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.

She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

: x6 x2 E3 R, a. `& z7 K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
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+ q! p1 Z; A- X# J0 q- H3 s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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% c0 c! E7 U; W3 z% e  w$ i+ u6 d! XHe 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;

: ~$ B* ^$ K- F% ]$ r8 g3 ]* ]) Grefuse to give up until all hope is gone

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.

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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% l) ~$ c5 R: M% Y& p. l- i+ l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。

) Y! U0 S3 m$ K  t; t5 m4 g/ V- XThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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( r$ R4 k) Y5 x2 jThe only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.
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9 |! F5 }1 @* jIf 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.

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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/ L. {3 N$ ]# H; c$ k5 ]He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

, M6 I! X: H0 v) t! f7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
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, B" M: O: g4 s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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0 W$ I2 Q, o8 U8 @6 y- c6 }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.

3 v& F, r4 X% `+ u. t$ A名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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deserve the reputation one enjoys;
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+ ^6 c& ]( e+ M5 f+ Xlive up to one’s reputation

5 X% s3 L  j/ W( L$ Z9. 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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, Y9 r  j# h' v% K10. 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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11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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Tom 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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12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

All good things must come to end.

9 W7 x6 C0 U: L  S5 YAll 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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13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

4 q+ j3 N/ I1 H  aWith 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.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。

A leopard can’t change its spots.

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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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。

" X. Y9 ^. C+ @2 gTalk 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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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
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6 R6 }* c1 `. a17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

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.
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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。
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( @& U! v' m3 yThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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( G$ y6 \# J- `" d# d2 N, l3 ~The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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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。

He used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
6 q: x5 q  _# Z5 J# C! Y! ?7 qbillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

上周日中午你去大统华了吗