英语笔译中比较难翻的概念.docx

第1篇 形形色色的人 1 一根筋儿 one track-minded. 别跟他较劲了。他一根筋，你还不知道？ Stop reasoning with him. Dont you know he is one track-minded? 2.出众的人 a lulu 要说漂亮，我们公司新来的秘书可算是个相貌出众的女孩子了。 Talking about being pretty, our companys new secretary is indeed a lulu. 3.两面派 two-faced 我知道怎样对付两面派，而且一眼就能看出谁是一贯两面讨好的人。I know how to handle two-faced people and can even tell at the first glance who are in the habit of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.(注：run with the hare and hunt with the hounds指人两面讨好，不得罪任何一方的做法。) 4傻大个儿 a lummox 听说那个傻大个儿把他们公司的买卖搞得一团糟。 It is said that the lummox has loused up their companys whole business. 5.收破烂儿的人 a rag man 那些收破烂儿的人走街串户，有时也能挣不少钱。 Those rag men going from door to door sometimes may also earn quite a handsome sum of money. 6.乡巴佬 a hayseed 她说她决不会嫁给一个乡巴佬，不管他多有钱。 She insisted that she would not marry herself off to a hayseed, no matter how rich he was. 7.不三不四的人riff-raffs 老张的家里总来些不三不四的人，可想而知老张不是什么好东西。 There are always riff-raffs hanging around in LaoZhangs home, which gives you the feeling that Lao Zhang is not a good guy. 8.受气包儿 doormat 她天生就是个受气包儿，什么事都不敢说个不字 Shes born doormat ,afraid of going against anything. 9.面无表情的人 a deadpan 和那些面无表情的人在一起工作真让人憋气。 You feel choked to work with those deadpans. 10.扫帚星 a jinx 有人说那个女人是个扫帚星，谁跟她结婚谁倒霉。 Shes said to be a jinx, who would bring bad luck to whoever she marries. 第2篇 情感和态度 1 犹豫不定be of two minds 我打算买辆汽车，可心里一直犹豫不定，不知道买那个牌子的好。 Im thinking of buying a car, but Im still of two minds .I can hardly decide as to which brand I should take. 2.心事重重 some thing weighs heavily on ones mind 老板这几天沉默寡言，看起来好像是心事重重的 The boss is quite down these days. He seems to have something weighing heavily on his mind. 3.埋头苦干 keep ones nose to the grindstone 这年头，只会埋头苦干的人是挣不了大钱的 These years those whore keeping their nose to the grindstone cant make bundles. 4.心凉了半截 cool ones ardor 莉莉深深爱上了公司的老板并打算嫁给他，但是当她听说他玩弄过几个女孩子之后，她的心都凉了半截。 Lily was head over heels in love with their companys boss and was thinking of marrying him, but the news that he had taken several girls for a ride cooled her ardor. 5.使人大为激动make ones spine tingle 小李答应与他结婚使他大为激动 XiaoLis promise to marry him made his spine tingle. 6.怀恨在心 bear somebody a grudge 千万别得罪他，他会对你怀恨在心的 Take care not to offend him, or hell bear you a grudge. 7.感到四肢无力 feel wobbly and rough. 8.受冷落feel left out 在这样的场合上，谁愿意受到冷落那？ Who would like to feel left out at such a function? 9.不容易 no cinch. 我是挣了钱，但这钱挣得太不容易了 I know Ive made some money, but it was no cinch to get it. 10为难 be in a pickle 我真的很为难，我本应该给他买件皮衣，可我没有那么多的钱 Im really in a pickle. Im supposed to buy him a fur coat, but I dont have enough money for such an item.(pickle作“困境”解) 11苦苦哀求 press ones suit 她苦苦哀求丈夫再给她一次机会 She pressed her suit and asked her husband to give her another chance. (苦苦哀求：press ones suit. suit 指“乞求或恳求”) 12. 闲得无聊twiddle ones thumbs 这些娘们儿都闲得无聊,不是坐在那里说长道短，就是三五成群的谈论别人家的“丑闻” These “old girls”network are twiddling their thumbs , sitting there either gossiping or forming into groups talking about other families “skeletons” 13.推卸责任 pass the buck 当老板问起是谁把消息说出去的时候，他们两个人相互推卸责任。 When the boss was asking who had disclosed the news ,the two of them began to pass the buck to each other. 14.承担后果 face the music 这件事是他们三个人一起干的，可是现在谁也不愿意承担后果 It was done by the three of them. But none of them want to face the music now. 15.