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!

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6 |2 u. O( Z0 t! f& B. B9 j; H+ ]　　爱屋及乌

  h3 X& b) x7 o9 o8 C" I　　Love me, love my dog.
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& F4 ^2 w) j  r4 f) G　　百闻不如一见
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　　One look is worth a thousand words.

　　Seeing is believing.
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　　03
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% V' ~. s" r- w& [+ D3 m　　比上不足，比下有余

　　to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst
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　　04

5 m0 ]( l& x4 H  ^' d　　笨鸟先飞

; M; V4 u% s; `  T0 L  B/ p　　A slow sparrow should make an early start.
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　　05

' U5 E# b$ k' }. w; n9 H　　不遗余力
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　　spare no effort; go all out; do one's best

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% e' b# V/ L6 w; a9 r　　不打不成交
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( E6 q8 u- ?# ?  l  `　　No discord, no concord.
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　　07
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　　拆东墙补西墙

　　rob Peter to pay Paul
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6 C# P4 Z' d, |1 X. P- F2 e　　08

　　辞旧迎新
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　　bid farewell to the old and usher in the new

　　09

+ X9 t6 ~9 Y3 Y* `( o5 c! ~/ i　　大事化小，小事化了

3 `6 f3 G* t1 @9 ?　　try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all
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9 F1 D1 y9 U; t9 j* N  y& y( M( |# K　　大开眼界
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　　broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener
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　　11

5 T/ `! M- d* V3 O- L9 t: |　　国泰民安

$ P/ Q* _( S& ~1 w+ \( p1 R　　the country flourishes and people live in peace
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　　12

　　过犹不及
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　　going beyond the limit is as bad as falling short; excess is just as bad as deficiency;
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( L! m6 X6 {8 `$ A( Y% J9 M5 J( r　　too much is as bad as too little

　　13

　　好了伤疤忘了疼
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4 n" }- d2 z! s4 V6 V　　once on shore, one prays no more
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　　14

　　好事不出门，坏事传千里
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　　Bad news travels fast.

　　15
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　　和气生财
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- ]' I) h# J& ~/ X) i5 w' g' C! ?　　harmony brings wealth;
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　　friendliness is conducive to business success
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+ G  `7 u/ r2 L1 R6 c7 _; j' Q7 s　　活到老学到老

　　never too old to learn
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( M- }$ a1 e- `. z- X$ @2 w( I+ M* r" Q  E　　17
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　　既往不咎
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+ z: y# Z8 L* u　　let bygones be bygones
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　　18

1 ^) Y+ U' d: F! D; S. v* ~! x　　金无足赤，人无完人
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　　There are spots even on the sun.
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　　金玉满堂

　　Treasures fill the home.
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7 I" ?- h4 E4 {+ Q( h- p% B8 j　　20

　　脚踏实地

; a1 h+ i' M5 B; u　　be down-to-earth
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　　21

3 E% K) D' m$ ^2 {0 M　　脚踩两只船
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　　sit on the fence; be a fence-sitter; have a foot in either camp

　　22

　　君子之交淡如水
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- x9 j& s' v/ Z% M　　A hedge between keeps friendship green.

　　23
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2 Y4 t7 d+ ]! s3 x9 Q* _6 _, W, c　　老生常谈，陈词滥调
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　　cut and dried; cliché

　　24
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: a- U9 z0 Z  \3 {$ {, j　　礼尚往来

9 Z* U; `- x2 l5 w; i　　Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
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　　25
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　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧
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0 |' I$ f3 V5 G  n3 U  f# P　　Where there is life, there is hope.
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　　马到成功
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' {4 k1 ]8 ~5 [4 \　　achieve immediate victory; win instant success
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　　27
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  N0 Y& s( t" y% a　　名利双收
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3 [7 a3 O9 w  V2 ^7 F; ?: b　　gain both fame and wealth

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　　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.

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* _' T' Q" ~) B6 A& k, }( X' N　　每逢佳节倍思亲
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# @, }! s6 ~. K% t; E  k　　On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.
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) [4 f% E* s' d0 |　　谋事在人，成事在天
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　　Man proposes; God disposes.

