Explanation

胆小如鼠，是形容一个人胆子非常小，就像老鼠一样，遇到一点风吹草动就害怕。比喻做事畏首畏尾，缺乏胆识。

Cowardly as a mouse is a description of a person who is very timid, like a mouse, afraid of any movement. It is a metaphor for someone who is timid and hesitant, lacking courage and determination.

Origin Story

从前，在一个偏僻的小村庄里，住着一位名叫李大壮的青年。李大壮身材魁梧，相貌堂堂，可是却有一个致命的弱点——胆小如鼠。村民们经常嘲笑他，说他像只老鼠，一见猫就吓得瑟瑟发抖。 有一天，村里来了一个赶集的商人，他带来了一些稀奇古怪的玩意儿。李大壮很好奇，就凑上前去观看。商人拿出一只小巧玲珑的鸟笼，里面关着一只金丝雀。李大壮看得眼花缭乱，心想，要是能得到这只金丝雀就好了。 商人看出李大壮的心思，便笑着说：“这金丝雀可是宝贝，如果你能鼓起勇气，在集市上大声喊三遍‘我要买金丝雀’，我就把它送给你。” 李大壮顿时犹豫了，他脑海里浮现出村里人嘲笑他的画面，他害怕被人嘲笑，害怕被人看不起。他犹豫再三，最终还是没有鼓起勇气，垂头丧气地走开了。 商人看到李大壮的举动，摇摇头，叹了一口气。他明白，李大壮这辈子，永远不可能拥有这只金丝雀，因为他的胆小如鼠，让他失去了获得幸福的机会。

cóng qián, zài yī gè piān pì de xiǎo cūn zhuāng lǐ, zhù zhe yī wèi míng jiào lǐ dà zhuàng de qīng nián. lǐ dà zhuàng shēn cái kuí wú, xiāng mào táng táng, kě shì què yǒu yī gè zhì mìng de ruò diǎn - dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ. cūn mín men jīng cháng cháo xiào tā, shuō tā xiàng zhī lǎo shǔ, yī jiàn māo jiù xià de sè sè fǒu dǒu. yǒu yī tiān, cūn lǐ lái le yī gè gǎn jí de shāng rén, tā dài lái le yī xiē xī qí gǔ guài de wán yì er. lǐ dà zhuàng hěn hǎo qí, jiù còu shàng qián qù guān kàn. shāng rén ná chū yī zhī xiǎo qiǎo líng lóng de niǎo lóng, lǐ miàn guān zhe yī zhī jīn sī què. lǐ dà zhuàng kàn de yǎn huā liáo luàn, xīn xiǎng, yào shì néng dé dào zhī jīn sī què jiù hǎo le. shāng rén kàn chū lǐ dà zhuàng de xīn si, biàn xiào zhe shuō: “zhè jīn sī què kě shì bǎo bèi, rú guǒ nǐ néng gǔ qǐ yǒng qì, zài jí shì shàng dà shēng hǎn sān biàn ‘wǒ yào mǎi jīn sī què’, wǒ jiù bǎ tā sòng gěi nǐ.” lǐ dà zhuàng dùn shí yóu yù le, tā nǎo hǎi lǐ fú xiàn chū cūn lǐ rén cháo xiào tā de huà miàn, tā hái pà bèi rén cháo xiào, hái pà bèi rén kàn bù qǐ. tā yóu yù zài sān, zuì zhōng hái shì méi yǒu gǔ qǐ yǒng qì, chuí tóu sàng qì de zǒu kāi le. shāng rén kàn dào lǐ dà zhuàng de jǔ dòng, yáo yáo tóu, tàn le yī kǒu qì. tā míng bai, lǐ dà zhuàng zhè bèi zi, yǒng yuǎn bù kě néng yǒu yǒng zhī jīn sī què, yīn wéi tā de dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ, ràng tā shī qù le huò dé xìng fú de jī huì.

Once upon a time, in a remote village, there lived a young man named Li Dazhuang. Li Dazhuang was tall and strong, with a noble appearance, but he had one fatal weakness - he was cowardly as a mouse. The villagers often laughed at him, saying that he was like a mouse, shivering with fear at the sight of a cat. One day, a peddler came to the village, bringing with him some strange and wonderful things. Li Dazhuang was curious and went to see them. The peddler took out a small and exquisite birdcage, inside which was a goldfinch. Li Dazhuang was dazzled, thinking, how great it would be to get this goldfinch. The peddler saw Li Dazhuang's thoughts and said with a smile, “This goldfinch is a treasure. If you can summon the courage to shout three times in the market, ‘I want to buy the goldfinch’, I will give it to you.” Li Dazhuang hesitated immediately, he envisioned the villagers laughing at him, he was afraid of being laughed at, he was afraid of being looked down upon. He hesitated for a long time, but ultimately he didn't find the courage and walked away with his head down. The peddler saw Li Dazhuang's actions, shook his head and sighed. He understood that Li Dazhuang would never own this goldfinch, because his cowardice prevented him from seizing happiness.

Usage

这个成语形容胆小怕事的人，多用于贬义。比如，在面对困难的时候，有些人就会胆小如鼠，不敢去尝试，也不敢去挑战。

zhè gè chéng yǔ xíng róng dǎn xiǎo pà shì de rén, duō yòng yú biǎn yì. bì rú, zài miàn duì kùn nan de shí hòu, yǒu xiē rén jiù huì dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ, bù gǎn qù cháng shì, yě bù gǎn qù tiǎo zhàn.

This idiom describes people who are timid and afraid of things, and it is often used in a derogatory way. For example, when facing difficulties, some people may be as cowardly as a mouse, not daring to try or to challenge.

Examples

• 他胆小如鼠，连说话都低声细语。

  tā dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ, lián shuō huà dōu dī shēng xì yǔ.

  He is as cowardly as a mouse, even speaking in a low voice.

• 别看他体型壮硕，其实胆小如鼠，一见警察就吓跑了。

  bié kàn tā tí xí zhuàng shuò, qí shí dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ, yī jiàn jǐng chá jiù xià pǎo le.

  Don't look at his stout physique, he is actually as timid as a mouse, he ran away at the sight of the police.

• 面对困难，我们不能胆小如鼠，要勇敢地去克服它。

  miàn duì kùn nan, wǒ men bù néng dǎn xiǎo rú shǔ, yào yǒng gǎn de qù kè fú tā.

  In the face of difficulties, we must not be timid as a mouse, but bravely overcome it.

Related Idioms

• 胆小怕事

• 畏首畏尾

• 胆怯

Opposite Idioms

• 胆大心细

• 胆识过人

• 勇敢无畏