真烦人a pill 她真烦人，整天唠唠叨叨的 Shes really a pill, spending whole day harping and complaining. 16.饶不了某人not put anything past somebody 如果他胆敢给我使坏，我就饶不了他。 If he dare hit me below the belt, I wont put anything past him. 17.一门心思have ones heart set on 他的女儿一门心思想嫁给一个日本人 His daughter has had her heart set on marrying a Japanese man. 18.心烦意乱 nerves on edge 这几天不知是什么事把我搞得心烦意乱的 I dont know what has set my nerves on edge these days. 19.那可不行nothing doing 又要用我的车？那可不行！ Want to use my car again? Nothing doing. 20.容易极了Nothing to it 你能说服我爸爸么？ Can you convince my father? 说服你爸爸？那太容易了 Convince your dad? Nothing to it! 21.到了极点one for the books 他的表演简直棒极了 His performance was really one for the books. 22.觉得可疑了smell a rat 当他们同意把那批货以那样的价格卖给你的时候，你难道没有感到有些可疑么? Didnt you smell a rat when they agreed to sell you the goods at such a price? 23.敬而远之give a wide berth to 对他那号人，你还是敬而远之为好 Youd better give a wide berth to a guy of his sort. 24.稍微就行了give a onceover 车子不很脏，稍微擦擦就行了 The cars not very dirty, a once-over will do. 25.无聊 be for the birds 他特别无聊，不是讲下流笑话，就是谈论别人的婚姻。 He s plain for the birds. He would either crack a blue joke or talk about other peoples marriages. 26.合口味to ones taste 这种音乐很符合他的口味 This sort of music is quite to his taste. 27.心里特别难受 be sick at heart 看到她受到那般伤害我心里特别难受 I felt sick at heart when I saw how much she was hurt. 28.别往心里去not take to heart 不要往心里去，她不是有意要伤害你的 Dont take it too much to heart. She didnt mean to hurt you. 29.死也不同意 over ones dead body 她说她死也不会跟你结婚的 She said that she would marry you over her dead body. 30.头痛得快炸了a splitting headache 我的头痛得快炸了 I have a splitting headache. 31.受到良心的谴责get ones conscience smitten 如果你抛弃你的妻子和孩子，你迟早会受到良心的谴责的 Youll get your conscience smitten sooner or later if you have the heart to abandon your wife and children. 32.忐忑不安 have (a case of )the jitters 自从那家人搬到我们这儿，我们就感到忐忑不安 33.垂头丧气 sing the blues 我不知道为什么这几天她总是垂头丧气的 I dont know why shes singing the blues these days. 34. 吓得直打哆嗦tremble like a leaf 听到那个消息，他吓得直打哆嗦 He was trembling like a leaf at the news. 35.不再登某人家的门not darken the door of 你放心把，我今后决不会再登你家的门了 You can be assured that I will never darken your door again. 36.美颠颠的walk on air 当他听说那个女孩子喜欢他时，他乐得美颠颠得 37疼得难忍be killing 我的牙疼得够戗，我真受不了了。 My tooth is killing me. I cant stand it. 38.热情得让人受不了 kill someone with kingness 她那热情简直让人受不了 Shed kill people with kindness. 39.乐意take kindly to 看来她不乐意接受我们的建议 She didnt seem to take kindly to our suggestions. 40.顶牛be at loggerheads 他们俩经常为某些事顶牛儿。 The two of them are always at loggerheads. (此语源于中世纪得“泼柏油战法”。据说loggerhead是中世纪人们用来熔解柏油的用具。在海战中，敌对的两只船相互用loggerhead泼柏油) 41.无论怎么样也不 not do for love or money 无论怎么样我也不能和她那号人合作 I wouldnt do things together with her sort for love or money. 42.感到心里不好受 get a lump in ones throat 我一看悲剧电影就不好受 I get a lump in my throat whenever I see a tragic movie. 43.感到不舒服feel under the weather 别去打扰她。她这几天感到身体有点不舒服 Dont disturb her. Shes feeling under the weather these days. 44.放下不管leave someone in the lurch 你怎么能忍心放下两个孩子不管自己去旅游那？ How could you have the heart to leave the kids in the lurch and went out traveling yourself? 45.临走时说的一句气话 a parting shot 他说了一句气话就冲出了屋子。 With a parting shot he stormed out of the house. (一个人和别人发生争吵后，常会在临走时说一句发泄愤怒的话，叫a parting shot) 46让过去的事过去吧let bygones be bygones 别再提它了，让过去的事过去吧 Dont mention it. Let bygones be bygones. 