Showing Off One's Proficiency1 with the Axe2 Before Lu Ban the Master Carpenter

　　in ancient times, Lu Ban was supposed to be a consummate3 master in construction and sculpture. Carpenters respect him as ancestor master. It is said that he once carved a colorful wooden phoenix4 that was so lifelike that it actually flew in the sky for three days. Thus it was considered the height of folly5 to show off one's skill with an axe in front of Lu Ban.

　　This idiom excoriates6 those who show off their slight accomplishments7 in front of experts.

　　古代有一個(gè)建筑和雕刻技術(shù)非常高超的人，名叫魯班，木匠行里尊稱(chēng)他為祖師。傳說(shuō)他曾用木頭制作了一只五彩斑斕的鳳凰，能夠在空中飛翔三天不掉下來(lái)。在魯班門(mén)前擺弄斧子，當(dāng)然顯得有些自不量力了。

　　“班門(mén)弄斧”這個(gè)成語(yǔ)，用來(lái)比喻在行家面前顯示本領(lǐng)。