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。

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

+ m* T" z9 N5 x, [) F$ j, rShe always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

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

; d( Y! v7 p1 E5 M  q4 [1 H0 ]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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: D- p% |8 u3 Z2 B- @# A2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.
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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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; v9 y* |. I. E+ P) q/ h7 k. T- }, ?" irefuse to give up until all hope is gone

% I; l+ u) ^' y3. 十年树木，百年树人。

  s4 Z' O0 v, F6 V/ ^0 yIt 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。

( |1 }# o' \' n5 c5 [7 JHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

' P+ P# b, x% @+ @  ~# F" }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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$ h, B& g3 q! I9 WThe 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.
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If you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

) B7 Q3 f: n6 Z* K. B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.

6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。

7 G/ h, u* n! D* qHe racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.
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7 e; s: f$ L0 D, [7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

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

, ^! B8 w) d+ Z# n: x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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* G0 a6 N3 M& r2 _2 I8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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0 k6 n5 T3 o2 LIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

6 E1 x: r8 F5 Ddeserve the reputation one enjoys;

0 x; F. x1 ~3 t; ~live up to one’s reputation

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.”

天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

2 x9 y' \. I% u  L7 i10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
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# F/ E+ |/ w; `7 l3 AHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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. P* E& v: J+ `) T# @+ ?( S7 f/ i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。

$ D& A2 R2 _+ n9 I" aTom 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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4 k% j4 B* u0 J0 _5 M6 M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.

All 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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With 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.

* L5 v$ ]0 ?( R2 M& L14. 江山易改，本性难移。

A leopard can’t change its spots.
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) Z# b" T  N& r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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5 g4 V8 Q/ @+ g/ q. K) r5 h! F15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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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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6 f) \) ?. y% H, \/ f  vTalk 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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  C/ n7 e3 ]2 z) \' @: t; l: p煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble

17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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7 o' D9 `$ V! l# v' U/ sI felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
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18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

. b' r  ?, p4 \/ t0 BHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

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

  d& |6 G- n4 n( Q; `% ^9 v; H1 F19. 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.
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The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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/ ?8 q# @0 k& I扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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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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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

- B/ h+ R- s1 i+ C上周日中午你去大统华了吗