47.烦透了be sick and tired of 她没完没了的抱怨真把我给烦透了 I got sick and tired of her endless complaints. 48.欣然的with a good grace 他欣然的接受了这项工作 He accepted the job with a good grace. 49.你好不好？Ill thank you to 闭上你的臭嘴好不好？ Ill thank you to shut up your foul mouth? 50.忙得脱不开身be tied up with 我们经理忙得脱不开身 ，您还是明天再来吧。 Our managers tied up now. Will you come tomorrow? 51.不要求特殊照顾ask no odds 即使在特别困难得情况下，他也从未要求过特殊照顾。 52感情不好be on the outs 自从她从美国会来以后，她和丈夫的关系就一直不好。 Shes been on the outs with her husband since she came back from the US. 53.满不在乎 like water off a ducks back 老板在会上严厉的批评了他，可他却满不在乎 The boss criticized him at the meeting, but it was just like water off a ducks back. 54.站在某人一边side with someone 但我和爸爸发生争执时，姐姐总是站在爸爸那一边。 My sister always sides with my father against me in my argument with him. 55.不要声张be hush-hush 这件事可不要声张，千万别向任何人吐露一个字。 This business is hush-hush. Never breathe a word to anyone about it. 第3篇 工作，机会和运气 1 前途远大 have the world before one 你们的前途都很远大，但仍需努力工作 You all have the world before you .But youll still need to work hard. 2.好险 a narrow squeak 昨晚好险哪。老板同一个女职员在办公室里动手动脚的，差点让他的妻子给撞上了。 The boss had a narrow squeak last night in his office: his spooning with a girl clerk was almost found our by his wife. 3.手气好 have the Midas touch 王先生的手气特别好，干什么都挣钱。 Mr. Wang has the Midas touch: everything he does turns to gold. (此语源自希腊神话。据说神给一个叫Midas的人一种特殊的力量，任何东西只要被他的手一碰就会变成黄金.后来，Midas touch便用来喻指“有发财的运气或技能”了) 4.走运be on the gravy train 这几年他一直很走运 Hes been on the gravy train these years. 5让人给骗了be ripped off 我又被那个家伙给骗了 I was ripped off again by that guy. 6不入虎穴焉得虎子 Nothing venture ,nothing have. 7.白费力气plough the air. 你再劝他也只是白费力气 Any attempt tot let him change will only be ploughing the air. 8.命好lead a charmed life 他的命真好。爸爸是政府高级官员，妈妈是公司的总经理，自己通过了托福考试并获得美国一所大学的奖学金。 His father is a senior government official, his mother is the general manager of a large company and he himself had passed the TOFEL test and got a scholarship from an American university. He must have been leading a charmful life! 9.倒霉get in the neck 在家里，如果孩子们打架被父母发现了，倒霉的总是年龄大的孩子。 In the family, if the kicks-up are found out by the parents , its always the oldest of the children wholl get in the neck. 10.背黑锅hold the bag 在任何的情况下，我从没有让任何人为我背黑锅 Under no circumstances have I made anyone hold the bag for me. 11. 有利可图的事an angle 无利可图的事，那家伙是从来不会干的 That guy never does anything unless theres an angle in it. 12.吃苦头burn ones fingers 以前，我为了帮那个家伙吃了一些苦头 I burned my fingers in helping that guy before. 13.被开除be sacked 他因为玩忽职守被开除了 He got sacked for falling asleep at the switch. 14.因祸得福a blessing in disguise 他遭遇车祸反而因祸得福了：住院时和一个漂亮的护士相爱了 He had an accident and it turned out to be a blessing in disguise: a pretty nurse fell in lover with him during his stay in the hospital. 15.一举成名be vaulted to fame 老张就是个一夜成功，一举成名的典型例证 Lao Zhang was vaulted to fame, a classic example of overnight success. 16.千载难逢 once in a blue moon 这可是个千载难逢的好机会阿 This is a chance once in a blue moon. 17.十拿九稳its dollar to buttons 他肯定能通过这次的考试，这是十拿九稳的了 I bet he will pass the exam. Its dollars to buttons. 18.没门！No way! 19.好日子不多了ones days are numbered 他意识到自己好日子没几天了，不禁感到一阵凄凉和恐慌。 He felt a rush of chilled feeling of anxiety when he realized that his days were numbered. 20.