Chinese Idiom:空中楼阁 (kōng zhōng lóu gé)

A rich man asked an architect to build a three-story house for him. When the first story was finished, the rich man said to the architect: "I want only the third story; not the first and second stories." The architect asked, "But without the first and second stories, how can I build the third story?" Shaking his head, he packed up his things, and left.

This idiom indicates an unrealistic or impractical plan or theory.

从前有个富翁,愚蠢无知。有一次,他到另一个富翁的家里,看见一座三层的楼房,楼又高又大,富丽堂皇,宽敞明朗,他十分羡慕,心里想:“我的钱财并不比他少,为什么以前没想到造一座这样的楼呢?”他立刻唤来木匠,问道:“你能不能照着那家的样子造一座漂亮的楼?”木匠回答说:“那座楼就是我造的。”富翁便说:“那你现在就为我造一座像那样的楼。”
于是木匠便开始量地基,叠砖,造楼。富翁看见木匠叠砖,心生疑惑,不晓得是怎么一回事,就问木匠:“你这是打算造什么?”木匠回答道:“造三层的楼呀!”富翁又说:“我不要下面二层,你先给我造最上一层。”
木匠答道:“没这样的事!哪有不造最下一层楼而造第二层楼的?不造第二层楼又怎么谈得上造第三层楼呢?”
这个愚蠢的富翁固执地说:“我就是不要下面二层楼,你一定得给我造最上一层楼!”

空中楼阁 (kōng zhōng lóu gé)
【翻译】A Castle in the Air.
【释义】空中所显现的阁楼,悬挂在空中的楼房亭阁。指脱离实际的理论、计划或虚构的东西。也            可喻为高明通达。
【例句】做人要脚踏实地,不能建空中楼阁。
【近义词】虚无缥缈、海市蜃楼

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