很地道的成语翻译

丹尼尔

中华文化博大精深，成语俗语都是智慧结晶，但翻译成英文如果表达不当，却容易引起误解。所以，一起来学学常见中文成语的英译很有必要!

　　01

& P& u1 F; R. Q! Q' B4 }7 B9 M　　爱屋及乌
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　　Love me, love my dog.

　　02

# U3 w7 J7 C, Y" j1 {& ^　　百闻不如一见
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  @8 ^1 t8 f1 E1 V' `8 @　　One look is worth a thousand words.

　　Seeing is believing.

. |3 K- v% h3 f4 h　　03
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　　比上不足，比下有余
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/ J4 R) K! s9 h5 V- M; G2 [　　to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst
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　　04
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　　笨鸟先飞
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. H* u4 j9 z1 S! t2 T　　A slow sparrow should make an early start.
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　　05
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3 w! ~; r3 k9 h* a" [2 u　　不遗余力
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　　spare no effort; go all out; do one's best

' N; j/ p! _& O5 s( L% G! Z8 X　　06
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$ B2 ^3 K2 T4 _& n* ~; W　　不打不成交
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/ I8 Z: C' s7 B　　No discord, no concord.
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  @$ O* w4 I8 A  b; V( t　　07
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, e* r. C, T* r2 G1 i# o　　拆东墙补西墙

; o7 q, C5 U5 R# c3 O2 _8 J# i8 W　　rob Peter to pay Paul

　　08
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　　辞旧迎新

　　bid farewell to the old and usher in the new

' j2 y: S, W3 W6 K, C7 V　　09

" N6 f0 ~: R0 A+ U. _, l$ L　　大事化小，小事化了

# J  Z, A8 w! Q$ A. |% l　　try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all
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　　10
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0 s) Y8 z6 X& I$ m% Z- ^　　大开眼界
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' e6 W5 C3 C3 j: M# s( q　　broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener
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　　11
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, b& c# H' [! y- R2 n7 w　　国泰民安
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! y8 t- \+ k- H0 A. B　　the country flourishes and people live in peace

　　12
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　　过犹不及

　　going beyond the limit is as bad as falling short; excess is just as bad as deficiency;
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, c$ D. I5 e3 O8 I, B: B( h　　too much is as bad as too little

% J. h% J; s+ h; n　　13

) G( d' u( x( ^: B, D9 a　　好了伤疤忘了疼
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- d& ?, A& P* u; @+ ^7 f6 I　　once on shore, one prays no more

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　　好事不出门，坏事传千里
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! f0 o: `' Q0 _  j% q0 G　　Bad news travels fast.
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& Y+ }0 ^* U; x' G, R& q& I　　15
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7 v9 c) P5 }8 e5 i7 b& U　　和气生财

& p4 X3 t" D. Z4 F　　harmony brings wealth;

　　friendliness is conducive to business success
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　　16

　　活到老学到老

　　never too old to learn

　　17

　　既往不咎

& @7 O( C9 q9 A, N, _" J　　let bygones be bygones

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　　金无足赤，人无完人

& s" r3 d  u  I; u0 W8 X( R2 E( K　　There are spots even on the sun.

, D8 N, I, s5 c6 a　　19
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　　金玉满堂

　　Treasures fill the home.

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　　脚踏实地
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　　be down-to-earth
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　　21
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! ~# L& D0 B) u3 {　　脚踩两只船
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　　sit on the fence; be a fence-sitter; have a foot in either camp

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　　君子之交淡如水

4 t" ^" ]; F0 u' S0 e1 m" [: g　　A hedge between keeps friendship green.

　　23

　　老生常谈，陈词滥调
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　　cut and dried; cliché
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　　24

　　礼尚往来

　　Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
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7 ^3 X" `% m, `3 Z6 e6 D  F　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧
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2 V3 _  n% w3 D9 `/ S* e　　Where there is life, there is hope.
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　　马到成功

4 z! Y1 u- P; C1 A7 Q" z　　achieve immediate victory; win instant success
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　　27
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　　名利双收

　　gain both fame and wealth
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& w# n% {4 q# o6 U　　28

　　茅塞顿开
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　　be suddenly enlightened

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　　没有规矩，不成方圆

　　Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.

