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。

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.
, v" F% L0 v( `6 h; }
& o& Q# \. d) |$ X! s动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
* ?7 b- W4 ?: Q) q+ m. n
动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily

动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper

; T( }+ B" r7 H3 g他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
/ @$ l$ R# G$ a7 @
: `. A( Z! H; T0 A# T7 H刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart
. z1 u* ]$ B1 T( l2 {
0 `. P, J# |6 a) X- j2. 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.

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

, E- i& {# |( Y% N5 J$ A1 urefuse to give up until all hope is gone
& m( f8 x2 n  J* m  j4 r! f
3. 十年树木，百年树人。

- W! j0 [1 M- _: d/ v; wIt takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.

! ]8 T8 {  N% W% B7 j& C4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
1 q: G# `4 B% Y3 O) K% u7 Y: [
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.

5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
0 r. Y, e# K* p7 x! b/ ~
; h% B9 x8 e/ x, F+ y2 x) M- i3 ~The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
- d6 _: C: {+ C. }" c' I& I
The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

, u% e0 V, {* _9 @( iIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

; f4 e/ N% v5 t+ L% _3 w% M) 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.
9 p8 R; F: L+ k5 ^6 ]" _2 r/ D
  u+ Y/ J1 c' [8 x) I: h8 X8 ~6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。

He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

0 e6 n( A: Q0 M6 [5 b7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
( p- A% y* d, b+ O
2 @" ?5 U, _" p# f' c张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.
& A3 Z) {$ R2 A: _  i, n5 e
1 q9 \* Z( t( i1 Z8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

, ^& A2 `, ]( \It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
3 U  f& _8 Y! T. l$ w; }1 G
名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

' K) h8 g# B: x; j# B% bdeserve the reputation one enjoys;

% ^6 C% l# w- Q- K" G" f$ mlive up to one’s reputation

4 x$ v+ m* t9 Y9. 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.”

- c7 }: F6 X) L+ U) \- s天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.

" l. A! Z  X0 S10. 他咯咯的笑着说，“这叫做画饼充饥”。
6 ]+ ]- h# x0 j0 E  h
6 ^/ N/ h. y# _! R$ iHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”

0 s& N7 Q# G, c画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
4 m. ^/ |/ d' u5 H: @
5 M9 r! Y& A1 q11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
; s( _; q, b: B) v
/ g( A  j/ u. ]) V5 F2 b' y- u2 DTom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.
) q4 u% m$ Z; K3 N8 m
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.
% @, S: \; ~5 D1 }# E
12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

All good things must come to end.

All feasts must come to an end.

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.

13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

" m/ t0 R. s( f' mWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
% A4 g3 `1 w2 m/ k
扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.

$ K$ a9 E1 F1 ^14. 江山易改，本性难移。
( g% P5 Z% E7 C
* F  ?6 a+ m% k4 b4 g5 hA leopard can’t change its spots.

2 s+ f7 l: B! v3 C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。

A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
' A& i- U1 ~+ r+ o
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。

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.

, f- D1 i" |% |$ M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.

* y8 o/ u+ i  g* g$ ?: _借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.

2 M( r" C5 x# m4 v煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
& ?6 F$ S/ a+ K, L8 s  r" b
# P; Z! W' M0 u$ m( g17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。
3 G8 n) C* @7 i: e; z6 g. Y
I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
  R* F  c- Q  Z* z3 I$ k
哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying

* ?: D/ F4 Q6 w2 `18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。
' P- z, l/ N7 e# K7 _9 ~6 q6 C
5 @7 @1 F+ a% B; \He has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.
0 M0 C1 N6 t3 B3 M: ^
胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
' U+ M5 o9 Q& v" L  f, l
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.
6 N  Q( G7 m" B) ~
, P3 n: k1 [7 d( C& i: j; CThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
% i' {$ m  V6 a3 h
扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
  i/ S7 y9 o1 Z" L( M% U
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。

5 _2 Z; z+ s9 R- b3 QHe 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