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.

: W7 W- L9 f/ O, \. f* {She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

7 _' N& I8 E+ X动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

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
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- l/ j1 \6 o2 ~) E他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.

* k, x  }; n$ J刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

( y0 F- B% f# N. b) c) U$ L3 c+ o, Z2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

He 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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refuse 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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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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3 T/ h* y  G, q' [  v" x/ }He 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.

5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.

' M( m, x4 E/ ?" h" p! ?The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.
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+ T% N& r* M& e6 @/ I; y& yIf 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.

0 |8 J' _/ J$ e9 U6. 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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9 ^- G8 P7 P: h+ Z$ q" q  R张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.

1 `* Y% v0 c1 K) t: F! n8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

6 F& H+ [5 x- a+ B$ CIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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deserve the reputation one enjoys;
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, I5 R  s4 {( c& E) elive 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。”

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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- n1 U! p+ P6 v! @3 s天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

. u! E0 Q) M) d/ y& x: h3 x10. 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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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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+ I0 s) {7 b4 i/ tTom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

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.

. ?% Y# ^! a. k! k2 y: ]4 X  d6 n12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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( d  R: S' V, o6 A3 V/ ~All good things must come to end.
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$ t" f3 Y0 {3 q1 g, W5 M, cAll feasts must come to an end.
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, h  l9 P" L/ u8 _9 E! a8 ^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.

$ @& X/ i% A5 z3 b8 U/ h* g13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

2 r3 q% p( i* x2 d$ wWith 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.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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8 J8 K/ R: _9 n3 @- b# Q$ @A leopard can’t change its spots.
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" N& I0 \% u5 O6 _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。

A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
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3 i2 N6 f+ R' t# V. t) h16. “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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$ @: n4 Q5 P" x, _/ WTalk 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.

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.

* o# P2 z2 P& L- Q( R. T煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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  Z2 ]) T" ]! b- Y  TI felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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1 G' g) ^: c- L哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
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. M1 {9 E1 E7 y( V" w9 G' {18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。
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  C; d' n* p: Q8 ]He has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

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

3 S( C8 F2 F# G7 k: P3 R/ X  hThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

5 _) e8 g8 q4 G  s& q4 Q: |7 p; ~0 H扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

9 t5 W# w8 ?4 m4 w( G& t( [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。
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' u6 y; {' ^' }& \# E$ BHe used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
: j) m# Y( @4 {0 U9 p! D/ H6 t6 x6 h0 f7 xbillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

上周日中午你去大统华了吗