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。

; l0 g7 x8 J8 S2 R" j3 J3 n4 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.

动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

+ r+ O: x* V/ C9 g. M* U5 S: [7 o  Z$ X动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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- n0 B" C5 w% x+ b% ^7 g动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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$ _& T' k# {, f/ z4 ?他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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: l% c$ u" ~0 O* y刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart
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2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

. H$ o3 q+ z5 w' z, 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;

refuse to give up until all hope is gone
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) V: K7 `  H3 @' j$ e( Q3. 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。

( K  q4 z! X) w5 `% X& z; J1 q3 O* BHe 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.

5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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' y: J& f' A. |- h0 q5 o" S% E) JThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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The 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.

9 Z2 h5 o& d8 f% H. F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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" F4 _5 z$ x& |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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  C( a6 l5 W6 p* d$ G! H+ T7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

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.

8. 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.

/ U" z9 s5 F) z% q0 R; Y9 k名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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: J# O; @- f# m- Vdeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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  X# ~' o4 G# M, x" O8 x; Slive 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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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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/ \% O1 V6 Y1 o* R天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

10. 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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画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
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8 K, k) s* K: a: H' ]+ Q11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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: A& p# m, _- o2 p. VTom 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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# C$ ^1 H5 e5 F4 }( u- E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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12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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All good things must come to end.
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7 {8 d, C9 z6 XAll feasts must come to an end.
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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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( I  Z5 W- [& EWith 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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& c$ I* n& G; I- C7 E, {4 ?14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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A leopard can’t change its spots.
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江山易改，本性难移: It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature.

15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.

6 b" ^5 U( F! D3 u" i6 F4 L16. “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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9 V* ?2 s: B8 n6 Y% a+ yTalk 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.
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煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble

/ s. A9 I, L# I8 s17. 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.

- ]( w+ n. Q6 l( Y9 O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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/ q& {& ?' ?. C7 I$ {3 l! oHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc

' v; i& _, b" u* X. [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.

The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

! ]8 P8 I! d2 x8 _# d: G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。

' [% b: t; m# H$ V& }: z5 ]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

上周日中午你去大统华了吗