　　32

- L) {+ V! k7 M" e' d* Z　　弄巧成拙

　　make a fool of oneself in trying to be smart
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5 D1 u0 v7 e% L8 P) L, p* {　　33
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9 |4 I& A" O# `; y- b/ Q　　赔了夫人又折兵

　　suffer a double loss; lose the bait along with the fish

　　34
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　　抛砖引玉

! a5 m" `5 C$ D. |$ m+ K　　a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale

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　　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

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　　抢得先机
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　　take the preemptive opportunities

　　37
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9 \$ Y. P" r/ y) D0 U　　巧妇难为无米之炊

" n' {0 P$ y+ {　　One can't make bricks without straw.
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　　38

　　千里之行始于足下

　　a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
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8 g! Y& K6 T. k7 ^5 g; z2 ~* `　　前事不忘，后事之师
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4 y- z' W, z  j; y　　Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
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6 w* m6 C/ g$ x5 W6 J1 a　　40
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1 i9 t0 G: ]! n$ I7 ]　　前怕狼，后怕虎
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- _# ?: R0 c8 j9 `/ x% q  o* O　　fear wolves ahead and tigers behind; hesitate in doing something
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" U) O& p9 H( E% p: o' S　　强龙难压地头蛇
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　　The mighty dragon is no match for the native serpent.
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　　42

　　瑞雪兆丰年

! I- f# b) z# @( j  s' [　　A fall of seasonal snow gives promise of a fruitful year

9 m: q( D( @# {: o8 ]# u　　43
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　　人逢喜事精神爽

1 z8 S( G  `! n; k6 |: y0 L6 {5 ?0 P　　People are in high spirits when involved in happy events.
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　　世上无难事，只怕有心人
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　　Where there is a will, there is a way.

　　45

3 S$ b0 j' Q6 P9 w2 _　　世外桃源
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　　a retreat away from the turmoil of the world

　　46
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1 `6 @% e4 Y; C( \4 @8 ]) r　　人之初，性本善
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　　Humans are born good.
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　　47

" m( N* b& r* t, Q& w: R; E　　上有天堂，下有苏杭

. K' u4 g6 V/ D: H( |　　Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth

　　48
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  _0 v$ w7 i9 t1 S$ ^  y+ B8 X- R5 L5 S　　塞翁失马，焉知非福

　　a blessing in disguise;

　　Every cloud has a silver lining.

6 Z7 x# J/ n7 w# {7 \, Q* B, r+ U& \　　49
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　　三十而立

% Y! X/ g7 ?; @0 F# E　　A man should be independent at the age of thirty. /At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself.

　　50
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) c6 z7 i  n% d3 w6 Y4 ?　　水涨船高
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　　A ship rises with the tide
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  a) J; N. g4 e5 W$ g! K　　时不我待
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8 T6 Q* g$ |0 c2 b( k　　Time and tide wait for no man.
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　　52
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　　杀鸡用牛刀
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　　use a steam-hammer to crack nuts
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8 s2 P5 ?- [! B& O2 g9 Z* L5 \　　实事求是
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　　seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
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8 P1 w; A- Z/ ~9 V5 n" {　　说曹操，曹操到

) B8 X% h7 }" X' C! D　　speak of the devil

　　55
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　　实话实说
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5 `. V3 d3 G' F　　speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is

　　56
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) S5 l" j$ W- a4 ]% C& y& U　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准

5 o3 p3 @4 N( e: Z* F; N　　Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.57
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5 k- Z& ^4 c+ W$ X! a　　韬光养晦

　　hide one's capacities and bide one's time58
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! _( q  j2 p  @( B, {9 j; H　　糖衣炮弹
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　　sugar-coated bullets59
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7 }  g! V" Y& J$ g4 {/ X- I  ?$ L　　天有不测风云
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　　Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue60

　　团结就是力量

　　Unity is strength.
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' E1 K$ I& {% R9 E+ F' t  V' V　　61

　　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

　　62

6 B4 h6 a& E  ~) u+ x6 ]: @　　歪风邪气
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　　unhealthy trends and vulgar practices
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　　63
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　　物以类聚，人以群分

　　Birds of a feather flock together.
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　　64
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9 a% u* q/ ^7 p! ~7 f　　望子成龙
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0 c0 o  t" n& k# u" [8 X- p　　hold high hopes for one's child

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　　唯利是图

　　seek nothing but profits; be blind to all but one's own interests
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　　无中生有

