中國成語故事中英對照 破釜沉舟

During the late years of the Qi Dynasty(221-206BC), Xiang Yu led a rebellion. After crossing the Zhang River, Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots. He issued each soldier three days' rations(給養(yǎng)) and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight. After mine fierce battles, the Qin army was finally defeated.

This idiom is used to indicate one's firm determination to achieve one's goal at any cost.

秦朝末年，秦軍大將章邯攻打趙國。趙軍退守巨鹿(今河北平鄉(xiāng)西南)，并被秦軍重重包圍。楚懷王于是封宋義為上將軍，項(xiàng)羽為副將率軍救援趙國。

宋義引兵至安陽(今山東曹縣東南)后，接連46天按兵不動，對此項(xiàng)羽十分不満，于是要求進(jìn)軍決戰(zhàn)，解困趙國。但宋義卻希望秦趙兩軍交戰(zhàn)后待秦軍力竭之后才進(jìn)攻。

但此時(shí)軍中糧草缺乏士卒困頓，而宋義仍舊飲酒自顧，項(xiàng)羽見此忍無可忍，進(jìn)營帳殺了宋義，并聲稱他叛國反楚。于是將士們則擁項(xiàng)羽為上將軍。項(xiàng)羽殺宋義的事，威震楚國，名聞諸侯。

隨后，他率所有軍隊(duì)悉數(shù)渡黃河前去營救趙國以解巨鹿之圍。項(xiàng)羽在全軍渡黃河之后他下令把所有的船只鑿沉，打破燒飯用的鍋，燒掉自己的營房，只帶三天干糧，以此表決一死戰(zhàn)，沒有一點(diǎn)后退的打算。

正是這樣已無退路的大軍到了巨鹿外圍，并包圍了秦軍和截?cái)嗲剀娡饴?lián)的通道。楚軍戰(zhàn)士以一當(dāng)十，殺伐聲驚天動地。經(jīng)過九次的激戰(zhàn)，楚軍最終大破秦軍。而前來增援的其他各路諸侯卻都因膽怯，不敢近前。楚軍的驍勇善戰(zhàn)大大提高了項(xiàng)羽的聲威。以至戰(zhàn)勝后，項(xiàng)羽于轅門接見各路諸侯時(shí)，各諸侯皆不敢正眼眼看項(xiàng)羽。

后來，“皆沉船，破釜甑”演化為成語“破釜沉舟”，以比喻拚死一戰(zhàn)，決心很大。