常见成语翻译.doc

常见成语翻译不怕慢，只怕站。 Do not fear going slow, only fear standing still.化干戈为玉帛。 beat swords into ploughs欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。 We widen our views 3 hundred miles by ascending one flight of stairs.会当凌绝顶，一览众山小。 When reaching the great peak (of Mount Tai), we hold all mountains in a single glance.结交一言重，相期千里至。 Friends are as good as their words, they travel a thousand li to keep a rendezvous.桃李不言，下自成蹊。 Peaches and plums do not have to talk, the world beats a path to them.君子敏于行而讷于言。 The gentlemen are speedy as a worker and cautious as a speaker.实事求是。 Seek truth from the facts.不到黄河心不死。 Until all is over ambition never dies. / Never say die.雄关漫道真如铁，而今迈步从头越。 The strong pass of the enemy is like a wall of iron, yet with firm strides, we are conquering its summit.路漫漫其修远兮，吾将上下而求索。 My way ahead is long; I see no ending; yet high and low Ill search with my will unbending.安不忘危，治不忘乱。 In security, we should never forget the dangers and in times of peace, we should always beware of the potential for chaos.海不辞水，故能成其大。 The ocean never turns away streams, so it becomes wide and deep.山不辞土石，故能成其高。 The mountain never turns away stones, so it becomes towering and strong.同舟共济。 Help one another, for we are all in the same boat.天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。 Like Weather, ones fortune may change by the evening.治大国如烹小鲜。 Running a large country is like cooking a small fish.先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐。 To worry before the common people worries; to enjoy only after the people can enjoy.春愁难遣强看山，往事惊心泪欲潸。四百万人同一哭，去年今日割台湾。 On such a nice spring day, my heart was so heavy with sadness. So I went out sightseeing in the mountain, however, my mind always went back to this day last year when 4 million peopleon Taiwan cried the same tears of sorrow as Taiwan was ceded.原乡人的血，必须流返原乡，才会停止沸腾。 Only when the blood of the native son flows back to his native place will it stop boiling.已所不欲，勿施于人。 What you do not wish upon yourself, extend not to others.有德者，必有言，有言者，不必有德。 People with virtue must speak out; People who speak are not all virtuous.不耻下问。 Never hesitate to ask a lesser person.知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也。 What you know, you know, what you dont know, you dont know. This is knowledge. / True knowledge is when one knows the limitations of ones knowledge.自求多福/天助自助者. He who depends on himself will attain the greatest happiness.天下为公 Justice for all in the World.自相矛盾 Self Contradiction!有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎。人不知而不愠，不亦君子乎。 When friends gather round from afar do we not rejoice? Whom lack of fame cannot vex is not he a gentleman?力拔山兮气盖世 With strength to lift mountains and spirit to take on the world.四海为家。 Make my home everywhere within the four seas. / The world is my home.吾生也有涯，而知也无涯 Life is finite, while knowledge is infinite.人生自古谁无死，留取丹心照汗青。 Since the dawn of time every one will die, let the history books note my death with loyalty at heart.四海之内皆兄弟也 All men are brothers.国家兴亡，匹夫有责 Rise and fall of a nation rests with every one of its citizens.老马识途 Old horse knows the way.掩耳盗铃 Like burying ones head in the sand / (self-deceit)不管黑猫还是白猫，能抓到老鼠就是好猫。 Black cat or white cat: If it can catch mice, its a good cat不出户，知天下。 Without going outside, you may know the whole world!人之初，性本善 Every child born has innate goodness.一见钟情 Love at first sight孟母三迁 Mencius mother moves her home three times to better her sons education.不自由，勿宁死。 Give me liberty, or give me death!百闻不如一见 Seeing it once is better than being told 100 times. /A picture is worth ten thousand works听君一席话，胜读十年书。 Your remarks are more inspiring (enlightening) than what I have read in ten years. You are a great conversationalist (philosopher)! This is a very interesting conversation. I enjoy it very much. 逢凶化吉，遇难呈祥 To have a way of turning ill luck into good and crisis into success In time of crisis, luck is always on his (her, our) side. 