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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, K0 [4 {  j7 \) MShe 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.

/ Y; H5 _- ~" A动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
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( A* V9 y: D( Z( Z& b# Z7 E动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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4 N5 J0 p. Z) v' s/ h动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper

5 Y# [+ P% k+ R/ \; f+ f他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.

刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart
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! T; G3 y& z1 U: v8 e$ \) S2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

2 y/ P' e$ ^+ @$ wHe 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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# t4 ?7 j  n% _refuse to give up until all hope is gone
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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。

: `+ U# ~. t; xHe left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

2 S6 n/ w- `+ g6 ]7 D8 f# T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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- B9 h; _0 K( V  f+ n% }5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

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

; l$ k4 F! q+ g8 j& C2 h/ C2 X; gThe only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

6 w/ r: R5 n6 X. pIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.

; q- S) W1 n, @9 p+ `" @. e7 f. n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.

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

7. 这完全是张冠李戴。

This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

) C: T* m1 }6 w, O9 G/ `张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.

$ A4 d3 ]5 [  S- T) o8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

7 _" F+ x' c% ]1 H( l+ J/ ~& sIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

; X5 ^9 w6 V9 U  X3 Y5 M名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

/ i! t( L5 W$ i2 [, q9 H7 jdeserve the reputation one enjoys;
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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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6 \1 Z0 s# I+ _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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7 F; E  @% ?7 M# V- k8 I6 @% y. S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”。

He giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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/ d1 `; q" x% q画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
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  T' O, X5 E! Q/ R; f  ^/ L11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。
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$ P+ m$ ~! ~% s; iTom 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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12. 天下没有不散的宴席。

& o2 Q1 `7 i. v+ CAll good things must come to end.

All 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.

/ G% @: n& J+ b2 Y* X  Y5 m* e- N13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。
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) D# _3 _; ?% Z0 SWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.

' [0 ?; L  z0 o* Q扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
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! ^2 o( M2 b  B; e& Y+ B/ }14. 江山易改，本性难移。

A leopard can’t change its spots.

' t; ?5 h4 b, Y) |  k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。

: K% C1 H& N; V2 R6 g) MA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
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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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. H" m; ]' x  q9 wTalk 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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借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
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/ V" o; ]" t! ^$ f/ s) l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.

哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
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/ K6 i' ]+ K! w+ D, Y: ^18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

" T. s3 c$ J8 ~: l- sHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.
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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。

The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
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% b6 |. }# y; \9 n/ d! {2 ]The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.

扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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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。

6 R" g0 Y5 Z& R: Z4 s! I) I1 h1 o8 |He used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
/ i, i+ M% I, `: }billzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

! b. ]$ P0 Y- @# A上周日中午你去大统华了吗