很地道的成语翻译

丹尼尔

中华文化博大精深，成语俗语都是智慧结晶，但翻译成英文如果表达不当，却容易引起误解。所以，一起来学学常见中文成语的英译很有必要!

　　01
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# @0 R4 w/ J0 v. [　　爱屋及乌

8 h  X! |+ g6 ~! a  C" E　　Love me, love my dog.
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9 h+ r' ~6 E2 t4 D. q3 ~- ]8 }9 Q　　百闻不如一见

　　One look is worth a thousand words.

0 l! H" g1 L3 R0 j% A% n! \+ U　　Seeing is believing.
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　　03

　　比上不足，比下有余

　　to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst

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4 ]; \* Z3 y' t1 f  d2 i　　笨鸟先飞
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# e% Z, }% i! D' b7 P+ Y　　A slow sparrow should make an early start.
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9 Q5 W5 n3 Z* I  _: |2 A4 t& J　　05
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　　不遗余力
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　　spare no effort; go all out; do one's best
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　　06
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　　不打不成交

　　No discord, no concord.

　　07
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　　拆东墙补西墙
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. f+ b1 e5 J3 Q$ p2 {8 s　　rob Peter to pay Paul
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/ q6 R; n& q8 O　　辞旧迎新

, S9 ^$ m  e4 o  V6 F  A　　bid farewell to the old and usher in the new
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$ j# r/ Q8 B9 H1 P　　09
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5 L  B0 k/ o8 Q4 ^7 t& T, c　　大事化小，小事化了

6 W  L  o  ^9 N, N　　try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all
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　　10
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5 p7 B2 {( y$ s. }* M9 ^: k2 T2 D　　大开眼界
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　　broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener

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' O* Q8 U  t* e　　国泰民安
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2 t/ Q9 r: J) _　　the country flourishes and people live in peace

　　12
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　　过犹不及

　　going beyond the limit is as bad as falling short; excess is just as bad as deficiency;
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　　too much is as bad as too little

　　13

; i( u. W, j! p6 _' d/ K5 `8 \) Y　　好了伤疤忘了疼
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　　once on shore, one prays no more
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　　14
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0 E& ~+ d: [# j( S! y# w$ F: w　　好事不出门，坏事传千里
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8 L) p8 [3 V5 b7 M: \" E; e1 T9 }　　Bad news travels fast.

　　15
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" ~+ f: F0 i* t1 A" j# G$ e1 M　　和气生财
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2 ^. H& U  s* E. J　　harmony brings wealth;
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　　friendliness is conducive to business success
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　　16

　　活到老学到老
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　　never too old to learn

) p: N0 e' T8 b% o1 f　　17
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7 k7 z' W7 s6 C　　既往不咎

) o- I4 _4 `; E$ H. P　　let bygones be bygones

$ A4 g% U' ~5 j, _' e　　18

  K& d/ h$ _. M  q　　金无足赤，人无完人

: P" `0 r$ H6 n　　There are spots even on the sun.
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3 K3 {& a( H- s& r8 s　　19
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　　金玉满堂

. B+ D: L4 A8 r; s　　Treasures fill the home.
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　　20

# g; P: a5 M  @4 t9 i　　脚踏实地
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　　be down-to-earth
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9 T/ ^1 U+ w6 v; t! w# s1 m8 k　　21
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; V, Z" k( r' O5 w: \　　脚踩两只船
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6 H- Q3 g) P5 |, Q. x　　sit on the fence; be a fence-sitter; have a foot in either camp
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- f/ _. I. R% l6 T' g　　君子之交淡如水
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　　A hedge between keeps friendship green.

　　23

1 z! r: }" I. I　　老生常谈，陈词滥调

5 [1 R6 M) I9 d7 [, @- S6 E　　cut and dried; cliché
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　　24
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6 s/ M- K. z, F　　礼尚往来

: q* ?$ D* n# t　　Courtesy calls for reciprocity.

　　25

　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧
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4 b* V! r( S3 M! F　　Where there is life, there is hope.
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　　26
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　　马到成功
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9 [# z" C" N2 z; d% ]　　achieve immediate victory; win instant success

　　27

' [3 s7 e' E5 A" f* @- h! r　　名利双收

! e# l) r! c8 w: M8 C6 Y　　gain both fame and wealth
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/ G) K1 D) q5 ]. M) g% W6 R" c　　28
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5 x+ K: F5 l/ {* {3 C% p2 z- R　　茅塞顿开
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: N2 D  h% g3 I3 H( F　　be suddenly enlightened
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2 H8 Z! _. U7 Z% w! ~4 ~　　29

　　没有规矩，不成方圆

　　Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.
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; b2 E* U7 E, u　　每逢佳节倍思亲
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3 M; K7 Y4 q; i! `　　On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.

5 Y6 c- I: P8 z9 {/ `7 X: d0 u　　31

( \0 i! _+ {! J; G& ~1 \　　谋事在人，成事在天
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$ \7 L. B6 k% J$ z( k/ H$ v　　Man proposes; God disposes.

