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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+ h, j+ G0 z( ^She 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
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动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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% @, c7 q6 r3 m2 @: c动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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. M! L% R) |8 F8 ]/ \+ v他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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% B3 F: I& w% a刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

( z! ]# y1 t+ ?) @* ]* I0 `8 {2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

" x  R; [: T# ^He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.

- ^3 G7 g( `4 s8 J% e: y) m7 Y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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# |) a' D) p5 @  N% frefuse to give up until all hope is gone

3. 十年树木，百年树人。

% G$ y7 D, L1 P3 q1 P0 o% nIt takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.

" d2 x7 P4 B9 I$ P( W. O4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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He 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.

8 z  l8 j9 K; _5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

9 ^1 P+ @; a+ g2 q: l7 TThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.

% V8 k0 a+ U3 U" ?5 hThe 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.

) r+ g! _+ B$ ~0 ~2 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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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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/ J' b0 `- ]9 y& Z& n& x; KHe racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.
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' x% w/ F6 s" W7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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3 j. }# r0 r, O" i3 c* XThis is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
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0 Q" @# E9 r. g, _  \4 u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。

0 F  D% l$ z9 ]8 D# Q. kIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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$ h/ c  p$ J' x2 `) O! j# W0 b名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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+ N1 _) b$ v! \" O3 hdeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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7 F) R: W& l0 U/ f/ I3 H4 vlive up to one’s reputation
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0 F# n2 a/ b1 G) Z6 r9. 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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天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

% p# G- C+ b3 o10. 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’.”

& J( _; R' y! @/ l) f7 D画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

- p" i' O5 |" i1 w11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。

% w7 Z/ x0 ?7 ?Tom 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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4 x; Q2 @7 [9 ]# E/ @12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

All good things must come to end.

- ]  j& U& L! o& ^All feasts must come to an end.
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) Q2 D/ i0 P* _. P6 o  w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。
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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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: i- ]9 x3 F3 V) h7 |& M14. 江山易改，本性难移。

( Y( q5 F# V# x" O1 y$ o( K+ ~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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2 w# f! g+ @# B+ Q; N15. 吃一堑，长一智。

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。
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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.

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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! X/ k  d# ]  C* A. W) q" c借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

: a' s' B, F$ x) q, q: ~& f煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。

4 N0 @- ?0 a$ Q/ N4 ~7 W+ }I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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- p% L! F/ u& y2 j; `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。

2 U( ?9 {4 q) m' _* j/ h; t2 wHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

" V+ e+ W3 M% a5 g2 g, U5 ^. O5 s/ E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。

The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.

The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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3 d: W+ V' B; y' k0 z$ b  k8 j! u扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated

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。

He 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