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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9 \% a; |7 X6 D6 o2 cShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

4 z$ G" P+ [7 f' P- O( T4 p/ b动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
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6 E2 ?; l- s( b5 F. f" e5 l" q动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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6 c0 ?9 H" ~5 h: T& N& t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
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) r7 _' y/ w5 N, p  s8 k2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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' L( n% J6 c& e  lHe 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;
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% |. l- t) n! K: `0 P: Lrefuse to give up until all hope is gone
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3. 十年树木，百年树人。
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! ?/ U- z$ X( G+ V, M; bIt takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.
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' S* T; J2 E% _! m3 N4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。

He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

5 t: F6 }/ |( A! L石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.

$ a; O2 D) Z8 Z3 V$ f0 \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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' D1 _" Z1 l  X5 [2 y! oIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

$ y& V. E! T( w7 \/ I+ D; ]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.

, F; B. x) U/ m. g( l/ j. T6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。
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He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.
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9 u! ^/ ~# t, d0 N7 m+ b- Y7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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This 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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8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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0 p) M- a3 J7 ^% T名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

, ?) D  m8 ]  u* R" l& _deserve the reputation one enjoys;
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) C& E* Q5 m- [6 t; `( Mlive up to one’s reputation
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9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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: [/ v% E8 H. r, ?7 v- s( }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.”

5 b- A/ Z2 _6 F8 A天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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- d1 z3 k/ [6 `, R& D5 B$ G( z10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
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He giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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9 ?. G6 v/ h: s5 g# f画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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9 R3 _8 M6 G/ Y; m+ y* o( hTom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

3 T( K& x% P, D* f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.

12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

) }- I& L) B  e3 q2 P' HAll good things must come to end.
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: H+ Q6 }) j  B' \$ oAll feasts must come to an end.

- x' K2 d/ p" l- @4 {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。
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1 A' d$ D" a! e4 wWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
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3 {& L6 f% p$ ^5 t' S0 j6 x扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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4 I" @: V3 q3 \8 g14. 江山易改，本性难移。

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.

& b$ {$ x. o' z4 C15. 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。

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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! w  f5 Q3 [$ p5 ~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.

, r) p# @' a  C; r* T煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble

( [( J6 O. P- ], o5 I17. 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.
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" L3 Y* A7 z: F/ @2 j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。

2 u& H: W4 S1 p* |4 `6 EHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

$ S/ x0 C: L$ Q7 ~( F8 @! m% \8 B  n: }胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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' `3 P7 C6 R( Y, [5 ?" X1 p: b19. 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.

) q' X7 x+ V1 Y1 WThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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8 `9 d1 Z& e' j) V  H+ B扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

7 u& ~2 L3 J/ {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。

( |$ V* [8 ?% M# R! |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

8 p. O4 i! k# a3 ]0 U上周日中午你去大统华了吗