English Original
During the Warring States Period, Duke Wei of Qi neglected state affairs for the first three years of his reign, indulging in dissipation. One of his ministers, Chun Yukun, known for his good sense of humor, said to him: 'There is a big bird that has neither taken flight nor sung for three years.' The duke replied, 'Once that bird starts to fly and sing, it will astonish the world.' The duke thereupon devoted himself to his duties and built his state into a powerful one.
This idiom is used to indicate that a person may rise from obscurity and achieve greatness.
中文翻译
战国时期，齐威王在即位后的头三年里荒废朝政，沉溺于享乐。他的一位大臣淳于髡，以幽默著称，对他说：'有一只大鸟，三年来既不展翅也不鸣叫。' 齐威王答道：'此鸟不飞则已，一飞冲天；不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。' 于是，齐威王从此致力于国事，将齐国建设成为一个强大的国家。
这个成语用来比喻一个人可能从默默无闻中崛起，取得巨大成就。