가인박명(佳人薄命) - 아름다운 사람, 기구한 운명 ································ 2
가정맹호(苛政猛虎) - 가혹한 정치, 공포의 화신 ··································· 5
각자위정(各自爲政) - 제멋대로의 행동, 자기만의 정치 ························· 8
간담초월(肝膽楚越) - 다른 마음, 등지고 사는 인생 ···························· 10
강퍅자용(剛愎自用) - 고집불통, 우쭐대는 태도 ··································· 13
개과천선(改過遷善) - 잘못을 고쳐 나가는 착한 사람 ························· 16
거안제미(擧案齊眉) - 공경하는 마음, 싹트는 사랑 ······························ 18
견토지쟁(犬兎之爭) - 쓸데없는 다툼, 제3자의 이익 ···························· 21
결초보은(結草報恩) - 죽어서도 못 잊고 갚는 은혜 ····························· 23
경원(敬遠) - 공경, 그 적절한 거리 ······················································· 26
계란유골(鷄卵有骨) - 기회를 잡지 못하는 나쁜 운수 ························· 28
계명구도(鷄鳴拘盜) - 쓸모없음의 쓸모 있음 ········································ 30
계발(啓發) - 열망과 분발, 자기 노력 ··················································· 33
곡학아세(曲學阿世) - 비뚤어진 학문, 아부로 얼룩진 세상 ·················· 36
괄목상대(刮目相對) - 쉼 없는 공부, 박식함의 여유 ···························· 38
광풍제월(光風霽月) - 맑은 하늘, 시원한 바람과 둥근달 같은 인품 ········ 40
권토중래(捲土重來) - 실패와 도전, 희망과 의지 ································· 42
귀감(龜鑑) - 거울에 비춰 본 인간의 모습 ··········································· 46
금의환향(錦衣還鄕) - 성공한 인생, 빛나는 자태 ································· 48
기사회생(起死回生) - 죽은 목숨, 새 생명 탄생 ··································· 50
남상(濫觴) - 작은 샘 큰 강물, 그 시초 ················································ 54
낭패(狼狽) - 조급하고 다급한 처지와 곤경 ········································· 56
농락(籠絡) - 구속과 제한, 얕은 잔꾀 ··················································· 59
다기망양(多岐亡羊) - 다양성에서 오는 혼란 ········································ 61
단기지교(斷機之敎) - 중도 포기, 교육 소홀 ········································ 64
단장(斷腸) - 극한 슬픔, 애통의 끝 ······················································· 67
당랑거철(螳螂拒轍) - 분수 파악, 허세의 함정 ····································· 69
대기만성(大器晩成) - 긴 시간, 큰 인물 ················································ 72
대단원(大團圓) - 보름달처럼 원만한 얼굴 ··········································· 74
대의멸친(大義滅親) - 국가적 의리, 개인적 친분 ································· 77
도원경(桃源境) - 행복한 나라, 이상사회 ·············································· 80
동공이곡(同工異曲) - 다르게 보이는 것들의 동일함 ··························· 83
동병상련(同病相憐) - 비슷한 부류, 이해하는 마음 ······························ 86
두각(頭角) - 학문과 기예, 뛰어난 재능 ················································ 88
등용문(登龍門) - 난관 돌파, 약진의 계기 ············································ 90
맥수지탄(麥秀之嘆) - 망해 버린 나라를 보는 한숨 소리 ···················· 92
면목(面目) - 부끄러운 얼굴, 최후의 탄식 ············································ 95
명경지수(明鏡止水) - 먼지 없는 거울, 인격자 ····································· 97
목탁(木鐸) - 세상의 바른 도리를 전하는 선각 ···································· 99
무용지용(無用之用) - 쓸모없게 보이는 존재의 이유 ························· 102
문전성시(門前成市) - 많은 사람, 어울림의 의미 ································ 105
물의(物議) - 사람들의 평판, 논평과 비난 ·········································· 108
미봉책(彌縫策) - 터진 곳 꿰매기, 임시로 채워 넣는 작업 ·············· 110
발본색원(拔本塞源) - 뿌리 뽑고 샘 막기, 완전한 처치 ····················· 112
방약무인(傍若無人) - 주위를 의식하지 않는 의기충천 ······················ 114
배반낭자(杯盤狼藉) - 일의 끝, 혼란과 쇠퇴 ······································· 116
백면서생(白面書生) - 오직 글, 경험 없는 무지한 인생 ····················· 119
백미(白眉) - 흰 눈썹, 가장 뛰어난 존재 ············································ 121
백발백중(百發百中) - 겨누는 곳, 모두 맞히는 실력 ·························· 123
백안시(白眼視) - 반갑지 않은 사람, 냉정한 눈길 ······························ 126
