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。

, [: \+ j) M* C8 s0 d" K. PShe 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.

" U6 X& @/ X8 g9 X2 t  |( O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

. V8 X! C, a' ?$ o  \0 L他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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. V2 J5 X  s5 m/ L# 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。
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He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.
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3 r8 Q) K* i: @; K2 P0 r4 V不到黄河不死心: not stop until one reaches the Huanghe River—not stop until one reaches one’s goal;

# i4 R9 m5 l% n& d% ?: W/ c' A7 W7 Nrefuse to give up until all hope is gone
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- t' \8 v: h% h1 X4 W  N8 @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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6 X1 Z1 r3 m9 `& ]( G4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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+ ^  F& {% O, L7 k1 {+ \- LHe 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.

' K" b  j4 t! _$ J  B6 @! O5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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) K# ~- J6 o, p) G6 H" D2 JThe 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.

4 Q$ w0 k' _5 ~* a, ?4 f1 kIf 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.
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, X6 I. X1 M; [' n2 ]6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。

He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

. v& \& {9 O8 F% K; l7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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8 U) w  q' C, MThis 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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8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

It’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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) x$ v% |' m/ N9 Zdeserve the reputation one enjoys;

live up to one’s reputation

9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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% P# W2 z* i. I; z$ Z) [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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6 d6 M3 G+ A! s# g! d- Z天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

. R$ A. D% H8 g( I; D8 K4 d9 g( D10. 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’.”

1 Q& `* A% s3 O9 ?% @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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6 D! Y0 f1 F# a! d+ bTom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

8 Z* c) e$ _* A+ ?4 u5 d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.

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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6 L% c/ ]. |3 N( O: rAll feasts must come to an end.

! m' q% p5 p9 p" X  _! k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。

With 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.
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14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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A leopard can’t change its spots.
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# K( T. T$ i7 C6 r, O+ W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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; X; d/ @! f2 ~0 i4 sA 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。
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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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/ n2 o8 g* M# m; x" H5 c9 q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.

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。
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I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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! j" b- |  l7 U* y哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying

' c# k6 M% M+ d' u; X5 Q18. 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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% ~% \( a% M6 N' l19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。

: P# X* b- e$ |  }The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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2 M. D& t. N  [! P/ r8 y( U( d% PThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

+ o! k$ y% t8 i8 G8 F8 G扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

. ~  C9 F6 |# w( \* a, W9 c' s20. 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