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.
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0 d6 u7 m0 r1 xShe 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
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他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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; q* P+ O+ R2 M; `3 N刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

' `: n  {) g) W- Q( K+ _! X: eHe 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;

1 q' V( f$ ]% b9 Irefuse to give up until all hope is gone
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) f2 L$ D( D: p  p9 s. H/ f3. 十年树木，百年树人。

0 D: z8 q4 w+ F9 rIt takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.
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: `! X% ]2 y/ Q. j8 |0 \6 f) N+ ~4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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: n: M5 V2 M. `% J0 |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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5 N" y: X+ `' a- ~9 r6 e) \The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.

: v) f1 T: k$ bThe 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.

4 [( l: d4 X' F' Q& {7 i( m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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3 Y- D  I1 c0 l8 J% x7 g4 f6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。

7 P4 w( F8 \1 Z, |% u+ bHe 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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This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

) c. A( W( K  c2 S% o, q$ \张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.

) ~7 d- R$ ~+ \, K8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

' N* @# @8 l) j0 ZIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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. m: f% A& J! Y: E名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

* L9 y+ j0 |. ]% J8 cdeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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live up to one’s reputation
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5 E! C. {% i* ?. ^+ V1 ^4 K9. 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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天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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10. 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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( o8 Z. {0 o+ g4 u' J, @- O+ M画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

7 \( c1 p& W7 W7 I5 u8 u. Q2 R6 V/ j11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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1 _  d% x& {/ a# {Tom 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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9 E6 j6 o. f! @9 M) o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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! ]( s; @: N. z* ^- Q" D2 t12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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. n# j1 X- N. @7 H1 @% jAll good things must come to end.
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) D4 s  O) J! Y* d* b6 O. iAll feasts must come to an end.
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- I2 C! d7 e" E' X1 t' {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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3 Z2 z5 J) {) Y2 RWith 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.
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1 q/ s; _' s' G& z# U  u. p4 K14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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A leopard can’t change its spots.

& H9 b5 d5 \8 U3 v5 g% C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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% o9 }7 ~% b3 s. Q) Q7 _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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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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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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: e! n! n) P% y5 X, A" v借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

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。

; ~! z- W. @/ j- }5 eI felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

; ^6 ?0 z, W# I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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4 }4 ]' T& X& D/ ]+ B. nHe 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。

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.

扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

% f) M4 \' |( S, h20. 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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/ O% k6 j3 Z- MHe 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

0 a& d: [( g: e! R, Z% r6 G/ Y" \7 A  X上周日中午你去大统华了吗