【成语来源】 

Kong Rong gave away bigger pears
孔融让梨

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a person called Kong Rong. He was very smart ever since he was a little boy. He had five older brothers and one younger brother.
东汉时候,有个叫孔融的人。他小时候很聪明,有五个哥哥,一个弟弟。

One day his father bought some pears, picking one of the largest and giving it to Kong Rong deliberately. But Kong Rong shook his head and picked up the smallest one.
一天爸爸买了一些梨子,特意捡了一个最大的给孔融,孔融却摇头不要,拿了一个最小的梨。

His dad was very curious, and asked: “Why?”
爸爸很好奇,就问:“为什么呢?”

Kong Rong said: “I am younger, so I should eat the smaller pear, and brothers should eat the bigger ones.”
孔融说:“我年纪小,我吃小梨,大的给哥哥吃。”

His dad was very glad after hearing his words, but asked further: “What about your younger brother who is younger than you are?”
爸爸听后很高兴,又问:“那弟弟比你还小呀?”

Kong Rong said: “I am older than him, so I should leave the bigger one to my little brother.”
孔融说:“我比弟弟大,我是哥哥,我应该把大的留给小弟弟吃。”

Later, Kong Rong became a great scholar.
后来,孔融成为了一个很有学问的人。

【文化链接】

“孔融让梨”这个故事告诉我们,凡事应该懂得谦让的礼仪,英语中表达“谦让谦逊”等意思可以用“modest”,有一句叫做“Modest is Hottest”,也就是“谦虚最迷人”~