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　　弄巧成拙

0 g* Q1 Z. e7 _8 E) s$ z　　make a fool of oneself in trying to be smart

# p6 |$ W5 Y& X$ L　　33

4 X& o* p% h! a- w　　赔了夫人又折兵
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　　suffer a double loss; lose the bait along with the fish

　　34
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　　抛砖引玉
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　　a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale

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  X7 j+ w. r2 s: O! y　　破釜沉舟
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　　cut off all means of retreat;burn one's own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end
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　　抢得先机
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　　take the preemptive opportunities

　　37

/ m, p: ~% R/ j' `; p, m# Q& q7 Y) }　　巧妇难为无米之炊

: @- A/ y% b& v4 h4 Y3 `% a) P5 L　　One can't make bricks without straw.

9 u) t( }6 y$ Q. r　　38
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* ^$ t4 K  _1 x$ n( u. Z- i# X　　千里之行始于足下
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　　a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
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　　前事不忘，后事之师
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　　Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
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1 F* W+ o" F3 q$ t4 v; r9 w# [+ u　　40
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　　前怕狼，后怕虎

　　fear wolves ahead and tigers behind; hesitate in doing something

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　　强龙难压地头蛇
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9 Q1 @- D" u% [8 d　　The mighty dragon is no match for the native serpent.
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　　42

　　瑞雪兆丰年

$ V- Z% I6 H  |% e　　A fall of seasonal snow gives promise of a fruitful year

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　　人逢喜事精神爽

- x! i, F( ?3 A0 [1 B. y　　People are in high spirits when involved in happy events.
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: w  F+ U: o! P, a) W0 o$ D　　44
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　　世上无难事，只怕有心人

　　Where there is a will, there is a way.
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) I, h2 `6 T( R% e+ B/ r- `　　世外桃源
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　　a retreat away from the turmoil of the world
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　　46
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- G, R; P" K! ]4 V9 D　　人之初，性本善
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　　Humans are born good.
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　　上有天堂，下有苏杭

. t* a2 W5 p8 y3 n4 C& D　　Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth
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　　48
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　　塞翁失马，焉知非福
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2 A' m  y; {3 p/ k　　a blessing in disguise;

　　Every cloud has a silver lining.

　　49
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　　三十而立

# U1 s1 P& B: u3 Y6 t1 Z　　A man should be independent at the age of thirty. /At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself.

　　50
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　　水涨船高

, D: y: L- L& s) ^* J: i) r　　A ship rises with the tide
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　　51

　　时不我待

. z  Q+ X, [' x5 D& u/ ~　　Time and tide wait for no man.
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　　杀鸡用牛刀
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/ J1 G* R# F- G) \: C　　use a steam-hammer to crack nuts

. G4 g% C8 N* C6 W* {) n1 w* J　　53

　　实事求是

　　seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
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  B& [# s& A$ f; y# i　　说曹操，曹操到

　　speak of the devil
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　　55
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- P: v; a1 r7 w5 U5 _' `, T　　实话实说
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　　speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is

　　56
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　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准

6 ?5 \9 @* I: C. k7 f- o6 m　　Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.57
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7 F9 k. P7 L1 @. u( H/ t　　韬光养晦
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  n. T  I3 w8 ^5 J　　hide one's capacities and bide one's time58

- P# w9 @! L6 ]! \$ W" K　　糖衣炮弹

　　sugar-coated bullets59

8 x! r9 W! g0 R　　天有不测风云

　　Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue60

　　团结就是力量

5 [* [% }5 I; v3 n　　Unity is strength.

1 T3 w( r' {* b$ i( O　　61

　　跳进黄河洗不清
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　　Even if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean - there's nothing one can do to clear one's name
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　　62
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/ d' B1 ]1 P* _$ Q/ n5 E$ e' p　　歪风邪气

) n7 H& ~$ b0 x7 t4 ]　　unhealthy trends and vulgar practices

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　　物以类聚，人以群分
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% j& _/ x4 P0 H$ b　　Birds of a feather flock together.

# |7 K2 Y) X& e& e' y# @0 P; T' `$ q7 k0 A　　64
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+ j: h7 J7 f9 L/ D8 ~6 k7 X0 @& T7 b　　望子成龙

! k! z* I  Y/ `* M　　hold high hopes for one's child
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　　65

　　唯利是图
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% i6 V8 U9 v6 W  R5 U7 D　　seek nothing but profits; be blind to all but one's own interests

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3 Q( _' N' U# k' u  X; C) ^0 Z/ d　　无中生有
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　　a sheer fabrication out of nothing; fabricate rumors out of thin air
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　　67
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　　无风不起浪
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　　There are no waves without wind. Nothing comes of nothing.