有缘分 (To be pre-destined) 我们又见面了，看来咱们俩有点缘分呵。 Nice to see you again. This is a small world. 茫茫人海，你能嫁给我难道不是缘分吗？ Isnt it Gods will that we married each other? 有修养 (To be well cultivated/educated/self-possessed) 他(她)挺有修养的。 He is a gentleman. She is a lady.一些“形”同“意”合的谚语口译Pride goes before a fall 骄者必败Fish in troubled waters 浑水摸鱼Business is business 公事公办The style is the man 文如其人More haste,less speed 欲速则不达Great minds think alike 英雄所见略同Misfortunes never come alone 祸不单行Hedges have eyes,walls have ears 隔篱有眼，隔墙有耳Man proposes,God disposes. 谋事在人，成事在天Beauty is in the eye of beholder 情人眼里出西施Time and tide wait for no man 时不待我/岁月无情A young idler,an old beggar 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲A man should not bite the hand that feeds him 不要恩将仇报Health is better than wealth 家有万贯财，不如一身健Out of office,out of danger 无官一身轻In time of peace prepare for war 居安当思危The tongue cuts the throat 祸从口出/言多必失Out of sight,out of mind /far from eye,far from heart 眼不见为净All shall be well,Jack shall have Jill 有情人终成眷属Friends must part 聚散离合总有时/天下无不散之宴席The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future 前事不忘，后事之师/前车之覆，后车之鉴1.After meat, mustard; after death, doctor. 雨后送伞Explanation: this describes a situation where assistance or comfort is given when it is too late.Example: just as I had cancelled my application to go abroad, I had a promise of money for my fare. It was a case of fter death, the doctor.2. After praising the wine they sell us vinegar. 挂羊头卖狗肉Explanation: to offer to give or sell something that is inferior to what you claim it to be.Example: that fellow completely misled us about what he was capable of doing. After praising the wine, he sold us vinegar.3. All is over but the shouting. 大势已去Explanation: finally decided or won; brought to the end; not able to be changed.Example: after Bills touch down, the game is all over but shouting.4. All lay load on the willing horse. 人善被人欺，马善被人骑Explanation: a willing horse is someone who is always doing things for others. Very often the implication is that others impose on him.Examples: the trouble is youre too good-natured and people take advantage of it. all lay load on the willing horse. You will have to learn to refuse people who ask too much.5.anger and haste hinder good counsel. 小不忍则乱大谋Explanation: one can not act wisely when one is angry or in a hurry.Example: you should calm down before you decide the next move. Anger and haste hinder good counsel.6. As poor as a church mouse 一贫如洗Explanation: to be exceedingly poor, having barely to live upon.Example: he has a large family, and is poor as a church mouse.Note: a church is one of the few buildings that contain no food.7. A word spoken is past recalling. 一言既出，驷马难追Explanation: the harm done by a careless word can not easily undo.Example: for the rest of his life he regretted what he had said, but a word spoken is past recalling and he knew he could never repair the damage of that moment of harshness.8.World is but a little place, after all. 天涯原咫尺，到处可逢君Explanation: it is used when a person meets someone he knows or is in someway connected with him in a place where he would never have expected to do so.Example: Who would have thought I would bump into an old schoolmate on a trek up Mount Tai. The world is but a little place after all.9. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 入乡随俗Explanation: conform to the manners and customs of those amongst whom you live. Example: I know you have egg and bacon for breakfast at home, but now you are on the Continent you will do as the Romans do and take coffee and rolls.10. What you lose on the swings you get back on the roundabouts.失之东隅，收之桑榆Explanation: a rough way of starting a law of average; if you have bad luck on one day you have good on another; if one venture results in loss try a fresh one-it may succeed.Example: he may always possess merits which make up for everything; if he loses on the swings, he may win on the roundabouts.11.What are the odds so long as you are happy. 