常用成语英译300例.doc

常用成语英译300例 徐州 曹卫国1. 爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog.2. 暗送秋波 make secret overture to sb 3. 八仙过海 vie with each other ;the eight fairies crossed the sea(the eight fairies are characters in the Chinese myth story)4. 百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing.5. 班门弄斧showing off ones proficiency with an axe before Luban, the master carpenter6. 饱食终日无所事事 to eat the bread of idleness7. 杯弓蛇影 afraid of ones shadow 8. 笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start.9. 比上不足比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst.10. 毕恭毕敬cap in hand：He always treats his boss cap in hand.11. 鞭长莫及 beyond ones grasp12. 病疾乱投医 consult anybody when in a desperate situation13. 不打不成交 No discord, no concord.14. 不到黄河心不死 not stop until one reaches ones goal15. 不眠之夜 white night16. 不入虎穴焉得虎子How can one obtain tiger-cubs without entering the tigers lair.17. 不遗余力 spare no effort; go all out; do ones best18. 不以物喜不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses19. 不知所措all at sea20. 沧海一栗 a drop in the bucket21. 拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul22. 车到山前必有路 Things will eventually sort themselves out.23. 趁火打劫to fish introubled waters24. 城门失火，殃及池鱼 When the city gate catches fire, the disaster extends even to the fish in the moat.25. 吃一堑，长一智 a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit26. 充耳不闻 turn a deaf year to27. 愁眉苦脸gloomy faces28. 初出茅庐 just have first experience in29. 辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new30. 此地无银三百两 A guilty person gives himself away by conspicuouslyprotesting his innocence.31. 聪明反被聪明误to suffer for ones wisdom32. 粗枝大叶 be crude and careless33. 打草惊蛇wake a sleeping dog. 34. 打落水狗 hit a person when he is down35. 大开眼界 open ones eyes; broaden ones horizon; be an eye-opener36. 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 all37. 大张旗鼓 on a large and spectacular scale38. 单枪匹马 be single-handed in doing sth 39. 胆小如鼠as timid as a rabbit40. 盗亦有道Dog does not eat dog.41. 道高一尺魔高一丈While the priestclimbs a foot, the devil climbs ten.42. 得过且过to live from hand to mouth43. 得意忘形to leap out of ones skin44. 灯红酒绿 dissipated and luxurious45. 调虎离山 lure the tiger from the mountain46. 东施效颦 blind imitation with ludicrous effect 47. 东张西望look right and left48. 对牛弹琴play the lute to a cow; to cast pearls beforeswine49. 恶事传千里 Bad news travels quickly.50. 恶有恶报 He that does evil shall find evil.51. 非驴非马 Neither fish nor fowl.52. 风雨飘摇being unstable53. 赴汤蹈火go through fire and water54. 富贵在天Riches and honors come from heaven.55. 覆水难收Whats done cannot be undone./There is no use crying over spilt milk.56. 盖棺论定 Judge none blessed before his death.57. 隔墙有耳Pitchershave ears; walls have ears.58. 功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits.59. 攻其不备 strike sb when he is unprepared60. 狗拿耗子 poke ones nose into other peoples business 61. 狗咬吕洞宾 misunderstanding a kind-hearted person 62. 狗占马槽a dog in the manger63. 狗仗人势 use the influence of sb in bullying others64. 狗嘴里吐不出象牙What do you expect from a pig but a grunt?65. 寡不击众 There is no contending against odds.66. 挂羊头卖狗肉 selling horse-meat as beef steak ;cry upwine and sellvinegar67. 国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace68. 过犹不及 going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little69. 海阔天空 an endless vast /talk at random 70. 害群之马black sheep71. 好了伤疤忘了疼 once on shore, one prays no more72. 好事不出门恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.73. 和气生财 Harmony brings wealth.74. 狐假虎威 bully people by virtue of sb. elses influence 75. 狐朋狗友pack of scoundrels76. 虎毒不食子Dog doesnt eat dog.77. 虎父无犬子Like father, like son.78. 虎头蛇尾a tigers head and a snakes tail.79. 画蛇添足 draw a snake and add feet to it;to paint thelily80. 缓兵之计 aFabianpolicy81. 黄粱美梦 vanished dream/a fools paradise 82. 挥金如土 spend money like dirt83. 混水摸鱼to fish introubled waters84. 混水摸魚 to fish in troubled waters85. 活到老学到老 One is never too old to learn.86. 祸不单行 Misfortunesnever come single.87. 机不可失 Opportunity seldom knocks twice.88. 积少成多Every little makes a mickle. (Every little helps.)89. 集思广义Two heads are better than one.90. 既往不咎 let bygones be bygones91. 骄者必败 Pride goes before a fall.92. 脚踩两只船 sit on the fence93. 脚踏实地 be down-to-earth94. 捷足先登The early bird catches the worm.95. 竭泽而渔drain a pond to catch all the fish96. 金无足赤人无完人 Gold cant be pure and man cant be perfect.97. 金玉满堂 Treasures fill the home.98. 进退维谷 between the devil and deep sea99. 经验即良师 Experience is the teacher. 100. 井底之蛙 be like a frog at the bottom of a well101. 九牛一毛Compared with mine, his was simplya drop in the bucket.102. 旧调重谈toharpon the same string103. 鞠躬尽瘁to give the last measure ofdevotion104. 君子之交淡如水 the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green105. 