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。

, L1 J+ x* ]' R4 ]! s$ o+ w8 G3 Y: [0 yShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
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She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
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0 G) @/ T: C/ i9 \1 \' q2 w动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
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动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily

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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" x5 J3 v1 v2 G8 r7 @) |2 u刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

1 P0 y( v7 T3 l& Z2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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, h3 e) G1 p% x* s# uHe wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.
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* t$ ^2 m6 u! G1 D# F+ t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
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" D3 x, W8 [$ b- Q3. 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.

4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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0 g  e) u+ \, A' @He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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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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5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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6 w! z. H, f, yThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.

The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.
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9 }* w, K" ^; D3 R+ U, C3 lIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
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! i9 |* [+ M: Z) G- u" [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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8 J: g, @5 a6 r6. 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。

This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
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! q7 e. L) \$ c张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.

6 }* f: Z9 T$ D- 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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) T/ Q1 w! o  Q$ a) K8 E名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

2 q& R* Z( [$ D9 H+ X3 P; C% m% Edeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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live up to one’s reputation

, n5 c' {6 o1 Q& L" u9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”

: I9 p" E  W  I# D+ ]% A. i# PMy 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.”

天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。

/ F9 d4 G) X: Y: Q4 \: \+ KHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
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11. 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.

/ F( m6 E, t3 l/ }4 {+ b3 @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.

! R5 ^8 ^/ j/ a+ A9 A4 K7 ^, X12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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All good things must come to end.

All 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.
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13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。
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$ j9 @; J( s/ T1 z0 m' P& VWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
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扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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A leopard can’t change its spots.

江山易改，本性难移: It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature.
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15. 吃一堑，长一智。

: q$ i/ W' J; H9 F$ `0 G, `, wA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
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9 v* p7 p- H6 x9 ?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.

* B2 r# y8 \- a4 ~7 `8 b# g: ^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.

借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
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7 `6 c5 |3 j) W% i煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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4 @2 }- x' N& P5 A17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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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
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6 D5 G( c) O4 V( V, @: h$ Y18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

4 L9 ~  e& `. t, \+ a; F  kHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

- G1 j8 W! M8 l$ |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。

The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.

# I- [# y* ^5 ]0 ?; H( L, w% k/ SThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

$ s5 D) h: ^7 x! F2 a5 J4 o扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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( D* ~2 C+ v' |+ l20. 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。

" n2 M5 h6 v+ d/ F( F' DHe used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
billzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

+ k, `4 C0 L3 z9 P上周日中午你去大统华了吗