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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+ \9 v: Y+ Y0 ?9 i6 w( pShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
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6 @! [- t5 f/ t% g2 u( UShe 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
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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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8 Y1 `) z) U9 \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.

不到黄河不死心: not stop until one reaches the Huanghe River—not stop until one reaches one’s goal;

refuse to give up until all hope is gone
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3. 十年树木，百年树人。

2 }6 g, e9 O* u5 q6 {It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.

1 f# P1 i: {0 y% n$ @* `5 F4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。

5 A3 r) |3 c* y# g% yHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

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

5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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& f1 M) g0 n" M% E9 R" e# xThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.
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4 r$ y' x$ J2 o( \If you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

' ?" }9 v" h2 m( d; `4 m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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4 Y( v5 B$ U: f, G' tHe racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

1 p7 F1 O* L1 G5 I' E, j' R7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

, p. a9 c( n) s) T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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0 {) E$ S8 T! ]! p& j9 p2 A8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

/ @" W! e) U, A+ l* t名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

% W# M5 q) p9 U' L, U) ?0 \  {3 sdeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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) I7 u- {' B# `3 u0 W  Dlive up to one’s reputation

5 g+ j0 G. \8 b  v; A4 n* s6 w9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”

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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$ P& [4 [  d& ?, z, K/ `天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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  Q0 s+ ]2 U, O& z10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
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2 F3 r& e6 b) S% k; v& SHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”

画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
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( b/ u* Q- f( O1 ?11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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8 \1 q; g' |% z2 F% w' OTom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

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。

All good things must come to end.
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All feasts must come to an end.
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. }5 g" p4 s5 _0 L: ^5 k5 _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.

扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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9 S/ i0 y' t9 T, h; |% s% O$ a14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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+ [: m: i% e: S+ c3 `8 TA leopard can’t change its spots.
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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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15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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$ r1 [& `# m5 [6 C, w6 ?$ FA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
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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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% E0 p7 V3 O  n' o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.
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$ c5 c. L0 ?* F) |煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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5 V3 L0 V0 w" O; c" x% F1 U17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
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% k5 u: V; \0 Z. NI 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

8 p! a8 C  W+ Z18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。
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He has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.
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胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。
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The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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( a' ~# n% {, x; g* x6 FThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

" D3 w  q% c9 D8 M& O20. 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。

6 U: |% s8 {) i7 Q; f" HHe 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