开诚布公He always opens his heart to hisspousewhen he has a problem.106. 开门见山 come straight to the point 107. 开夜车/挑灯夜战Burn the midnight oil.108. 慷他人之慨 to be free with others money109. 口蜜腹剑honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted110. 脍炙人口in everyones mouth111. 狼吞虎咽make a pig of oneself.112. 狼心狗肺heartless and cruel113. 牢不可破 be so strongly built as to be indestructible114. 老生常谈陈词滥调 cut and dried, clich115. 乐极生悲 After joy comes sadness.116. 礼多必诈full of courtesy, full of craft117. 礼尚往来 Courtesy calls for reciprocity.118. 两雄两争，其斗必烈 When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war.119. 量入为出to cut ones coat according to ones cloth/ make both ends meet120. 了如指掌 know sth like the palm of ones hand121. 留得青山在不怕没柴烧 Where there is life, there is hope.122. 龙飞凤舞 living and vigorous flourishes 123. 鹿死谁手at whose hand will the deer die.124. 路遥知马力，日久见人心A distant journey tests the strength of a horse and a long task proves the character of a man.125. 驴唇不对马嘴 donkeys lips dont match horses jaws.126. 落井下石to hit a person when hes down127. 马到成功 achieve immediate victory; win instant success128. 满招损，谦受益 Haughtinessinvites ruin; humility receives benefits.129. 茅塞顿开 be suddenly enlightened130. 没有规矩不成方圆 Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.131. 眉飞色舞to beam with joy132. 每逢佳节倍思亲 On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of ones dear ones far away. It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.133. 名利双收 gain in both fame and wealth134. 明枪暗箭 an open spear thrust and an arrow in the dark135. 莫在太岁头上动土Let sleeping dogs lie.136. 谋事在人成事在天 The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. Man proposes, God disposes.137. 拿手好戏 masterpiece138. 宁做鸡头，不做凤尾Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.139. 弄巧成拙 be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself140. 抛砖引玉to throw a sprat to catch a herring141. 跑了和尚跑不了庙The monk may run away, but the temple cant run with him.142. 赔了夫人又折兵 instead of making a gain, suffer a double loss143. 贫无立锥之地as poor asa church mouse144. 破釜沉舟 cut off all means of retreat；burn ones own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end145. 骑虎难下Ride the tiger.146. 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 step147. 前车之鉴 a lesson to remember / burn ones fingers148. 前怕狼后怕虎 fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind hesitate in doing something149. 前人栽树后人乘凉 One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests. One sows and another reaps.150. 前事不忘后事之师 Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.151. 钱可通神Money can move even the gods.152. 强龙难压地头蛇 Even a dragon (from the outside) finds it hard to control a snake in its old haunt - Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.153. 强强联手 win-win co-operation154. 抢得先机 take the preemptive opportunities155. 巧妇难为无米之炊 One cant make bricks out of straw.156. 勤能补拙 Diligencecan make up for lack ofintelligence.157. 情人眼里出西施 Beauty lies in the lovers eyes.158. 情有独钟had eyes only for：All the girls liked Kevin, but he had eyes only for Mary.159. 庆父不死，鲁难未已There will always be trouble until the trouble-maker is removed160. 穷寇莫追 Acorneredanimal is a dangerousfoe.161. 人逢喜事精神爽 Joy puts heart into a man.162. 人海战术 huge-crowd strategy163. 人之初性本善 Mans nature at birth is good.164. 入乡随俗When in Rome, do as the Romans do.165. 瑞雪兆丰年 A timely snow promises a good harvest.166. 塞翁失马焉知非福 Misfortune may be an actual blessing.167. 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮 three cobblers with their wits combined equal Zhuge Liang, the master mind168. 三十而立 A man should be independent at the age of thirty. At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself.169. 三思而后行 think thrice before you act / look before leap170. 杀鸡骇猴kill the chicken to frighten the monkey.171. 杀鸡取卵kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.172. 杀鸡焉用牛刀Take not a musket to kill a butterfly173. 杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel174. 山不在高，有仙则名No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy; 175. 山雨欲来风满楼 The rising wind forebodes the coming storm.176. 山中无老虎，猴子称大王Among the blind the one-eyed is king./When the cats away, the mice will pay.177. 善有善报One kindness is the price of another.178. 上梁不正下梁歪 If the upper beam is not straight, the lower ones will go aslant.179. 上有天堂下有苏杭 Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth.180. 升级换代 updating and upgrading (of products)181. 生龙活虎sting with energy182. 声东击西 o look one way and row another ；shout in the east and strike in the west183. 声嘶力竭He was talking at the top of his voice.184. 胜不骄败不馁to be not elated by success nor disturbed by failure185. 时不我待Time and tide wait for no man.186. 实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is187. 实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.188. 