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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She always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

9 q3 K4 G9 \$ k5 t  ^( w2 \; @She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

: \! c. L) a) |/ H动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
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动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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+ H7 Q5 {) ^/ l" c- t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.

刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

4 Z  j1 l7 t" v2 z6 }( h2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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4 ~- v) Z0 p2 Q, gHe wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.

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

$ k( G% d2 N! i1 C( Hrefuse to give up until all hope is gone
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  W4 p2 |0 M" d0 _- k- {" @2 N4 q) P3. 十年树木，百年树人。

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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He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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% B8 d( u/ G+ j0 B. K+ y! D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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The 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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If you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

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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6. 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.
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7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

& {1 S9 H) m( `& h6 j# y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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4 I/ P. E- O* j8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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$ u; g3 k9 o, G: Y; ~2 r: X- C. s; [. _% MIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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  W  F9 j1 c' \2 W  j+ D名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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" c$ ^2 s2 P& }7 T" ideserve the reputation one enjoys;

live up to one’s reputation

) Z2 k2 h" ^  F) S7 x5 V9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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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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天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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* t9 m, f7 H, A/ o  w5 K! n10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。

He giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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2 l" Q# h8 ?4 _. n3 E2 Q画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

4 e, l' P( u9 W* |11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。

+ E0 _; V! J1 }  MTom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.
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8 J' ?3 B+ ?2 w8 J# n; `- `" K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.
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0 \) @/ S, L1 s- Z6 F9 H12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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% W- @* S4 M5 X9 q/ l2 T* G+ ~9 MAll good things must come to end.

. y" E' t9 n; BAll 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.

, p) j) V5 E- T9 {13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。
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With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.

扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.

# ^1 V" F& u( g: Q9 f+ [14. 江山易改，本性难移。

6 A& T" s; K, G0 H6 J) M4 YA leopard can’t change its spots.
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4 V/ I3 a9 P/ P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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, m5 Y$ r6 m* Q5 T15. 吃一堑，长一智。

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。
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  q( y! Q8 M" D# V8 H# j7 ITalk 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.

# I8 S4 G2 d' F, s借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

3 Y  n$ h7 ~7 U0 x) B) ^0 e( E煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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1 f  h2 l7 b! _; N  z5 ]& t17. 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.

* c( c; S( y7 f2 ]8 D. `. g哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying

5 @8 W9 D% c. Q1 d9 V( y  B8 p  |18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

He 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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  F) g  |' Z% C/ z0 i5 _The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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( G. y' I) g7 _( r0 ZThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

20. 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。

He 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

5 Y" Q0 d9 g% z上周日中午你去大统华了吗