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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* s2 Y( f7 z( U" n* ~5 AShe 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

动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily

8 ^7 `! S3 h! K1 O! q8 Q动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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, z6 ?6 f$ k3 x他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

1 Y6 V8 G& g# r7 M8 }, Y2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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- x; E) p* _% d' Q* LHe 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;

/ J% L- k" y. d1 U4 ^; irefuse 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.
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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.

' D3 W3 e! E% @7 i5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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3 Q( {- u4 E6 D2 O  T) t- nThe 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.

! {5 i5 r6 f: D0 y5 B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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* V8 ~# I/ R. E$ J% t6. 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.
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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.

' @  }: D; q' T" _+ n) A0 A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。
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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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9 l7 R- S8 v- z: ^% Qdeserve 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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8 r  F" _+ g' h+ S( I' j  X  u( K$ mMy 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.”

天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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/ X) y( _; a$ |( S10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
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% Z4 r3 G  y  g9 PHe 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.

: m% V( a. M5 }11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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, R0 W6 l# q* r3 j5 }4 S2 u; o+ wTom 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.

12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

& G/ e+ ?& E3 }) T" kAll good things must come to end.

All feasts must come to an end.

9 C0 u( d3 f- R% N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.

13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。
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. f7 q/ ^7 [. G8 Y0 [! `& S+ wWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
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- A+ A' o6 m0 M" [* K/ _扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。

( O+ U3 Q; E, S  n3 t5 BA leopard can’t change its spots.
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' U4 Q2 W% V7 w2 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.
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8 x* B, w2 l3 V) V4 @  o/ l15. 吃一堑，长一智。

A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.

0 ?4 _! }6 k2 V& L& d16. “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。

* ~, V/ F- i& R+ M/ e4 W6 zTalk 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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: c+ @1 x2 V+ j8 R$ R& `; }' }) 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.
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借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
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煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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' J/ w4 t- M- `  S17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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2 |% \4 b4 ]# u0 @' ?I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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8 j# R% T5 z" j" K哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
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18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

% T8 a7 z! j3 Q% ^9 KHe 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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. O7 a* r, h; E! W; q4 m19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。

2 k! Q+ J" x; g' ZThe 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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# I8 m5 C. Z5 O, [4 g5 z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。

0 O: K$ v* p) ^+ w3 yHe 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 j# Z. [9 J; r' w8 }上周日中午你去大统华了吗