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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2 {" s$ [# o( h& y8 hShe always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
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She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
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动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

0 y& I! r" ]3 N5 `1 S1 `动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily

* I' p: {6 E7 w* C- j3 ?动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper

' ]% E0 v+ l. }& B8 B他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.

0 A4 Z# c5 o5 m刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

5 o: i2 K. T7 @0 i2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

5 V# h: y% J* c  [) G& T+ tHe 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;

) Y7 l  H! @% `: z- Hrefuse 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.

, Q% H( `! _, g! m0 v' H  ]* u4. 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.

5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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" n0 r8 [" H5 d: ?The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

! Z: a/ z6 r) g, F& H2 t1 Y# O2 |& VIf 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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7 B7 X6 i4 _$ b+ V4 o6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。
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He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

6 x) _6 f! a3 j' S7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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+ ^* k  S+ f( N5 Q& j) vThis 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 N& D, D) j8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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! x# Q( S6 Q& t6 \It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
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名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

) E( a& D9 N" ~$ N: l' @deserve the reputation one enjoys;
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+ }0 |& E5 _! A* H9 Alive up to one’s reputation

! L- g/ P2 `0 f: C. o+ u* M& R7 D9. 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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' h: S/ P* B7 R; t, v天无绝人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
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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.

9 N* U- V$ z* A- L& D11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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8 c* O% ^1 M- g7 M% j! B5 }Tom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.

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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* Z/ d& w! G% n$ U6 F12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

All good things must come to end.
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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.

* M/ B( M- `! d6 d13. 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.

% a+ e; _* G2 e扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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' {; m# `8 n5 }6 d& B5 EA leopard can’t change its spots.
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3 Y4 n6 W9 k( \/ x0 p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.
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  }& w9 O& J2 t! b2 |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。

. `0 I+ B7 g; g5 e  RTalk 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.

) Y4 \( R& V: Q5 J$ a/ o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.
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: w2 V, @2 |. r5 W3 v9 O. ]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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! B3 p9 b  K- A( Q" l$ x/ P1 DHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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# ^; y0 H. g; J# e; x& ^* D19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。

/ B1 n: I" t) l( ]- c" ?. LThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.

/ Z  C0 P* q  Z* z5 o3 i2 ~) AThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

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

# C' J! Y- `+ Q3 M3 v上周日中午你去大统华了吗