毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) To recommend oneself

Key Learning Point (Preview):

毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) to volunteer for a task; to recommend oneself for a difficult job

Idiom Story:

Máo Suí zài Zhàoguó dāile sān nián, què yìzhí bú bèi zhòngyòng.
毛遂在赵国待了三年，却一直不被重用。
In ancient China, there was a man named Mao Sui. He stayed in the country of Zhao for three years with its leaders paying no attention to his humble existence.

Yícì, Zhàoguó bèi Qínguó jūnduì wéigōng, xūyào xuǎn èrshí gèrén qù Chǔguó qiújiù.
一次，赵国被秦国军队围攻，需要选 20 个人去楚国求救。
One day, Zhao was attacked by the country of Qin. The Emperor decided to choose 20 men to go to the nearby country of Chu for help.

Zhàoguó tiāole shíjiǔ gè rén, dàn zuìhòu hái quē yígèrén.
赵国挑了 19 个人，但最后还缺一个人。
After drawn out debate, 19 were chosen, leaving one vacancy.

Yúshì Máo Suí zhǔdòng shuō: “wǒ kěyǐ.” Dàn dàole Chǔguó, què shǐzhōng tán bù chū jiéguǒ.
于是毛遂主动说： “我可以。”但到了楚国，却始终谈不出结果。
Mao Sui volunteered simply saying: “I can do the job.” They arrived in Chu. After long and tiresome pleadings no offer of aid was given.

Máo Suí kàn shíjiān bù děng rén, jiù chōng dào le Chǔwáng miànqián,
毛遂看时间不等人，就冲到了楚王面前，
bǎ chū bīng jiù Zhào duì Chǔguó yǒu lì de dàoli xiángxì de fēnxī gěi Chǔwáng tīng.
把出兵救赵对楚国有利的道理详细地分析给楚王听。
Mao Sui considered the issue as life-and-death, so he rushed to the Emperor of Chu and shrewdly listed the advantages in aiding Zhao.

Jiéguǒ Chǔwáng dāying mǎshàng chū bīng, Qínjūn hòulái jiù chètuì le.
结果楚王答应马上出兵，秦军后来就撤退了。
Finally, the emperor of Chu agreed to help, leading to the tyrant army of Qin leaving the country of Zhao.

Key Learning Point:

毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) to volunteer for a task; to recommend oneself for a difficult job
“毛遂 (Máo Suí)” is a man’s name; “自荐 (zìjiàn)” means to recommend oneself.

Examples:

XiǎoMíng jīnnián xuéxí chéngjì zài bānlǐ dìyī, yúshì xiàng lǎoshī Máo Suí zìjiàn dāng
小明今年学习成绩在班里第一，于是向老师毛遂自荐当
xuéxí wěiyuán.
学习委员。
As the top student in his class, XiaoMing volunteers himself to act as the class representative in charge of studies.