! d- O; z5 m  E- I! \2 H1 G　　30

　　每逢佳节倍思亲

　　On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.
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　　31

  Z0 Y. @% q7 L5 L　　谋事在人，成事在天

0 d- @4 K+ Q) b' ~  V8 n　　Man proposes; God disposes.
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# e5 v9 N" ]  Q; x* p7 k& S2 l　　32

: x0 r6 E9 v5 C& s/ w　　弄巧成拙

0 g4 [/ C! Z7 o7 b　　make a fool of oneself in trying to be smart
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  J. K% a6 S" }, X　　33
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& W2 h+ Y' i* h- T5 k: ?0 t　　赔了夫人又折兵
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5 m& J1 G$ S9 g. Z7 Q; [　　suffer a double loss; lose the bait along with the fish

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　　抛砖引玉
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& ~* X5 l# [8 U* O& r　　a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale
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　　35
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1 N4 s; E2 C0 }4 H# S　　破釜沉舟

　　cut off all means of retreat;burn one's own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end

　　36

7 ?! D( g# h" U. W5 B( F　　抢得先机
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　　take the preemptive opportunities
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  }( A4 g/ T4 B0 x, ^& E　　37

; I6 ]& g. r0 K) j4 G) v* Q　　巧妇难为无米之炊

/ ~/ L4 R  }0 J5 V* Z# Q　　One can't make bricks without straw.

　　38

* ^% K8 ^) M9 K2 D7 ^: Z　　千里之行始于足下
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　　a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
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　　39
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　　前事不忘，后事之师

　　Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
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　　前怕狼，后怕虎
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9 E2 H$ x& l# A, c　　fear wolves ahead and tigers behind; hesitate in doing something

　　41

　　强龙难压地头蛇

　　The mighty dragon is no match for the native serpent.
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　　42

　　瑞雪兆丰年

. G% Y1 F! Y8 J$ \3 Z4 ]　　A fall of seasonal snow gives promise of a fruitful year
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　　43

　　人逢喜事精神爽

　　People are in high spirits when involved in happy events.

6 k  X/ h8 V2 w$ F　　44

　　世上无难事，只怕有心人

  ~  i! W; E, B" v　　Where there is a will, there is a way.

　　45

) e( Z7 l- E+ k% C" B7 v1 v+ r, {7 T" _　　世外桃源
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　　a retreat away from the turmoil of the world
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. m- Q2 h9 ]! Q# m6 E　　人之初，性本善
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　　Humans are born good.

( h( i2 V1 m. p0 U　　47

　　上有天堂，下有苏杭
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　　Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth

　　48

+ y, i: S# r, A8 d  ?　　塞翁失马，焉知非福

　　a blessing in disguise;
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! M4 p* @7 c) X8 v+ J9 D! P. d　　Every cloud has a silver lining.

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　　三十而立

3 D/ t! h( i7 P: D& F! z( j　　A man should be independent at the age of thirty. /At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself.
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7 P. \0 u4 d9 p4 t: I　　水涨船高

　　A ship rises with the tide
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　　51
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　　时不我待

. ]3 W- u9 h, t/ ?' `, K$ h* ~　　Time and tide wait for no man.

　　52
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5 _  D# U6 a8 B　　杀鸡用牛刀
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　　use a steam-hammer to crack nuts
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. F0 T7 V- k, z6 M) ?) F　　实事求是
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! n4 `# _5 G$ B; Z) R　　seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
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: [0 Q7 W, A+ n　　54

　　说曹操，曹操到

　　speak of the devil
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　　55

" h& i) b3 ~; O  j# l* o: ]# n　　实话实说
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　　speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
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' t% l! R. z  d9 J% Z; S　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准

7 x& }! i, t' j2 H# j& b% y　　Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.57

　　韬光养晦
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& ?/ R  U' H, g! G　　hide one's capacities and bide one's time58

5 z# g# \. t" [　　糖衣炮弹

　　sugar-coated bullets59
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　　天有不测风云
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　　Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue60
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　　团结就是力量
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6 a9 g7 j3 ]5 j( Y# U! `, k! F　　Unity is strength.
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　　61

" E: g8 _- Y, o1 B) o　　跳进黄河洗不清

　　Even if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean - there's nothing one can do to clear one's name

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　　歪风邪气
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  l/ I+ `2 t) j' S, k　　unhealthy trends and vulgar practices
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: P/ H, M. R5 H5 D- B) u　　63

+ R- S  g7 n- ~　　物以类聚，人以群分

4 [' I4 e+ I! K+ r/ o6 ]　　Birds of a feather flock together.
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9 f9 ?+ C, _0 V$ R1 N  M& G　　望子成龙

% G, _+ j" l: Z4 J- D- H, L* @, ^& [. A　　hold high hopes for one's child

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) F: i( j0 X* {3 B　　唯利是图
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　　seek nothing but profits; be blind to all but one's own interests
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　　66
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% X+ @0 \" C" k* G2 F( {: d: }5 n　　无中生有

　　a sheer fabrication out of nothing; fabricate rumors out of thin air
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　　67
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　　无风不起浪
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　　There are no waves without wind. Nothing comes of nothing.
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　　68
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4 H) G/ q0 F" E　　徇私枉法
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5 m2 M4 V+ v* R4 o2 o5 U( Y　　twist the law to suit one's own purpose