有点玄乎 a bit iffy 依我看，他们的成功有点玄乎 As far as I can see, their success is a bit iffy. 21.走上坡路be on the up grade 走上坡路比走下坡路要难得多 Its much more difficult to be on the up grade than on the down grade. 22.受某人恩宠be in somebodys grace 他们家的孩子都很受人恩宠 Every child in his family is in good graces of other people. 23.开门红get off to a flying start 我们公司一成立就来了个开门红：在开业后的第一周就得到了三笔大宗订单 Our company got off to a flying start when it opened to business: we got three big orders during the first week of opening. 24.跟白给的一样便宜 be a steal/be for a song 这部车他只花了300美元，跟白拣的一样。 He spent only 300 dollars in the car, which was simply a steal. 25.坐失良机miss the boat 他说他为错过那样好的机会而感到非常遗憾 He said that he was very much regretted about having missed the boat. 26.一帆风顺pan out 你不能期望事情总是一帆风顺的呀！ You cant always expect things to pan out each time, can you? 27.碰钉子get the cheese 他没想到在那个公司会碰钉子 He didnt expect to get the cheese in that company. 28.在火葬场工作work as a funeral furnisher 老李已经在火葬场工作了二十多年了 Lao Lis been working as a funeral furnisher for more than 20 years. 29.吊儿郎当play around 我可不喜欢让我的孩子整天吊儿郎当的，一点正经事都不干。 I dont want my children to play around all day and do nothing useful. 30.棘手的问题a ticklish question 面对那些棘手的问题他也显得束手无策了。 He seemed to be at his wits end before those ticklish questions. 31.难办的事sticky business 他发现这件事特别难办，同意不好，不同意也不好 He found it a sticky business: he could neither agree nor disagree. 32.稳扎稳打play for safety 在这种情况下，我们应该稳扎稳打，切勿操之过急 Under such circumstances we should play for safety against making haste. 33.干苦差事hold the baby 为什么把这个苦差事留给我一个人干？ Why should I be left holding the baby alone? 34.饭碗儿ones bread and butter 我不能放弃教书，那是我的饭碗 I cant give up teaching, for its my bread and butter. 35.忙得不可开交 have ones hands full 王燕白天上班，下班后还要照顾家里，简直是忙得不可开交。 Wang Yan has her hands full with working full time during the day and taking care of the family the rest of the time. 36.没那回事 nothing of the sort! 别听他们胡说八道，根本就没那回事。 Dont be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort! 第4篇 赞同与反对 1 大吵大闹 yell bloody murder 如果我的妻子知道我为他们花了多少钱，她一定会大吵大闹的。 My wife will certainly yell boldly murder when she learns how much I have spent for them. 2. 很像 the spitting image of 小李真象他的爸爸，在老婆面前象条虫似的。 Xiao Li is plain the spitting image of his father, who behaves just like a lamb in front of his wife. 3. 绝交信Dear John 贝克收到他女朋友的绝交信的那天简直都气疯了。 Beck went plain crazy with anger on the day when he received his Dear John from his exgirlfriend. 4.不能轻信take something with a grain of salt 他说的话你可不能全信，他是个说谎不带脸红的人。 You must always take what he says with a grain of salt. Hes a born liar. 5. 告发，检举 blow the whistle 据说检举这件事的政府官员也被调职了。 Its said that those government officials who had blown the whistle also got transferred. 6. 指控 charge somebody with 他被指控犯有强奸罪而被逮捕了 He was charged with raping and got arrested. 7.刮目相看sit up and take notice 他最近出了几本十分畅销的书，这使得很多人对他刮目相看 He has published a number of books and they all become best-sellers, the fact of which makes many people sit up and take notice. 8.挺不错的 be hunky-dory 他的女朋友挺不错的，跟谁都合得来。 His girlfriend is hunky-dory, getting on nicely with almost everyone. 9.已经了 be over 电影已经完了 The film is over. 10.断断续续be off and on 我断断续续学了12年的英语了。 I have been learning English off and on for 12 years. 11.亏你说得出来 I like that! 你是说男人应该娶几个老婆？亏你说得出来！ Did you say that a man should have several wives? I like that! 12.