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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0 O2 R% R& j8 ]! n, z1 d　　爱屋及乌
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# e* B7 n9 ^3 ]9 v3 e　　Love me, love my dog.
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/ [' |7 g& m- p+ g3 ^　　02

; p. ^  g3 p7 ]. y  M5 A9 j: x　　百闻不如一见

　　One look is worth a thousand words.
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　　Seeing is believing.

　　03

　　比上不足，比下有余
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9 z; U0 K& e$ A9 Q* _& U　　to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst

$ ~7 Y( `  q1 q4 |$ M6 X- M　　04

　　笨鸟先飞

7 G  w1 E' R& ?5 Q" o( ^　　A slow sparrow should make an early start.

　　05

( X2 d) b3 ]  e9 U  d  a7 i　　不遗余力
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) k' V" R3 `( o! \　　spare no effort; go all out; do one's best

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) |; M6 o4 |- _& {　　不打不成交
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　　No discord, no concord.
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　　07
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　　拆东墙补西墙

! s( x! c: O7 |. q+ \　　rob Peter to pay Paul
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　　08
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+ ]# k3 B+ V# D3 D: H5 w　　辞旧迎新

+ G2 s  L& M% l& V　　bid farewell to the old and usher in the new

/ \8 w' v: u) G- A( r　　09
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　　大事化小，小事化了

　　try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all

　　10
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　　大开眼界
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　　broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener
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　　11

: y" j; Y7 b  ?8 S) }, T( D% Q# G　　国泰民安
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) \! L) K: ~- `6 [8 r3 P　　the country flourishes and people live in peace

　　12
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; W$ D! s. y) d% x  g　　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;

　　too much is as bad as too little

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　　好了伤疤忘了疼

9 M+ Y0 a8 u4 ?' @, |! r4 a7 h　　once on shore, one prays no more

　　14
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　　好事不出门，坏事传千里

$ ^- n9 k  S" `; L2 k　　Bad news travels fast.
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% m* k6 ~! |2 ?6 H' A2 z　　和气生财
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　　harmony brings wealth;

9 t" x! G% t7 e, [7 z( v　　friendliness is conducive to business success

　　16
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　　活到老学到老
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- i/ L* c  ^8 ?5 u0 W, s, e　　never too old to learn
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* u& n9 G, y% P  ~
　　既往不咎
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- R1 e5 ~( B& t" o( h# [. X　　let bygones be bygones
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9 \7 D2 a+ X5 b( V　　金无足赤，人无完人

　　There are spots even on the sun.
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　　金玉满堂
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　　Treasures fill the home.
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4 C1 ^3 M7 u( [5 l　　20
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) O* [0 z) y: i. J　　脚踏实地

　　be down-to-earth

　　21
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1 c8 P0 q# ]/ i* z3 B% ^　　脚踩两只船
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, v2 M0 c9 U1 e+ s3 b6 X+ B　　sit on the fence; be a fence-sitter; have a foot in either camp
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　　22
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6 W1 X$ T+ k( u" @! f8 D( a　　君子之交淡如水
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　　A hedge between keeps friendship green.
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　　23
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　　老生常谈，陈词滥调

　　cut and dried; cliché

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　　礼尚往来
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0 S  z7 t; ^! G0 f( Z, I$ ]# C　　Courtesy calls for reciprocity.

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- j! C8 m3 Y1 [/ [　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧

1 ~( B8 }6 D" X6 O9 ?　　Where there is life, there is hope.

　　26
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# u, Y5 l4 H  d: U, B　　马到成功

5 M8 V, ?# e" X! Z* V! O　　achieve immediate victory; win instant success
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　　27
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　　名利双收
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　　gain both fame and wealth

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　　茅塞顿开

# V( z1 w# K# m% \2 ^　　be suddenly enlightened

8 D  H. l& v( c) Q　　29

6 w9 u6 y& [: M; f; E　　没有规矩，不成方圆
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) l. `4 y0 k7 r/ m& S$ f4 X　　Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.
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7 b  P0 s2 z' v; A2 G0 r8 b　　30
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　　每逢佳节倍思亲
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! l' f5 ?( |. U. U" X: E　　On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.
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　　31

　　谋事在人，成事在天
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+ s8 c3 {% L4 i. v. c　　Man proposes; God disposes.
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　　32

/ @- C0 S  J7 n0 x7 R/ r2 \$ R. O　　弄巧成拙

9 V  p3 Y; b; |7 R　　make a fool of oneself in trying to be smart
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; T7 m( i% S0 D+ _; c  _- ]+ f　　赔了夫人又折兵

( J1 r2 v6 J$ W6 _2 w　　suffer a double loss; lose the bait along with the fish
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3 G. _8 R. d, `9 \　　抛砖引玉

) f2 z$ J+ B( U0 L0 a; P4 u# ?9 k0 r3 d/ ?! g　　a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale

