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.

% \9 U, [- ]( j. [$ KShe always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.

; i  E- E1 u9 t& c, i. @8 [动不动: easily; frequently; at every turn

; D* ^" f# c6 |; U动不动就感冒：catch a cold easily
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9 m9 d  |( U- r1 o5 w" k( g动不动就发脾气：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
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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
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; a. B  Q4 w# Q* F: k2. 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.

不到黄河不死心: not stop until one reaches the Huanghe River—not stop until one reaches one’s goal;

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.

) K  B: N1 b: p! a4. 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.
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# W8 f3 V" c" g( d1 c. j石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.

! D) o/ |: ~  ~1 L5. 若要人不知，除非己莫为。

2 z& f7 {7 w% IThe only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
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2 c, _/ q; Z8 [: U3 m. j. w! O3 GThe 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.
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6 r$ I: L; _: h, h2 a6. 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.
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7. 这完全是张冠李戴。
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This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.

9 l$ g$ j5 M7 y  Q& z. w张冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.

- Z) X) M1 |& u# u6 F; [4 D8. 味道真不错，果然是名不虚传。
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$ a: Z. l3 p2 C4 Y+ FIt’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.

名不虚传: have a well-deserved reputation;

$ u- j$ i, i/ P! ^+ z( q$ }deserve the reputation one enjoys;
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4 z. Q7 p) J9 w/ K0 q2 I# Y/ K7 _live up to one’s reputation

- Q8 s! ?* `* v9. 父亲说，“事已至此，不必难过，好在天无绝人之路。”
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: x' Q7 x) z$ \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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6 I6 T" b# q  ]$ U$ `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”。
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7 ?- d& Q  W" vHe giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
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. ~+ ]3 N! Q2 v! x! ^7 n4 Z3 L画饼充饥: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.

0 A  b5 {; Y1 a" r. D3 W11. 汤姆也来上学，不过是三天打鱼，两天晒网。

5 W1 _2 v' |# a: i, GTom 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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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.

. c; Y( m4 w  J6 y) b: j! K12. 天下没有不散的宴席。
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All good things must come to end.

/ M1 N% ]: B1 pAll feasts must come to an end.
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$ Z" }( F7 I% \$ b: [  k% M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.

" u; j9 L/ S8 I$ ]" G' @$ A* B13. 有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

- O. ?$ D9 |8 D" o" l4 a  l- @9 @With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.

3 k; n3 z5 S9 ?  Z, _  F, c扩展：天网恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.

" E0 F- Z; u) R14. 江山易改，本性难移。
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1 r" F% s% U7 U! P2 ^A leopard can’t change its spots.
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  {8 n" i! [0 W$ `8 e+ I' C8 M4 B' t江山易改，本性难移: It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature.

4 Z3 P) M: V- K8 f1 h15. 吃一堑，长一智。
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7 o/ D2 C4 B* c, z9 RA fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.

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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* ~5 E4 B5 R# g# g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.

5 C8 }$ ~. b6 u6 l( g+ e借刀杀人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
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& p* C% S! r1 j+ e# f煽风点火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble

17. 我在当时真的是哭笑不得。

I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.

哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying

6 n4 M- [/ l) B' z7 p- ]18. 对于此事他胸有成竹。

* g$ w2 o# ]6 a9 Q; I0 JHe has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.

胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
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19. 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.
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The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
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扬眉吐气: feel proud and elated
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) l! g. o, N' T2 K$ r, P3 l7 {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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7 {6 m2 \7 {' p; NHe used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.

billzhao

Great!

redrunner

Great!
/ ?' q) h# Y, \" Obillzhao 发表于 2009-5-23 11:26

上周日中午你去大统华了吗