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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6 n9 R. }7 [4 y$ a" ~# m8 z1 i9 HShe 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
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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
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2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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2 \: i8 m$ H5 PHe 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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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.
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4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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% q; w9 j. d- nHe 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.
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" G& O3 D- K# _5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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& r& O+ Q8 N2 L9 `, U6 _: c+ M! eThe 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.

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.

1 `' X% Y! ?* f- u8 S6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。
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& `4 [  K" z& I& l- p# hHe 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.
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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.
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$ i6 w6 _, R( }* P! x& O' r8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

It’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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% O% Z1 g, y3 _0 A9 Ilive 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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天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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" Q  h" l2 `5 i' M  G: H10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。

8 r- a5 ?1 o1 U# A7 B8 ]& [; AHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”

画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
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11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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; h: a3 r6 o% @$ D; lTom 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.
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8 Y# ]* @' X! L: Q/ w8 {* [  Y/ o$ u12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

All good things must come to end.
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All feasts must come to an end.

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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9 Y3 g& T& T) d& b& y5 N13. 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.

! m  w0 ~" X+ [' g扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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3 k9 V* }, E* U) G0 `5 |" J: m& l0 s14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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A leopard can’t change its spots.

+ ]# D5 a" W( J6 `. s8 [江山易改，本性难移: It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature.

# W- ~0 f; B$ Z) w& G7 W15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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' h8 _1 ]- f3 U: h5 K4 jA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
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# g2 a+ C( f, E3 J  W9 ^( ]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。

$ f' r2 S/ u$ }: e# oTalk 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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! Q/ N, C5 P5 o% I2 G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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借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

4 [6 t  P3 I/ H  j$ h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。

I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

) {! h* U0 y+ q/ K3 N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。

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

胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。

" C0 O# B1 U2 Y9 D% ^9 JThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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5 s5 W) e3 J* G) m, i' w  S% XThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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4 R  M. q+ O$ F+ o4 t- M4 M! I$ v扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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7 V' B9 t( H2 e$ }3 V7 ^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。

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