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.
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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
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1 x6 o0 {7 O8 l0 ~; C动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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$ J( T% Y+ e  ~" B7 h& }动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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' N) `8 a% g1 n% f3 U. Q他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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6 x$ Q; J  ^5 A2 R) J4 U- K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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4 @' ]: \1 {1 T0 Q! 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

3. 十年树木，百年树人。

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。

He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.

$ ]& c. O+ J' `; ]5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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/ s7 H8 o% H; z7 WThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.

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.
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% a( e' O, ~- b/ _. L+ M1 [! V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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$ k6 G) B* \5 b1 mHe racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

7 n# G' c9 N. I  V3 i/ |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.

张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.

8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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5 |- `9 q  z. W) u0 |  NIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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; F, D* x& r0 V0 qdeserve the reputation one enjoys;

. E" O( J* C  O& [( alive up to one’s reputation
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8 H+ D" Q. ^- e' L( |3 T9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”

7 G( \8 D; z7 U) v/ n- SMy 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.”

  v5 ]- e: @! @: r天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

% K! T% X5 c8 W" B& F1 H; j10. 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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11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。

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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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.
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All feasts must come to an end.
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: E+ o6 r$ w9 y: Y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。

: I3 l/ E! r( h* ^9 m0 MWith 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.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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: f9 M  y+ I3 I2 i1 pA leopard can’t change its spots.
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4 y0 I$ w! x: 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.

9 M4 m( K( M, Q, v+ U; ]' }15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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0 W9 c0 [  W" z4 }A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.

, B9 m) X% W/ H( j& ^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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) p: T2 W3 C2 T; z% ?) ~" c2 tTalk 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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* B0 Z( D: L8 A! S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.

" c) C' u7 Q; d: g1 R2 a' Z借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

! K0 v$ R1 Q2 D* j. D" U煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble

5 X( e! i8 ^. ?! S( P17. 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.
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哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying

; a1 c- m/ J( M9 N18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

* s. B; ^1 \& G/ F) fHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.
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. K+ b1 }$ {7 @9 A6 O7 }! G& j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.
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扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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3 i/ H9 h6 H0 K# u3 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!
  g" P6 g9 t3 \, ^' @' T/ cbillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

3 j; s4 V! q& l8 |; d( v上周日中午你去大统华了吗