　　69
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　　新官上任三把火

　　a new broom sweeps clean

　　70
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　　蓄势待发

* }3 Q0 \7 F$ L/ }　　accumulate strength for a take-off

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　　心想事成
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　　May all your wish come true
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　　72
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　　心照不宣
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　　have a tacit understanding; thoroughly understand each other, without having exchanged a word of explanation
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/ ^' n$ b6 C/ b5 @　　先入为主

　　First impressions are firmly entrenched.
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6 i9 a5 T: ^  m$ h, ?* s' a' y　　74
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　　先下手为强
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% o. \- [+ Y' q# A. |* D& O6 ~' b# c　　He who strikes first gains the advantage.
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: c$ P) ~, w* Y  {/ {　　The best defense is offense.
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5 u7 W4 C$ ]! ?9 i& E　　75

. R4 r* P) s7 n# x　　热锅上的蚂蚁
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　　ants on a hot pan
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　　76
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; y4 P2 ]0 G. v　　现身说法
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1 B# }; W6 y3 p. X　　warn people by taking oneself as an example
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　　息事宁人

8 L# `& _# s7 G0 J　　pour oil on troubled waters; patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned
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　　78

　　循序渐进

1 R+ y  p5 `* x) m　　proceed in an orderly way and step by step; advance gradually in due order

　　79
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　　严以律己，宽以待人
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　　be strict with oneself and lenient with others
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0 i' {' R# R4 e1 ]7 Z　　80
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　　有情人终成眷属
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4 C! i; Y# {" u　　Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.81

. y  P7 [9 T: [. c' O* K8 x　　有钱能使鬼推磨

! x" h5 z6 u( ]' B; J# D% H　　Money makes the mare go./ Money talks.82

　　有识之士
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　　a man of insight83

) @! p- |* |' C( I　　有勇无谋

3 r$ {% K- q: u2 \. N) t) d! D" x　　bold but not crafty84
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2 _' k5 @( F) o5 p, q( m　　有缘千里来相会
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5 l# U. e- A8 T( n　　Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.85

6 X4 V7 L, {# J; J* k9 U* D+ r9 r　　与时俱进
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# X! X8 m; U- P. m% i( a　　keep pace with the times86

( X( }9 G$ c+ \+ }& W0 a0 p　　以人为本

　　people-oriented
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　　因材施教
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/ p! w- w3 R& q' z9 h: p$ p5 x　　teach students according to their aptitude
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; }3 U* b1 `- ^$ s( D$ t$ w　　88

　　欲穷千里目，更上一层楼
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　　to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther.
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　　89

% D( \  A; ?8 d7 y　　欲速则不达

" S9 N) o: R- g! p  X* w: O# K& V　　Haste makes waste.
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　　More haste, less speed.

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# O5 \/ L: ~% W. c0 a3 d3 Y3 N* M2 @　　优胜劣汰

　　survival of the fittest
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& p: s% T* p' b" |* ~& ]0 v　　91
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　　英雄所见略同
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( k& f" l3 ~* M& o% u　　Great minds think alike.
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　　92
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　　冤家宜解不宜结
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+ C6 {/ \; F$ Y% T! i1 _* j, C　　Better make friends than make enemies.

　　93
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% u# |7 H# w8 o# Z5 ]1 M; l/ @　　冤假错案
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　　cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases
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7 I5 ^$ [; t. \" C+ ?. t# _) t) w　　一言既出，驷马难追
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  X1 g9 Y4 V! h, @9 t) e8 E4 R　　A promise is a promise.
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2 H$ y8 S& c3 r　　A real man never goes back on his words.
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　　95

　　招财进宝
- T6 v+ ^1 Y. U! _3 k: \% w8 \, }
　　bring in wealth and treasure
" W1 `- ~5 r2 Q% R% f1 `' b+ R
　　96
' l+ t* A6 g' t2 X1 X
　　债台高筑

　　become debt-ridden
2 v2 R9 M0 q5 @
; m0 f" ?( f) f0 w+ A　　97

5 L4 t3 w2 q4 H+ R* q　　众矢之的

　　target of public criticism
+ l1 L: a( A; k7 _( s+ q
　　98

% |1 M8 x1 n* g1 p- n; }3 h　　纸上谈兵

/ j7 `7 d9 A1 T; [9 i- v6 U# |6 J　　be an armchair strategist

　　99

　　纸包不住火

　　You can't wrap fire in paper.
# j: k; H* b+ B7 I/ C
  H8 |* Y, @5 H& ^　　What's done by night appears by day.

; S8 S* _1 S0 I' P! \% e0 `1 @4 x% O　　100

5 M0 L4 @4 s' Y% F3 `# W: F4 V+ \　　左右为难

' f" `. c& Z, e5 Z4 T　　caught in a dilemma; between the devil and the deep blue sea

Justing

应根据前后语境翻译，同一成语可以有不同译法。