知足者常乐Explanation: what does anything else matter if a person is happy.Example: you complain so much, but you have a good family, parents, health, and money. Whats the odd so long as youre happy.12Entertain an angel unawares. 有眼不识泰山Explanation: to receive a great personage as a guest without knowing his merits.Example: in the course of evening someone informed her that she was ntertaining an angel unawares, in the shape of a composer of the greatest promise13.every dog has his day . 是人皆有出头日Explanation: fortune comes to each in turnExample: they say that every dog has his day; but mine seems a very long time coming.14.every potter praises his own pot. 王婆买瓜，自卖自夸Explanation: people are loath to refer to defects in their possessions or their family membersExample: he said that his teacher considered his work brilliant, but I would rather hear it from his teachers own mouth. Every potter praises his own pot1.一桶水摇不响，半桶水响叮当 有人照字面译成：The full pot of water makes no sound; the half-empty pot of water is noisy.老外听后，也许会感到困惑。他们有自己的说法：A little knowledge (or learning) can be (or is) dangerous.（一知半解很危险）或者说： Still water runs deep.（静水深不可测）也可以说： He who knows the most says the least.（懂得越多的人，反而说得越少。） 至于“大智若愚”，通常可以这么说：A truly wise person does not show off his (her) ability.（真正聪明的人，是不会显要自己的能力）2.水落石出 有人照字直译为：As the water level sinks,the stones are exposed.这样说，恐怕老外还是听不懂。他们的说法是：All secrets may eventually come to light. (所有祕密最后总会曝光。)也可以说： Eventually, every secret will be disclosed. 3.这山望到那山高 有人译成：The apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest.（意思是：墙那边的苹果最甜）当然，如要译成： If you stand on a mountain, you feel the distant mountain seems higher than yours. 老外也勉强能接受。 而他们的最习惯说法是：The grass always looks greener on the other side.（另一边的草，看来总是绿些。）4.烈火炼真金，患难见真情 有人译成：Fire is the test of gold；adversity is the test of friendship. 这句译文，虽然很好，老外也能了解，但是他们还有另外的说法：Liquor brings out a persons true color.（烈酒能显示一个人真正的特色）或者说： Wine reveals a persons true heart. 虽然老外不用“烈火炼真金”的比喻，但有“路遥知马力”的说法：By a long road, we know a horses strength；at times of difficulty, we discover a friends true character. 5.雷声大，雨点小 有人译为： The thunder roars loudly, but little rain falls. 或者说：All we hear is thunder, but no rain falls.虽然这样直译比较容易理解，但是老外的说法是这样的：Actions speak louder than words. (行动胜于言谈) 或All we hear is words, but there is no action. （只动嘴不动手）或Actions and words should go hand in hand. (言行必须一致) 另外，还有英语里还有这样的说法： An empty barrel makes biggest sound.（空洞的话说得太多了。）6.人不可貌相，海水不可斗量 有人译为： A man can not be known by his look, nor can the ocean be measured by a dipper.这样的译法只是直译，如果能够稍加修改，老外就能了解：A man can not be judged by his appearance, nor can the water in the sea be measured by a bucket. 不过，老外通常的说法是这样的：We can not judge a person by appearance only. 或 You can not judge a book by its cover.(意思是：一本书的好坏取决于它的内容，而不是它的封面装帧的漂亮与否。) 7.口蜜腹剑，笑里藏刀 有人译为 His mouth is honey; his heart is a sword.外国人听了会对这样的比喻摸不着头脑，如果要形容某人“口蜜腹剑，笑里藏刀”，我们可以说 with honey on ones lip and murder in ones heart, 或者 honey-mouthed but dagger-hearted.也可以更直接的译成He is an evil man who has a mouth that praises and a hand that kills. 8.少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲 有人译成：If you neglect study when you are young, what may happen to your old age?这句问句会把老外问得云里雾里，因为他们沒有“学而优则仕”的思想，也不认为功课差，将来就会伤悲。他们劝告子女经常说的是Studying / working hard can lead you to a brighter / more promising future. (努力用功会带给你光明的前程。)当然也可以对年轻人说： Study hard when you are young. It will pay off when you get older. (年轻时好好努力，到老的时就会觉得学有所值。)9.学如行舟，不进则退 如果直译成： Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back. 老外听后，也许会感到一头雾水。这样修改一下，表达可以清晰一些：Learning seems like rowing upstream(逆流); if one does not advance, one will fall back. Learning is like rowing against the current(激流), if one does not advance, one will retreat. 更直接的说法是： If you dont make progress, you will fall behind. 10.一日为师，终身为父 有这样的译法： He who teaches me for one day is my father for life. If you are my teacher for even one day, you will be my teac