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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She always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

( z; Z: N  {: ~! lShe 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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9 n+ v* D( h( S; q1 J. v动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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9 o* G8 m8 ?; J  J他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.

  n. `9 _5 x4 q8 c6 G. H: f刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

% {. L, @; H/ [( ]3 dHe 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;
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refuse to give up until all hope is gone
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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.

4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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- H) V5 J8 s* `2 eHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

2 _) p: E; Q, S6 F石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.

) f3 F  u8 S. C" D6 ]5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

  _- V% v+ Z% A5 gThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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: ~5 Y* g1 O  `5 K6 e. N$ }The 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.

$ v" H) y6 j! O7 V6 B$ v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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. s) N& T& _9 z5 B! r; o3 R6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。
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" F5 F# P! [0 b( O3 u3 l: m; b5 GHe 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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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.
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8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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, {# c; y% j9 P) j8 j1 ?; x: \' }It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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6 ]& D* o% o3 v1 C0 P名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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deserve 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。”
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, W1 a5 e: z. v$ ~  C, ]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.

10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
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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。

3 F% Y0 h  h" Q9 l% \Tom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

5 `( N- v* l; N  o5 i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.

6 _' n/ e  V/ ]" zAll feasts must come to an end.
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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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- {# d% d: H( Q3 V2 R  n" N13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

+ R  G% T  F0 M& i% i$ R  ]" _$ X( bWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
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; ~* ]- J$ X( C* I4 Z& M2 f5 Q) s1 h: ]  Q扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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( m7 k5 h1 l& P+ x* m+ Z7 H14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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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.

15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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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。

$ P6 E, F3 I: r+ h4 vTalk 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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! z! n0 i- B9 W! v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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借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

; G/ y: N) _( m" A$ I; ]9 S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。
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I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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' t+ r* ?3 F0 w, q" ?0 U7 m哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
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7 d3 b  F3 }) |( {18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

+ x' d9 s/ l- j, {: iHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

8 Z3 Y; c7 D! t5 E6 Z  m胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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! C% F3 [( ~' z% \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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9 z" |; z1 z. b( vThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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/ N8 I+ @! i# ~8 Y0 A+ a) [$ w. G! j20. 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。

1 s9 q6 _6 U9 l3 }" y1 A9 H, [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

1 d$ `5 h+ X% g3 S3 Q8 a4 _/ B上周日中午你去大统华了吗