漢末，劉備聽說諸葛亮很有學識和才能，就和關羽、張飛帶着禮物到隆中臥龍崗去請諸葛亮出山輔佐他。恰巧諸葛亮這天出去了，劉備只得失望地轉回去。不久，劉備又和關羽、張飛冒着大風雪第二次去請。不料諸葛亮又出外閒遊去了。張飛本不願意再來，見諸葛亮不在家，就催着要回去。劉備只得留下一封信，表達自己對諸葛亮的敬佩和請他出來幫助自己挽救國家危險局面的意思。過了一些時候，劉備再去請諸葛亮。到時，諸葛亮正在睡覺。劉備不敢驚動他，一直站到諸葛亮自己醒來，才彼此坐下談話。
官渡大戰後，曹操打敗了劉備。劉備只得投靠劉表。曹操爲得到劉備的謀士徐庶，就謊稱徐庶的母親病了，讓徐庶立刻去許都。徐庶臨走時告訴劉備，臥龍崗有個奇才叫諸葛亮，如果能得到他的幫助，就可以得到天下了。
第二天，劉備就和關羽、張飛帶着禮物，去南陽拜訪諸葛亮。誰知諸葛亮剛好出游去了，書童也說不準什麼時候回來。劉備只好回去了。
過了幾天，劉備和關羽。張飛冒着大雪又來到諸葛亮的家。劉備看見一個青年正在讀書，急忙過去行禮。可那個青年是諸葛亮的弟弟。他告訴劉備，哥哥被朋友邀走了。劉備非常失望，只好留下一封信，說渴望得到諸葛亮的幫助，平定天下。
轉眼過了新年，劉備選了個好日子，又一次來到臥龍崗。這次，諸葛亮正好在睡覺。劉備讓關羽、張飛在門外等候，自己在臺階下靜靜地站着。過了很長時間，諸葛亮才醒來，劉備向他請教平定天下的辦法。
諸葛亮給劉備分析了天下的形勢，說：“北讓曹操佔天時，南讓孫權佔地利，將軍可占人和，拿下西川成大業，和曹、孫成三足鼎立之勢。”劉備一聽，非常佩服，請求他相助。諸葛亮答應了。那年諸葛亮才27歲。
三顧茅廬的材料
【拼音】：sān gù máo lú
【解釋】：顧：拜訪；茅廬：草屋。原爲漢末劉備訪聘諸葛亮的故事。比喻真心誠意，一再邀請。
【出處】：三國蜀·諸葛亮《出師表》：“先帝不以臣卑鄙，猥自枉屈，三顧臣於草廬之中。”
【例句】：我住着半間兒草舍，再誰承望三顧茅廬。元·馬致遠《薦福碑》第一折
【近義詞】：禮賢下士
【反義詞】：拒人千里、妄自尊大
【歇後語】：劉備訪賢
【燈謎】：劉備請孔明
【用法】：作謂語、賓語；指真心誠意邀請
三顧茅廬英文版
Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage
After they had become sworn brothers at Taoyuan, Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei made concerted efforts to restore the Han Dynasty. But they felt that it would be impossible to do it without the help of a smart adviser. The Liu-Guan-Zhang alliance later won one battle after another thanks to the advice of Xu Shu. But before long, Xu had to surrender to the opposing camp of Cao Cao in order to save the life of his mother who was abducted by the Cao troops. Before he left, Xu Shu recommended Zhuge Liang to the brothers.
Accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Liu Bei went to Wolonggang in Longzhong in the hope of inviting Zhuge Liang to be their military adviser. But Zhuges servant said: "The Mentor left in the morning."Liu Bei asked the servant to forward to Zhuge Liang his message that the brothers had come to visit him. After that, Liu rode his horse away, returning home sullenly. A few days later when he learned that Zhuge Liang was at home, Liu Bei went for another visit along with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. The servant said: "The Mentor is reading books at his thatched cottage." Liu requested to see him. When they learned that the one reading books at the thatched cottage was not Zhuge Liang himself but his brother Zhuge Jun, the Liu-Guan-Zhang brothers left a letter to express their admiration and then braved heavy snows to return home.
Not long after they returned to their barracks at Xinye, Liu Bei wanted to visit Zhuge Liangs thatched cottage once more. But Guan Yu dissuaded Liu from going by saying that perhaps Zhuge Liang was not as smart as expected and that he was simply dodging the visiting brothers for that. Zhang Fei said: "You dont need to go. Ill tie him up and force him to come and see you instead." Liu Bei lost no time in telling his brothers the story of King Wen bent on visiting one of his subjects called Jiang Ziya. Liu, Guan and Zhang, therefore, paid a third visit to Wolonggang. They had no sooner arrived than the servant said: "The Mentor is sleeping." Liu Bei waited until Zhuge Liang was awake and dressed . Finally, he consented to see the brothers. Liu Bei paid three visits to the thatched cottage without complaint. He finally succeeded in inviting Zhuge Liang to be his military adviser and to help the brothers in their cause.