　　35

4 z2 o; y. v( `  G% g; S: q　　破釜沉舟
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- N3 E5 U( t, B, _1 ~' S　　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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　　36
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- r/ a& E3 [; u  t　　抢得先机

0 D6 \7 f4 j2 @& m! C& v　　take the preemptive opportunities

　　37
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8 M5 V0 H; U/ m3 P* i& l　　巧妇难为无米之炊

, g. t3 \7 q8 [9 Q　　One can't make bricks without straw.
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4 w+ l9 m9 u! M1 p5 t: Q　　千里之行始于足下
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. v8 @( V# z# c: O' p; \2 J+ Q3 D　　a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
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  n2 g4 Q+ W3 J: l! Y2 Y3 s4 s　　39
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　　前事不忘，后事之师
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7 Z) y& W, g1 R$ P' f　　Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.

　　40
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　　前怕狼，后怕虎
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4 {: ^/ F1 ?# g9 G　　fear wolves ahead and tigers behind; hesitate in doing something
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8 F9 X$ N8 J5 c1 |　　41
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　　强龙难压地头蛇

2 _6 L) o  Y1 h- W　　The mighty dragon is no match for the native serpent.
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　　42
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　　瑞雪兆丰年
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　　A fall of seasonal snow gives promise of a fruitful year
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　　人逢喜事精神爽

& {) X% R  R- l# e" L3 W- n. X　　People are in high spirits when involved in happy events.

　　44

) ^4 x5 F  T' ~9 G5 Q. P/ a　　世上无难事，只怕有心人

1 D  J0 S- z- X  @　　Where there is a will, there is a way.

　　45
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* J7 }3 e4 n3 U# h3 S' U& L) j0 T　　世外桃源
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6 Q# s. ]% X* J$ X1 M( n　　a retreat away from the turmoil of the world
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6 i2 e+ _4 q8 c# |　　46

9 X) s# w: c: [7 A　　人之初，性本善

　　Humans are born good.

　　47

　　上有天堂，下有苏杭

9 [5 w: g. j# {& I9 Y# }# x2 i4 K　　Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth

7 v5 O% e- j2 W　　48
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　　塞翁失马，焉知非福

# Q4 K9 g$ D& @% g! }& x　　a blessing in disguise;
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　　Every cloud has a silver lining.

　　49

/ }1 {/ G6 F; ?- x  y) V! R　　三十而立

9 N4 Z$ ?- [+ A: M% T! R  `　　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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　　水涨船高

　　A ship rises with the tide
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　　51

: D1 j1 ]7 ^$ d6 A2 u　　时不我待

8 q7 G& T' i% g, L% V5 y　　Time and tide wait for no man.
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　　52

　　杀鸡用牛刀

: C2 a$ }. _$ j( h& ~6 J0 A: |! s　　use a steam-hammer to crack nuts
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　　实事求是

& L3 p3 T: E/ J　　seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
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　　54

% ?( @' c9 `4 h0 i' I- H$ }! B& N　　说曹操，曹操到
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　　speak of the devil

　　55
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　　实话实说

8 `6 b) d. T  T& @! W; \9 s　　speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
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( ^, V6 e7 V, J* t+ r　　56
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　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准

; F0 m/ G, A; O# L, b) r9 ?9 v* y　　Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.57
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　　韬光养晦

　　hide one's capacities and bide one's time58
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, _3 q# W% E: u" N7 x) x' t; q　　糖衣炮弹
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　　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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: }% t! }% U& N/ Z8 Z* d; v+ d( ?　　团结就是力量

　　Unity is strength.
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　　61
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! S. R9 e" |2 E: ^　　跳进黄河洗不清

7 V2 z: t* J1 D1 c2 V　　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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　　62
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! V6 F9 |0 n4 A1 V  O　　歪风邪气
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5 F" ~7 k" ?. ]: Z$ n, @/ `2 g# s$ a　　unhealthy trends and vulgar practices

　　63

% i: b0 z2 N# A' N　　物以类聚，人以群分
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　　Birds of a feather flock together.
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' Q: L5 k8 P2 J* ^# j. g　　64

4 ~  k: ~  a: M　　望子成龙

5 j) B0 Y0 L/ j" b0 k, k　　hold high hopes for one's child
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% G/ M$ T# G7 y% U( _9 t2 F. p　　65

) x2 _: }: _/ t+ Q. c, Y　　唯利是图

4 b. R# l; ]# H2 }7 {9 R5 \　　seek nothing but profits; be blind to all but one's own interests

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　　无中生有
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　　a sheer fabrication out of nothing; fabricate rumors out of thin air
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　　67

　　无风不起浪

! l  I) k& S0 |2 W! m! m, [　　There are no waves without wind. Nothing comes of nothing.

