Ji Shao, an aide to Emperor Jin Hui during the Jin Dynasty, was handsome and talented.
晋朝时,有一个人叫嵇绍,担任晋惠帝的侍从官。他长得仪表堂堂,而且才能出众。
Once, when his country was being invaded, he accompanied Emperor Jin Hui in defending the country, but, unfortunately, they lost the war. Most of the soldiers died or deserted, but Ji Shao stayed with the emperor to protect him.
Upon seeing this, the people were moved and said:“Ji Shao stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep, preeminent and superior.”
看到嵇绍奋勇杀敌的情景人们都很有感触,说:“嵇绍就像一只鹤站立在鸡群中一样,仪表出众,气度不凡。”
This idiom is currently used to describe prominent people with good looks and impressive abilities among a crowd.
这个成语如今用来形容一些相貌或者是才能特别出众的人。
【文化链接】
成语“鹤立鸡群”既可以表面上形容“一个人因身高高挑在众人中显得突出”,也可以形容“一个人因为相貌或者卓越才能,亦或是出挑的行为在众人中显得突出”,英文中相应表达可以用“stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep”,本意就是“像一只在羊群中站立的骆驼”。
我们一起来看一个例句:
Because all the other people were waiting in line, I did not want to stand out like a camel amongst a group of sheep, and I decided to wait in line as well.