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。

1 S8 }3 B0 E( t  C/ y5 [She always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
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; Q! \" R" W4 E9 z/ {, l: kShe always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
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动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily

, {) P6 k5 c4 t4 j8 C动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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9 M+ s$ @& g$ n# h9 m" r3 U* \刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

* Q0 ?+ p  g  T7 NHe wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.
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  b7 N" H$ J+ `% E! M# Z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

. X+ n# N( Q" q9 m8 ?5 @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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4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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% L9 T% C. R( G, s! s0 wHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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  {9 ?1 g3 r, B8 o石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.
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5. 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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" q% r. y, r( y" N: fThe only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

: s" m# H/ C; G: hIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
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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.

3 b& j# h6 v! F2 _. H6. 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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: g  Y( O6 v. {, H2 q7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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This 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.

8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

- L3 N& w. a8 t& iIt’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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deserve the reputation one enjoys;

; A4 b( j) s# R" c$ Slive up to one’s reputation
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: n6 ]6 M4 ?; @% E' b6 C/ U9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”

" f+ g: D& Q% yMy 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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10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
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# |! |* M# a0 a1 B% _He giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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2 p! |  j7 p( D9 u4 ^画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

) I( x0 L3 I7 v0 m' L11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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: L3 @1 g# i- v/ W4 v8 m, P& mTom 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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6 _) u2 Z5 A' J4 K, M! a/ B12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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; f' }6 A2 k& ~( c6 p8 o2 g: qAll good things must come to end.

All feasts must come to an end.
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! B/ F% m; @. C* x* j5 c# c& B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。

With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
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2 b# D+ N0 T5 L2 i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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A leopard can’t change its spots.

4 Z9 F2 C  G) {1 {5 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.

1 @7 Q) y( @% G0 f" n: R15. 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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4 J& L+ s* S/ n. [- ?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。

% r7 s" a) n9 @, z' p$ CTalk 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.

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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' |5 \4 U! [( t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

: Q# a( d+ ?- v17. 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.

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.

3 p3 `# ], m' \% Q" V' ]# C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。

9 X7 s7 M) o& _' G6 r" x( x9 nThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.

) z- W2 o; J- u8 t3 d) T5 ~The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

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。
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, a1 E3 f3 t8 r# N) l* F4 b' Q" uHe 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

% k! f7 N: ?( j. r' h2 Q4 w上周日中午你去大统华了吗