汉语俗语英译20句

leowxc

1. 她动不动就骂她的孩子们，但孩子们都知道她是刀子嘴豆腐心。
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5 n! {/ k1 _) J% `- E' TShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

; ]- d* w" e% ~1 x* J) }She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

0 |) ^: A. w! h0 D( @) B+ Z动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

, W/ F0 z7 F& O$ l" C' S8 I动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily

4 |; X  t' h* V6 C7 Q: w$ A动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper

他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart
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" f1 E) z! ^( v; G2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

+ m0 z, p! w) w; E' L( r& AHe wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.

, G8 [, n1 [; `不到黄河不死心: not stop until one reaches the Huanghe River—not stop until one reaches one’s goal;

refuse to give up until all hope is gone

) [' u! q: j1 x6 `" y1 w: v  Z3. 十年树木，百年树人。
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It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.
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' z+ h9 a" s( W: \) l0 b5 f" c( |4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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* |' `+ @3 W$ x4 a: WHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.
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+ x; ?6 T; u3 r4 w, _/ j5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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$ T: f3 V" d! P  k2 V, z" CThe only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

If you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
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1 {7 a& r  y$ P+ q) s3 ]; x8 C若要人不知，除非己莫为: If you don’t wish anyone to know what you’ve done, it is better not to have done it in the first place.
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& `* X3 I6 W+ P. m( ?" f+ m6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。

He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

) Z+ Y" U. \1 f2 O* D0 b+ k! dThis is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
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张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.
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9 W; z! r; B9 ?0 a+ v8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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deserve the reputation one enjoys;

live up to one’s reputation
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$ B% h8 Y6 \. L9 z5 E9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”

. d# Y% S: R! L( m/ o. @My father said, “Now that things have come to such a pass. It’s no use crying. Heaven always leaves one way out / Every cloud has a silver line.”
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3 p* u, L. Q/ c& z( _+ ]2 z" m天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

" ~: ]1 u3 O2 E1 {10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。

% Y/ N8 k- h7 Z1 n6 a; o) c% W% SHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”

7 q" n( b8 W" I1 x" t, Y) c7 J画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

: L- m8 P; C! t. d3 U11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。

Tom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

( Y) n) W6 N0 y$ j3 f- d三天打鱼，两天晒网: go fishing for three days and dry the nets for two--- work by fits and starts; lack perseverance.

3 |( T% @+ E0 x12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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All good things must come to end.

  G- k$ c) c6 ?2 U0 cAll feasts must come to an end.

天下没有不散的宴席: There never was a feast but the guests have to depart--- all good things must come to an end.

13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.

: {9 a! L1 f/ Z: O扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。

A leopard can’t change its spots.

# M. G2 j( T0 \- Q+ H江山易改，本性难移: It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature.

6 h; x! P- }* g' S& E9 p( d3 \0 n. a15. 吃一堑，长一智。

# f. q9 b' l# U' D2 l+ ^. N$ _6 `A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
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16. “坐山观虎斗”，“借刀杀人”，“煽风点火”，“推倒油瓶儿不扶”，都是他们的本事。

Talk about “sitting on a hill to watch tigers fight”, “murdering with a borrowed sword”, “stirring up trouble”, and “not troubling to right the oil bottle that has been knocked over”---- they are all good hands at such tricks.
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坐山观虎斗:Sit on top of the mountain to watch the tigers fight—watch in safety while others fight, then reap the spoils when both sides are exhausted.
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借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
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1 q0 D6 H# ~2 m2 j0 M煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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" P: i3 g$ c6 N6 t  y9 t17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。

I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying

18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。
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- u; C& X5 |& dHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.
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胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc

19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。
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4 t2 |8 i( z# a4 u/ {% ^The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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6 v. s2 D" B, `! SThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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6 Y4 D; [/ x, U+ G! Q8 b扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

. m& |$ m( c; m20. 他利用那些有权有势的朋友帮助他走后门，到政府行政部门任职。
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He used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
: }* C' w3 R$ x  v0 P8 I. v6 ~billzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

$ `# g; m5 ]6 T& I! H- q/ {* C上周日中午你去大统华了吗