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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! B" M2 a1 i- oShe always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
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8 y' j' s6 }: G) ?1 ]动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn
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动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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' A; b* v+ m2 u0 N. `" I9 ?他动不动就训人：He is always lecturing people.
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刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart

( Q3 U+ S6 N) p0 g4 H% f% g2. 他是不到黄河不死心。

He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.

' i6 T8 M2 c2 U5 o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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: P% r* f! z3 w3 L! Q0 D( Crefuse to give up until all hope is gone

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.
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! R. ~' |9 C. q" ?& U+ W* v' C4. 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
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He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.

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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( L9 d& f) Y: L; z9 @. K7 p5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

The 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.
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If you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
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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.

! k! p) w2 E4 q+ k9 m6. 他搜肠刮肚，也找不出合适的字眼表达这个意思。

6 x, o3 c8 l, u4 T  |0 fHe racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.

% t3 |" R8 P* I% t7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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- f& n9 N1 Q/ k& @4 ]; pThis is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
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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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8. 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;

6 L3 k4 L  y0 g7 Z- \deserve the reputation one enjoys;

live up to one’s reputation
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$ g" h4 O7 n5 p: Z  j" b; U% y$ v9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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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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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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画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

11. 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.

* c: h6 Y- w7 W8 Y3 M+ V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。
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( w3 j2 h1 ?$ l. T1 yAll good things must come to end.

  N9 f0 S" \( w# V3 N0 x, DAll 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.

+ \$ ~7 T- q$ q0 i' M4 _2 _/ B13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

2 u3 ], D& R+ D8 ^: F8 |' Y- A+ gWith justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.

% m' b, b1 h7 i2 r5 C% X扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.

14. 江山易改，本性难移。

# F8 H5 B! Y. d  \5 A  v+ V6 A6 ]% wA leopard can’t change its spots.

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。
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' y5 c  N  r! t3 Y8 |4 Z% rA 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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) q+ }, w; D% a5 F7 |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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+ X6 B( f3 _9 t1 R- V  m借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
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煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
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4 x( k& \6 B6 k; P5 X4 q17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。

/ P, u+ d! J. c& M: {8 N* U' BI felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
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哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
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18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。
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  d1 v1 h# T4 xHe 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

1 c6 E& _( P0 b" _! _3 z19. 中国经济取得巨大发展，中国人民终于扬眉吐气了。
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The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.

" F% E' M2 T9 H- q! h" v. e* fThe Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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1 h& C- H* M% Z* O' x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。

He used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
billzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

上周日中午你去大统华了吗