鑿壁偷光

This idiom comes from Miscellanies of West Capital by Ge Hong of the Jin Dynasty. It is recorded that Kuang Heng was a famous scholar in the Western Han Dynasty， later he became the prime minister of the state.

When he was young， he was very fond of studying. Becausc of poor conditions， he couldn't buy any candles for reading at night. His neighbour was very rich and their house was brilliant all night. At first， he asked his neighbour to allow him to read books at their yard at night， but they refused him. So he bore a small hole in his wall and let the neighbour's light in for him to read till late hours every night.

Later Kuang Heng had read all his own books， but he had no money to buy some new ones. At the same time， he heard about a rich man who had a large collection of books in his house. Then he went there and asked for a job of handy man but without any payment. The rich man felt surprised and asked the reason. He answered: \"I only want to have the chance to read your books， nothing else.\" The rich man was deeply moved by the young man's noble action and agreed to his wishes. Because of his diligence， Kuang Heng got great achievements at last.

Now we usually use it to encourage someone to study hard.

此語出自晉·葛洪《西京雜記》。西漢時期，匡衡是一名著名的學者，后來還當了宰相。

匡衡自幼好學，但家境十分貧寒，無錢購買蠟燭供晚上照明學習?？锖獾泥従邮歉辉Ｈ思遥刻焱砩蠠艋疠x煌，匡衡想到鄰居家里去讀書，卻遭到了拒絕。后來，匡衡只得想辦法，偷偷地在墻上鑿了一個洞，讓鄰居家的亮光從洞中透過來，他每天坐在小洞邊上對著光夜讀。

后來，他讀的書逐漸增多，家里卻無錢買書。他發(fā)現(xiàn)有個財主家堆放著很多書，就去財主家?guī)拓斨鞲苫?，不要工錢。財主奇怪地問他，為什么白給他干活?？锖饣卮鹫f:“我?guī)湍愀苫睿幌胍ゅX，只想借你的書看就行了?！必斨髀犃撕苁芨袆?，就答應家的書都可以讓他借著看。由于匡衡的刻苦好學，終于成了一位大學問家。

現(xiàn)用此典來鼓勵人們努力學習。