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 S6 i( S5 C' a8 @2 ?6 eShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

# [/ ~* u6 Y9 s5 e, X5 A% t' {She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

- Z! p# i. y' o4 I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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3 i5 ~% l! l( L+ [; u% y动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper

* V# }; `+ M" F# h9 C3 A5 Q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

2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

& J( ~; ^/ ]( [" [; s8 ]He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.
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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

( W) d1 i3 f, J, I3. 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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" @3 L$ V+ [  I  j/ v4. 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.

5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.

6 K6 O  r, m6 M6 |0 y% uThe 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.
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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.
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9 Z: e/ |5 p; Y6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。
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5 @1 o& l" [4 t/ x: j0 z) J, n0 x4 OHe 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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" l( Z! ]3 x* j! @' b0 oThis 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。

: T7 T6 `9 f- r: B) LIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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- c9 I: h3 i; a  e6 fdeserve the reputation one enjoys;

live up to one’s reputation
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9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”

: u, a/ S& \6 c' z2 pMy 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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天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。

He 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.

11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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0 _# e9 m$ `; ?+ o  a# b! S, r& E% fTom 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.

8 f, k, t  h0 w8 h12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

% R3 r* S4 |. n3 NAll good things must come to end.

All feasts must come to an end.
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2 Z2 B# a  c: ]  W  {' V8 ~- d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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% P- i+ R# I& R. g4 Z13. 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.

8 S. i# J4 [$ w4 T9 a14. 江山易改，本性难移。

A leopard can’t change its spots.

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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5 {! ]; F9 D& _- e; k/ o4 D8 V3 \A 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。

* `; j2 h# `# `5 j; u8 i3 Q1 |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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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.

' }4 P/ u0 p! m; X8 A" Q& g5 G1 W0 p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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1 i/ u  J- m# KI felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

0 g3 q% |" C0 K  F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。
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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

0 l; E: e2 x) B! j19. 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.

" q1 n- ?$ r3 d$ ?7 H2 U, N1 e1 K; F( S4 ]The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

& U2 ~% z' ?5 p8 \1 a  y2 P' D扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

: ~0 _3 h5 G6 q3 e9 B20. 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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' d1 P: l% H8 L3 IHe 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