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。

$ A* Y8 l: t7 M" K9 Q) J) P2 jShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
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She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
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动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

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

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

2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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0 F; W( X7 ], c; C5 L: JHe 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;

0 Z, z5 s9 D6 F. `5 w3 l5 vrefuse to give up until all hope is gone

* s3 f# n% R# n1 f2 g3. 十年树木，百年树人。

It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.
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5 A/ G6 ~, y! q! X# e4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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( S; Y- s5 B% b1 e2 Q, RHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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! V/ d$ d1 _4 p/ d2 \% ]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.
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The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

3 t3 G5 ?4 n- w# D7 EIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
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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。
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He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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3 s2 ], b+ `( oThis is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

$ V- E$ y( G( e  o  ^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。
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3 O+ m# q' ~4 W* C8 ^' aIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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0 Z7 i' q* m7 I2 K- udeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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2 h- W! g% |! B2 F$ m0 z4 @live 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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+ K+ _) D3 p' v) o4 n5 p* q8 k- BMy 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.

10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。

! M) E+ G' _; v- k( tHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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. g: w8 B; r& f8 C8 }, n8 X" C画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

3 X+ r( f/ {6 X11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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1 u, |9 `( Y; y: bTom 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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0 d& {/ c; c9 i# x$ ~5 @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。

, Q% b2 V" J8 xAll good things must come to end.

# e8 \: X5 D$ a- {6 j( e6 NAll feasts must come to an end.
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9 ^" h# p: n1 M* e, s$ \) p) R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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0 C& S9 n2 H2 W7 z# s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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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.
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15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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. K. J3 a# [9 s/ qA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.

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。

8 j) P) k( u8 n  p4 k* cTalk 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.

0 s( Y9 E: g- K+ @  s( F8 ?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.
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$ j$ Y9 S8 k/ B* t5 J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
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17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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1 N9 X* v# |; `* H! V! UI felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

: \0 _$ R$ F4 W# j/ Q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。

He has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

6 M. K- S3 \. K6 U# S9 `胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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/ v! ~( C' A% N19. 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.
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The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

& n) l% q+ _+ l, K1 N' q; S; a扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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$ \$ Y0 ?( ]% i20. 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!
2 `2 \, Q, e/ ]  Z6 Bbillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

3 u& P- Q4 c0 L7 o' O2 g- }1 A上周日中午你去大统华了吗