实事求是seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts189. 史无前例 be without precedent in history190. 世上无难事只要肯攀登 Where there is a will, there is a way.191. 世外桃源 a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;192. 事与愿违all your swans are geese193. 适者生存the survival of the fittest194. 守口如瓶 keep ones mouth closed like a covered bottle195. 守株待兔wait by the stump of a tree for the appearance of hares.196. 寿终正寝 to die anatural death(to die in ones bed)197. 熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect.198. 树倒猢狲散 Monkeys disperse when tree falls.199. 树欲静而风不止 A tree may prefer to calm, but the wind will not subside.200. 谁言寸草心报得三春晖 Such kindness of warm sun, cant be repaid by grass.201. 水涨船高 When the river rises, the boat floats high.202. 说曹操，曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.203. 司马昭之心，路人皆知 A villains plot is so obvious that everybody knows about it.204. 死而后已 until my heart stops beating205. 四十不惑 Life begins at forty.206. 随波逐流go with the tide207. 岁岁平安 Peace all year round.208. 岁月不饶人 Time andtidewait for no man.209. 损人利己to enrich oneself at others expense 210. 贪小失大penny-wiseandpound-foolish211. 糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets212. 螳臂挡车to kick against the pricks213. 韬光养晦hide ones capacities and bide ones time214. 天长地久eternal like skies215. 天下乌鸦一般黑Crows are black all over the world.216. 天有不测风云 A storm may rise from a clear sky. / Something unexpected may happen any time.217. 跳进黄河洗不清eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean-theres nothing one can do to clear ones name218. 铁石心肠 a heart of steel219. 听天由命 to be guided by destiny220. 兔子不吃窝边草The fox preys farthest from his hole.221. 团结就是力量Unity is strength.222. 脱口而出Aslip of the tonguecan sometimes land you in trouble. 223. 歪风邪气unhealthy practices and evil phenomena224. 玩火自焚 play with fire and get burned225. 万事开头难Everything is difficult at the start226. 万无一失not a single miss in a thousand times.227. 万物之灵The lordsof creation228. 亡羊补牢Better late than never./ Its never too late to mend229. 往事如风The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is past.230. 望子成龙hold high hopes for ones child231. 微不足道a drop in the ocean232. 为虎作伥to act as guide to a tiger233. 唯利是图draw water to ones mill234. 文韬武略military expertise; military strategy235. 瓮中之鳖Like a rat in a hole.236. 屋漏又逢连阴雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.237. 无风不起浪There is no smoke without fire. (Where there is smoke, there is fire.)238. 无源之水，无本之木water without a source, and a tree without roots239. 无中生有make create something out of nothing240. 五光十色multicolored241. 物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.242. 息事宁人pour oil on troubled waters243. 习惯成自然once a use forever a custom244. 喜忧参半mingled hope and fear245. 先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched.246. 先下手为强catch the ball before the bound247. 现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example248. 像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan249. 小菜一碟 a piece of cake250. 心不在焉be absence of mind251. 心想事成May all your wish come true252. 心照不宣have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding253. 新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean254. 虚心使人进步，骄傲使人落后Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.255. 需要为发明之母 Necessity is the mother of invention.256. 蓄势而发accumulate strength for a take-off257. 学无捷径 There is no royal road/shortcutto learning.258. 雪中送炭 send charcoal in snowy weather；help a lame dog over a stile259. 循序渐进step by step260. 迅雷不及掩耳 as sudden as a flash of lightning261. 徇私枉法bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends262. 严以律己，宽以待人be strict with oneself and lenient towards others263. 眼不见,心不烦Out of sight, out of mind.264. 眼不见为净Out of sight, out of mind.265. 扬眉吐气 feel proud and elated 266. 阳奉阴违ostensibleobedience267. 叶公好龙 professed love of what one really fears268. 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。Once bitten, twice shy.269. 一箭双雕；一石二鸟Kill two birds with one stone.270. 一路平安，一路顺风speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest271. 一丘之貉These people arecut from the same cloth./are tarred with the same brush.272. 一言既出，驷马难追。A word spoken is past recalling；A real man never goes back on his words.273. 一语道破hit the mark with a single comment274. 以人为本people oriented; people foremost275. 异想天开to give loose to onesfancy276. 易如反掌 be as easy as the turning over ones hand277. 因材施教teach students according to their aptitude278. 引狼入室Set a fox to keep ones geese./put the cat near the gold fish bowl.279. 英雄所见略同Great minds think alike.280. 优胜劣败 The weakest goes to the wall； survival of the fittest281. 有钱能使鬼推磨Money makes the mare go. Money talks.282. 有情人终成眷属 Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.283.