0 ]: j5 v  T5 }# H0 Z  Z　　68

　　徇私枉法

　　twist the law to suit one's own purpose
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　　新官上任三把火

: d/ J$ m: x: y( X3 m9 x　　a new broom sweeps clean

　　70
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- i4 P0 d4 G- Y  `　　蓄势待发

) e: a5 g+ Z% P  n5 C　　accumulate strength for a take-off

, E  w: S: O* l* {8 v* e　　71

) ]! L! e4 U% n7 H　　心想事成

　　May all your wish come true
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  n1 |9 y* @# E　　72

　　心照不宣
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9 f0 k* A+ A! Q! h% x" C* v　　have a tacit understanding; thoroughly understand each other, without having exchanged a word of explanation

　　73

　　先入为主
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　　First impressions are firmly entrenched.

　　74
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　　先下手为强
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. W4 X1 |3 ]+ x' y' m8 n4 o. v　　He who strikes first gains the advantage.
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7 t& d2 v; g: y9 L　　The best defense is offense.
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) s7 x& s+ |+ \　　75

　　热锅上的蚂蚁

# F' ~  q* O- w' d9 H2 m　　ants on a hot pan
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2 [2 z6 d+ Y$ t　　现身说法
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6 r0 S: @' a7 S/ N" q9 F　　warn people by taking oneself as an example

　　77
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　　息事宁人
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: h1 c8 A7 h: C3 h　　pour oil on troubled waters; patch up a quarrel and reconcile the parties concerned

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　　循序渐进

　　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

0 e0 [0 L* R; u% {8 J4 T　　be strict with oneself and lenient with others
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　　80

; i, ^% e- `5 W% R& h　　有情人终成眷属

　　Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.81

　　有钱能使鬼推磨
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5 T8 _" g7 R' H4 c　　Money makes the mare go./ Money talks.82

　　有识之士
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8 x6 g# ^; U, R3 x- }/ {( z$ ^　　a man of insight83
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　　有勇无谋
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　　bold but not crafty84

' L- X4 Z0 V  c, @  s1 ^　　有缘千里来相会
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$ [% I* K/ F; E) H/ B　　Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.85
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6 V3 Z, Y0 j2 j% X$ z# i　　与时俱进

　　keep pace with the times86
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　　以人为本
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, V" H* j) Y/ m7 R: G0 P　　people-oriented

) a0 w6 }2 z! k$ }1 `& H! z　　87
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- ~! Y* l8 Y5 C7 A　　因材施教

　　teach students according to their aptitude
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- |6 [3 Z! e2 U4 \　　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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  J4 Z0 [8 q% {7 u, a' s  I5 c: P　　89

3 C) E* i( i2 O4 F' d( k3 |2 t  W　　欲速则不达
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; Z; F6 ~/ ^0 j7 f8 A' _, V% Y　　Haste makes waste.

　　More haste, less speed.

　　90

* J2 v; F6 t5 Z6 P( m) S* |　　优胜劣汰

　　survival of the fittest

　　91
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　　英雄所见略同

) z2 q* t8 w' x" x3 V: o　　Great minds think alike.

　　92

　　冤家宜解不宜结

　　Better make friends than make enemies.
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　　93

& w& ]3 {: v% L2 q# T) X7 e! t　　冤假错案

8 r6 j9 O" }7 S1 `! M2 N　　cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases

6 k+ v9 {: `( {5 V& O) P+ B! C　　94

' ~( K' }5 h6 q3 L& D1 e　　一言既出，驷马难追
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9 l+ E+ p/ C. A2 |　　A promise is a promise.
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　　A real man never goes back on his words.
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( p: s+ Z" j" z# a: B2 U( p　　招财进宝
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7 X/ z' g' f" {4 n+ E. j: E　　bring in wealth and treasure

3 f# X* J9 R  ]4 d/ ^8 }$ T　　96
  g; E2 K  b* A, r  q* s, g" g
- k: n0 U  h# L, g( a　　债台高筑
- ^3 _0 Y, F% l, d& w0 E: N
　　become debt-ridden
6 o+ Z) v3 C( t" q9 ^  n1 X
　　97

　　众矢之的

. P7 B% ]; ?2 W　　target of public criticism
. E$ k  b+ G, O, f
　　98

　　纸上谈兵

- x. z. x3 a( O1 ~6 o. Q& N　　be an armchair strategist
) S$ t6 B& {( n# O
　　99
* K3 z4 ]! ~8 t
　　纸包不住火

　　You can't wrap fire in paper.

: y+ v- v5 N( X5 B　　What's done by night appears by day.
2 |# p% t. w6 `1 ?- {( U
　　100
; `4 h$ i$ v! |7 B! h4 Q9 X# ~5 j
  B+ H, i8 K7 m5 R7 D! j. l* a$ n　　左右为难

- |# @) v; t$ S, ^　　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。