春秋时期，有一次齐庄公乘坐马车去打猎。马车正在前行， 走着走着发现道路上有只小虫子向车轮扑来，只见它气冲冲地舞动着两只前腿，好象在挥动着两把大刀，阻挡车轮前进。
齐庄公看见这么小的虫子，竟敢向比它身子大好多倍的车轮搏斗。他马上命令车夫把车停住。便问道：”这是只什么虫子，有这么大的胆量？”
车夫回答说：”这是一只螳螂，这种小虫子只知道向前冲，不知道往后退。它根本不衡量自己到底有多大的力量。你看，车辆距离很近了，马上就被辗着了，可是它仍站立不动，不让车辆前进。 它往往轻视对手，真是不知量力。”
齐庄公仔细地盯着螳螂看，高兴地笑着说：”好一个无敌的勇士，我们别伤害它吧。”
随后命令车夫把马车后退，再靠路边赶，让开了它。
解释 Explanation to the idiom:
后来人们根据这个故事引申出”螳臂当车”这句成语， 比喻那种不知量力的人。“螳”就是指螳螂，“当”在这里是阻挡的意思。“螳臂当车”也作“螳臂挡车”。
生词 New words:
打猎dǎliè： hunt
车轮 chēlún: cartwheel, wheel
挥动 huīdòng: to wave, to shake
阻挡 zǔdǎng: block off, hold up
搏斗 bódòu : to fight, struggle, wrestle
螳螂 tángláng: mantis, rearhorse
衡量 héngliáng: to weigh, to scale
碾（辗） niǎn: to run over
轻视 qīngshì: despise
不自量力 bú zì liànglì: do not estimate one’s abilities
无敌 wúdí: be without equal,invincibility
勇士 yǒngshì: warrior
词语应用 Application of the new words:
(1)你一个人想对抗他们整个财团，很多人都说你这是螳臂当车啊。
(2)他是一个初级选手，居然敢向冠军挑战，大家都说他是自不量力，但是他成功了。
翻译 Translation:
A Mantis Trying to Stop a Chariot
When somebody overrates himself, he is often warned: “Don’t be a mantis trying to stop a chariot.” The saying comes from a legend dated back to the Spring and Autumn Period.
One day, the King of Qi went out for a hunting with his men. The carriages were going along, when suddenly a mantis stood in the middle of the road with its sickle-like forelegs opened. It was obvious that he was trying to fight against the carriage to hold it back. Surprised at the case, the King of Qi ordered to stop and asked what creature it was. When he was told it was called mantis, and it would go well up to bridle decisively when it was challenged. The King sighed with exclamation at its braveness. He mused a moment and added: “It’s a great pity that it is not more than an insect. If it were a man, he must be the bravest warrior in the world!” Then the King ordered his carriages turn around it to leave the mantis there standing martially.
When the persons around heard the King’s words, they were well touched and determined to devote themselves to the country.
As time passed, the meaning of the phrase changed to its opposite. Now it means that someone overrates oneself and try to hold back an overwhelmingly superior force.
(Source:english.cri.cn)
