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.
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She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
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7 y6 |! j7 T% e动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

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
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. n/ k  ]) ?" |! H0 B) {他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.

+ `3 y6 o3 l* M! j2 F刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

, S. N- w; `2 U0 W2. 他是不到黄河不死心。
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! s( l( A/ a* q9 l; h& C& \# u  D. KHe 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;
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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.

) {( F' q4 C& R  @; I4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。

He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
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! [$ {% n, l+ i' U, x! k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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# R  `# f, b$ s' e( A- S5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。
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- r3 I! f- H- R# C- v- b$ @( ZThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.

' W" u, \! Z/ Y% n+ KIf you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
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' J# c: R" j; Q3 Y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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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.

7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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" G  y. P: D# C4 Q$ P  kThis is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

7 R; g8 l2 S5 e/ a4 I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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7 V; u  }) q* w9 x* B0 f* W8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。

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

名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;
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deserve the reputation one enjoys;

0 |% x  d6 e0 y& f2 vlive up to one’s reputation
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  j6 q  w) P3 Z  Q5 s3 W: f! _  }9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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% ]; z' h8 J- |! A0 ZMy 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”。

He giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”

' t4 u3 m5 C3 j; R. @/ {  N4 z画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

' l6 A5 C* Q) M, s  r8 S" K11. 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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" z" X# Y  G. W; \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。

All good things must come to end.
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$ i4 p+ g0 y' S  l% dAll 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。
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With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.

! C) e1 n2 t* K( J/ O* j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。

9 U0 C* `( c6 M2 j; L& aA leopard can’t change its spots.
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- X9 a+ Y5 J, V, a8 @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。

  |. p: l4 B0 P$ ~, d7 I; VA 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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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.
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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.
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+ w+ |/ T0 b9 [; R& P* s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。
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I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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& z( U" \* T! P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。

0 m  |% z9 R! ~& z8 Y0 q: ^He 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

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.

' u( \1 R, Y& C4 r$ t  pThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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7 Y% [, {2 O  m3 @& a1 i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。
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He used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
4 \  v. Q2 k; q2 B" j7 E( mbillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

5 e- C  N) R: S! s+ O! D# _' i" D上周日中午你去大统华了吗