복수불반분(覆水不返盆) - 일그러진 일, 회복하기 힘든 상황 ············ 128
불구대천지수(不俱戴天之?) - 원수, 복수, 그리고 용서 ···················· 130
불초(不肖) - 어리석은 사람, 부족한 인간 ·········································· 132
붕정만리(鵬程萬里) - 상상 초월, 원대한 포부 ··································· 134
사면초가(四面楚歌) - 홀로 포위, 외롭고 곤란한 지경 ······················· 136
사이비(似而非) - 진짜처럼 보이는 가짜, 허위 포장 ·························· 139
사자후(獅子吼) - 위엄 서린 설법과 열변 ··········································· 141
새옹지마(塞翁之馬) - 재앙과 행복, 상황의 변화 ································ 144
석권(席卷) - 공략과 성취, 세력 확장 ················································· 147
선입견(先入見) - 근거 없는 판단의 기준 ··········································· 149
선즉제인(先卽制人) - 선수, 결정적 승패 요인 ··································· 151
수어지교(水魚之交) - 친밀한 관계, 우정의 광장 ································ 154
수즉다욕(壽則多辱) - 장수하는 행복, 치욕의 경계 ···························· 157
승당입실(升堂入室) - 높은 수준, 깊은 경지 ······································· 160
식언(食言) - 약속 번복, 거짓 불신 ····················································· 162
식자우환(識字憂患) - 설치고 나대는 행동, 비웃음 ···························· 164
실사구시(實事求是) - 사실 토대, 진리 탐구 ······································· 167
아수라장(阿修羅場) - 피비린내 싸움터, 전쟁의 참상 ························ 170
안도(安堵) - 담장 울타리, 안정과 평안 ·············································· 172
암중모색(暗中摸索) - 글 속에서 찾아 나가는 인생 ··························· 175
약관(弱冠) - 어리고 약한 시절의 극복 ·············································· 177
약법삼장(約法三章) - 적합한 규정, 편안한 삶 ··································· 180
양두구육(羊頭狗肉) - 거짓 간판, 나쁜 물건 ······································· 183
양상군자(梁上君子) - 욕망의 절제, 용서하는 품격 ···························· 185
양약고구(良藥苦口) - 충고와 아부, 인생의 갈림길 ···························· 187
어부지리(漁夫之利) - 양보 없는 버티기, 가로채는 이득 ··················· 190
역린(逆鱗) - 의사 전달, 설득의 기술 ················································· 192
연리지(連理枝) - 화목과 화합, 사랑의 징표 ······································· 195
연목구어(緣木求魚) - 목적과 수단의 불일치, 성공 불가능 ················ 197
오리무중(五里霧中) - 희미함, 파악하기 힘든 세상 ···························· 200
오우천월(吳牛喘月) - 미리 하는 걱정, 불러일으키는 곤란 ················ 202
와신상담(臥薪嘗膽) - 고난의 시간, 인내의 열정 ································ 204
완벽(完璧) - 무결점의 인간, 훌륭함의 상징 ······································· 206
요령부득(要領不得) - 실패의 길, 성공의 이면 ··································· 208
우공이산(愚公移山) - 어렵고 험한 일, 끊임없는 노력 ······················· 210
우화등선(羽化登仙) - 고통스런 현실, 미래의 이상향 ························ 213
위여누란(危如累卵) - 불안정, 위태로운 지경 ····································· 216
위편삼절(韋編三絶) - 소중한 내용, 반복하는 공부 ···························· 219
이심전심(以心傳心) - 마음으로 통하고 깨닫는 일 ····························· 221
일거수일투족(一擧手一投足) - 약간의 수고로움,
딛고 일어서는 계기 ······································································· 223
일자천금(一字千金) - 완결성, 탁월한 인재 초빙 ································ 226
조강지처(糟糠之妻) - 구차하고 비천한 시절, 함께 고생한 사람 ······· 229
조령모개(朝令暮改) - 현실 무시, 원칙 없는 무일관성 ······················· 232
지록위마(指鹿爲馬) - 농락, 휘두르는 권세 ········································ 234
지음(知音) - 나를 알아주는 친구 ······················································· 237
천리안(千里眼) - 충실함, 미래를 내다보는 능력 ································ 239
청천벽력(靑天霹靂) - 뜻밖의 사태, 급격한 변화 ································ 242
촌철살인(寸鐵殺人) - 잡된 생각, 번쩍 깨치는 순간 ·························· 245
쾌도난마(快刀亂麻) - 가혹한 탄압, 신속한 처리 ································ 247
화사첨족(畵蛇添足) - 쓸데없는 짓, 안하는 것만 못한 일 ················· 249