缘木：爬树。爬到树上去找鱼。比喻方向或办法不对头，不可能达到目的。

due to a wrong approach, success is impossible

想往南而车子却向北行。比喻行动和目的正好相反。

be diametrically opposite

讥笑听话的人不懂对方说得是什么。用以讥笑说话的人不看对象。

talk over peoples heads cast pearls before swine

黔：今贵州省一带；技：技能；穷：尽。比喻有限的一点本领也已经用完了。

a person who has exposed his limited ability

效：仿效；颦：皱眉头。比喻胡乱模仿，效果极坏。

crude imitation with ludicrous effects

椟：木匣；珠：珍珠。买下木匣，退还了珍珠。比喻没有眼力，取舍不当。

keep the glittering casket and give back the pearls to the seller show lack of judgment

到水中去捞月亮。比喻去做根本做不到的事情，只能白费力气。

make futile efforts

邯郸：战国时赵国的都城；学步：学习走路。比喻模仿人不到家，反把原来自己会的东西忘了。

slavish imitation of others and loss of ones own individuality

假：借。狐狸假借老虎的威势。比喻依仗别人的势力欺压人。

bully others by flaunting ones powerful connections

安：安详，不慌忙；安步：缓缓步行。以从容的步行代替乘车。

content to go on foot rather than ride in a vehicle

揠：拔。把苗拔起，以助其生长。比喻违反事物发展的客观规律，急于求成，反而把事情弄糟。

too much zeal spoil all

井底的蛙只能看到井口那么大的一块天。比喻见识狭窄的人。

be a person with a very limited outlook

当：阻挡。螳螂举起前肢企图阻挡车子前进。比喻做力量做不到的事情，必然失败。

a rash attempt to do what is far beyond ones ability

矛：进攻敌人的刺击武器；盾：保护自己的盾牌。比喻自己说话做事前后抵触。

self-contradictory

将映在酒杯里的弓影误认为蛇。比喻因疑神疑鬼而引起恐惧。

be jittery with imaginary fears

被弓箭吓怕了的鸟不容易安定。比喻经过惊吓的人碰到一点动静就非常害怕。

a badly frightened person

叶公：春秋时楚国贵族，名子高，封于叶（古邑名，今河南叶县）。比喻口头上说爱好某事物，实际上并不真爱好。

pretend to like something which one really fears

比喻对事物只凭片面的了解或局部的经验，就乱加猜测，想做出全面的判断。

draw conclusions from incomplete data

比喻用错误的方法去消除灾祸，结果使灾祸反而扩大。

do something to make the situation even worse

梧鼠：即“鼯鼠”，为鼣鼠之误。比喻才能有限。

at ones wits end can do nothing more The flying squirrel has exhausted its tricks The skills, though many in number, are useless, if they are not exquisite