　　68

% X4 d; J4 o& E( T' m2 ?4 s* F　　徇私枉法

% q; H4 a; ?* D& l! N6 x　　twist the law to suit one's own purpose
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5 ?: B: n  r6 c, \! ~　　69

* j+ Z0 N8 {2 L6 h7 V　　新官上任三把火
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　　a new broom sweeps clean

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# ~6 `2 [" @& T　　蓄势待发

. r8 t; ]/ Y% W　　accumulate strength for a take-off
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　　心想事成
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; p+ |; i5 U5 ?2 y1 h: l4 \# @　　May all your wish come true

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$ u7 B+ I, W& x, ~8 j8 l　　心照不宣

" s1 b6 L$ w* Y7 F$ h　　have a tacit understanding; thoroughly understand each other, without having exchanged a word of explanation
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　　73
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: f& N: ~* c- ^! a9 d+ g+ A　　先入为主
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　　First impressions are firmly entrenched.

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( Q  i& _; z* b* L7 h　　先下手为强
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　　He who strikes first gains the advantage.
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　　The best defense is offense.

5 o: l) Z; f) W4 _( w% x1 Y　　75

+ Z4 N. T! x7 g9 C　　热锅上的蚂蚁
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% D# X0 {% ~, b0 z8 {　　ants on a hot pan
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8 `# u! ?% Y4 e8 t& Y　　现身说法
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　　warn people by taking oneself as an example

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　　息事宁人

4 \- T! m  k7 \4 F! t# c$ L8 W　　pour oil on troubled waters; patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned
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; u5 W6 e( O' Z8 a7 Y9 \　　78

　　循序渐进
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　　proceed in an orderly way and step by step; advance gradually in due order
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　　79

9 v; ]8 |, E' S3 Y0 b$ E　　严以律己，宽以待人
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: V) T8 m; S- ^$ }% Z' Q　　be strict with oneself and lenient with others

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6 B" c% M/ u. j' z　　有情人终成眷属
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　　Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.81

& U% z5 y! v" m# m　　有钱能使鬼推磨

　　Money makes the mare go./ Money talks.82
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! x- _9 D( E( |) N; z( _, c　　有识之士
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　　a man of insight83

7 `4 u/ M/ p# W% n0 p5 b　　有勇无谋

8 X" R' o4 \8 ?　　bold but not crafty84

+ F$ C6 n- }7 B4 k$ X; m　　有缘千里来相会
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　　Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.85
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9 {. R$ |3 n" O& C$ o( |8 V0 z　　与时俱进
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　　keep pace with the times86
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. T2 O) _0 y0 J9 ^  U1 p! |　　以人为本
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2 s% F5 l7 k, d9 w　　people-oriented
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! X0 H3 {! V; y( ^$ V, w' p4 K　　87
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　　因材施教
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9 [: k! L. e8 i　　teach students according to their aptitude

　　88

  c" U% M' Y/ ~( C* |　　欲穷千里目，更上一层楼
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　　to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther.
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　　欲速则不达

: r2 L: ?) ]7 d! a  K* M" e　　Haste makes waste.

5 v  b' t) m' T1 m! |　　More haste, less speed.
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3 \1 B/ o) [( d* K5 `　　90

　　优胜劣汰
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; v) @8 I2 I- P0 \* l9 B& H; o5 i　　survival of the fittest
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. H6 f. _9 e  d& c4 E+ R　　英雄所见略同
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& c* D8 b1 Z) J  t　　Great minds think alike.
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　　92

　　冤家宜解不宜结

　　Better make friends than make enemies.

5 C" Z5 A; K$ s# Y' F2 c　　93

8 {& r2 c3 [$ `1 U! h　　冤假错案

& \, H3 _$ I* D0 K4 q3 K　　cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases
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. \0 a9 ]) `7 u( d, q　　94
) q; [" M, M! ]& ^9 p
6 V# o- L4 |) @# E　　一言既出，驷马难追
4 D2 S% t6 q' h7 }* n2 |  U
0 t! }' T: W: W0 K1 f　　A promise is a promise.

　　A real man never goes back on his words.
$ b- N7 }) i" g& U( ~+ R. b
　　95

　　招财进宝

　　bring in wealth and treasure

　　96

　　债台高筑
" K' v- t+ N1 m; O* q4 x/ N
　　become debt-ridden

8 [3 }( y. {8 g　　97

　　众矢之的

　　target of public criticism

　　98

$ }1 G: O# }7 Y+ m0 L' E　　纸上谈兵

6 D2 r, D& Z( ]! @　　be an armchair strategist
1 z- B* H- `' p2 E
　　99

. r1 a- P7 Y& n% \- k! O8 c0 G　　纸包不住火

　　You can't wrap fire in paper.

3 Q# L2 B4 T+ X0 e' _　　What's done by night appears by day.

　　100
$ Y% u- c' g( f( s3 \4 z0 Z
" V1 d6 A( h# W9 X* E* q　　左右为难
, b0 j: k0 N5 ~) }3 R7 o' k
　　caught in a dilemma; between the devil and the deep blue sea

Justing

应根据前后语境翻译，同一成语可以有不同译法。