闭上嘴 button ones lip/zip ones lips 闭上嘴！难道你看不出来人家不爱听么？ Zip your lips. Cant you see theyre annoyed? 13.真的阿 you dont say 我已经和丽玲结婚了。 Li ling and I are married. 真的阿！你真幸运 。 You dont say! You are lucky. 14.再合适不过了 suit somebody to a T 这个颜色对你再合适不过了。 This color suits you to a T. 15.让人看不下去an eye-sore 看那两个年轻人在那里又搂又吻的真让人看不下去。 The two young guys caressing and spooning there are plain an eye-sore. 16.不能用了 be done for 这件大衣不能穿了。买件新的吧。 Buy yourself a new coat. This one is already done for. 17. 不理不睬not even give a tumble 小李三番五次的说他喜欢小刘，可是小刘对他不理不睬 Xiao Li says that he likes Xiao Liu but she doesnt even give him tumble. 18.拒绝某人的求婚give somebody the mitten 她说她的求婚被拒绝了。 She said that she had been given the mitten. 19.为说句好话put in a good word for 你可以去找老王，让他在老板面前为你说句好话。 You may go to Lao Wang and ask him to put in a good word for you in front of the boss. 20.怎么也不 cant for the life of one. 我怎么也想不起他的电话号码了 I cant for the life of me remember his telephone number. 21.绝对没有Id eat my hat if I had 我绝对没有把那个消息告诉她。 Id eat my hat if I had disclosed the news to her. 22.算了吧call it quits 算了吧。他既然已有新欢，我也就不打算和他复婚了 Id call it quits, and I would not remarry him for that hes already had his new woman. 23.合格be up to grade 他们的新产品基本上都是合格的。 Their new products are near up to grade. 24.我同意Ill drink to it. 你是说我们今晚到饭馆去吃么？这个我同意 Did you say wed eat out tonight? Ill drink to that. 25. 严加训斥give somebody a dressing down 老板听到那个消息后严厉训斥了参与此事的职员。 On hearing the news, the boss gave a dressing down to all those clerks that were involved in the business. 26.一个字也不说not breathe a word 她的嘴很紧，直到现在对那件事她也没有吐露一个字。 She s tight-mouthed .So far she has not breathed a word about that. 第5篇 金钱，爱情，婚姻，家庭 1. 跟别人要钱 mooch off someone 我最讨厌跟别人要钱得人了。 I feel sick of those who mooch off others. 2. 钱挣海了 coin money 这几年老张的钱挣海了。谁也没料到他会发这么大的财。 Lao Zhang is coining money these few years. Who can ever expect he would be able to make bundles like this! 3. 钱多得花不完 have money to burn 老李的钱多得花不完，要不他敢这么挥霍？ Lao Li has money to burn. Otherwise, how could he splash his money about like anything? 5. 钱能生钱 money begets money 钱能生钱。没本钱又怎能挣大钱那？ Money begets money. Without money in hand, how can you make bundles? 6. 没钱 be broke 我手头没钱了，咱们别到外面去吃了 I dont want to eat out today. Im broke. 7. 钱来之不易 money doesnt grow on trees 你不应该如此挥霍。钱来之不易阿！ You should not splash your money about like this. Money doesnt grow on trees. 9. 敲竹杠 a clip joint 那可是一家漫天要价，大敲竹杠的商店阿 That shop is plain a clip joint! 10. 生活很富裕be well fixed 自从中国对外开放以后，有些农民也成了企业家，而且大部分农民的生活都富裕起来了。 Since China opened to the outside world, some farmers have become entrepreneurs and many are well-fixed, living a much more comfortable life. 11. 吃了上顿没下顿 not know where the next meal comes 虽然很多人都已经富裕起来了，可是人有些人吃了上顿没下顿 In spite the fact that many have now become well-fixed, some people still remain in a state that they do not know where the next meal comes. 12. 发财 rake it in 它在海南挣了很多钱，真没想到他会发财 He made bundles in Hai Nan. He was unexpectedly raking it in. 13. 太宰人了 cost an arm and a leg 这个饭馆太宰人了，一个白菜豆腐汤也得要上几十元。 Eating in this restaurant will cost you an arm and a leg. You ll have to pay tens of yuan for even a soup of cabbage and beancurd 14. 跟别人比阔 keep up with the Joneses 我可不像你，老是和别人比阔 Im not your sort who like to keep up with the Joneses. 15. 养家糊口bring ho