0 M$ I* A+ i; z1 T" s' l　　a sheer fabrication out of nothing; fabricate rumors out of thin air

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. M, f3 A9 }- O& P* O　　无风不起浪
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2 q% Q# V' B- s　　There are no waves without wind. Nothing comes of nothing.
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* E- p3 l7 @& m4 u/ k7 E& v　　68

　　徇私枉法

8 j6 a& b9 T& x+ D7 u- Q9 @% L( K　　twist the law to suit one's own purpose

( F4 r) H0 Q4 M+ d& _; {3 l1 w　　69

( J2 l. I/ ~( [7 _, t8 s8 M　　新官上任三把火

　　a new broom sweeps clean

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　　蓄势待发

　　accumulate strength for a take-off
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　　71
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　　心想事成

　　May all your wish come true

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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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" }  t) L' ?  }4 Z* |4 a  x　　73
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3 Q$ L) u" e0 _4 A1 h1 \% d　　先入为主

7 u: k# d9 P2 k$ c- J' N　　First impressions are firmly entrenched.
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　　先下手为强

　　He who strikes first gains the advantage.

* [" e& u6 K% T1 Y; W1 ~8 _　　The best defense is offense.
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　　75
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* m: `$ I8 I/ H5 i: x　　热锅上的蚂蚁

* O3 ^) M" u# O) e　　ants on a hot pan
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　　76

　　现身说法

　　warn people by taking oneself as an example
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& u* [8 J- P" a0 ?- b　　息事宁人

/ r; K- p% b3 b$ Z, r. A8 w. D　　pour oil on troubled waters; patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned

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- j' G  h; Y+ _$ K　　循序渐进

　　proceed in an orderly way and step by step; advance gradually in due order

9 @- ^2 a# ]! {4 U　　79
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　　严以律己，宽以待人

　　be strict with oneself and lenient with others
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　　80

8 [; a' @( X& j  S3 U0 k　　有情人终成眷属

　　Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.81
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　　有钱能使鬼推磨
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　　Money makes the mare go./ Money talks.82
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* r! `) v7 s; A　　有识之士
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3 X' ~8 I3 E7 T　　a man of insight83

　　有勇无谋
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1 D& w* C. J+ Y$ `& p% E　　bold but not crafty84
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　　有缘千里来相会

　　Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.85

　　与时俱进

8 E  g3 y! u3 }　　keep pace with the times86

　　以人为本
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, b2 ~& @( H- ^$ G" B7 X/ U" H　　people-oriented
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　　87

# g" \, q7 E, w　　因材施教

5 V, F: ~: Q6 d0 W( e　　teach students according to their aptitude

　　88

　　欲穷千里目，更上一层楼

　　to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther.

　　89
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　　欲速则不达
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+ X* h2 x& b: w  M* i7 W; f　　Haste makes waste.
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- I* B8 W7 A: x* P1 T$ E　　More haste, less speed.

　　90
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  i( ~- s! w) g' X2 Y" C6 b　　优胜劣汰

　　survival of the fittest

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/ `, x" f4 Q* V' I　　英雄所见略同

　　Great minds think alike.

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　　冤家宜解不宜结
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　　Better make friends than make enemies.

　　93

　　冤假错案

　　cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases

　　94
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) N6 s/ V1 u! [" u8 }. g　　一言既出，驷马难追

　　A promise is a promise.

　　A real man never goes back on his words.
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  Y, m% k, d! h5 x　　95
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　　招财进宝
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2 i9 b) v5 X! D$ K: j4 ?, t9 [　　bring in wealth and treasure

　　96

( Z" Z  _( O1 D+ i" I　　债台高筑

　　become debt-ridden

　　97

' U+ z' Y" x& x- d　　众矢之的
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4 j& x* H6 |! y, S8 x　　target of public criticism

$ G( ^" u9 z" l/ ]2 r5 I/ u　　98

　　纸上谈兵

　　be an armchair strategist

0 {4 g1 {" I+ n% E+ i　　99

6 D6 `# d6 J' x- W6 ^' U　　纸包不住火
+ X* ~! H7 C5 B' s
% S4 m% G, o, Z5 y　　You can't wrap fire in paper.

　　What's done by night appears by day.

　　100

　　左右为难

　　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。