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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+ u& ^8 u8 f/ v7 d& h9 X: ^She always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

: k( V3 g2 ?2 L$ Y& o* L  rShe always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
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) b& m& N+ Q. h9 z2 i% }动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

0 j6 L; G& c( _* o4 p! M. z动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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* J! h1 w8 @; m+ d' ]$ X; e* M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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刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart
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2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.

+ p4 C- J3 _, E* f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

3. 十年树木，百年树人。

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。

5 E  T# E" h/ Y0 N9 x- wHe 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.
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" G5 q" x1 y$ C+ F+ Z$ Z5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

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

The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.
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9 z0 K, G7 l# K1 eIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

: S2 |  J$ H3 @" g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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! G) U- M! e9 W& c; N/ c4 u/ g6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。
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6 y0 \+ s$ a( b9 Z7 o6 BHe racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

* {; z+ x( K; S2 z- [" _7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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- m: A+ T; E( J- H- }! A2 h+ mThis 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。

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

- u# f# I8 c4 C7 f名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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5 Q& m7 e1 {* N9 c! b% h+ Odeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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live up to one’s reputation
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7 N6 N+ }8 P" t% A+ }# `9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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# J- j4 Q0 O2 v( H9 Y/ 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.

# l3 Y: }% C  i6 Z0 n) Z2 |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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3 z0 b0 x1 F$ p0 _+ i$ Y: X& X画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
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11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。

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.

12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

All good things must come to end.

All feasts must come to an end.

& k: t4 e9 H  e$ W' @* X  l$ s  O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.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。

A leopard can’t change its spots.
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' p* [& l' R* ?) @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。

, M) j* x" X3 F! x9 EA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.

6 w3 ?; y: @% x! ?& H$ K- J  g' e16. “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。

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.

: \& G5 h8 O* S! P: |5 z$ ?借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

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。

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。
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3 X3 U& H: X& Z/ ]$ \' |5 R0 rHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

: G) E' S1 q) A* o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。

9 \. z! s( [" e1 c# MThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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7 a% C; D9 m( {" M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。

4 Y7 K3 Q- C3 |1 I$ a+ AHe used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
# q0 G% M. k. T& X8 e' |  W( Kbillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

9 c' s5 D$ q- D上周日中午你去大统华了吗