中华文化博大精深,成语俗语都是智慧结晶,但翻译成英文如果表达不当,却容易引起误解。所以,一起来学学常见中文成语的英译很有必要!
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One look is worth a thousand words.to fall short of the best, but be betterthan the worstA slow sparrow should make an early start.spare no effort; go all out; do one's bestbid farewell to the old and usher in thenewtry first to make their mistake sound lessserious and then to reduce it to nothing at allbroaden one's horizon; be an eye-openerthe country flourishes and people live inpeacegoing beyond the limit is as bad as fallingshort;excess is just as bad as deficiency;too much is as bad as too littleonce on shore, one prays no morefriendliness is conducive to businesssuccessThere are spots even on the sun.
21 sit on the fence; be a fence-sitter; have afoot in either campA hedge between keeps friendship green.Courtesy calls for reciprocity.Where there is life, there is hope.achieve immediate victory; win instantsuccessgain both fame and wealthNothing can be accomplished without normsor standards.On festive occasions more than ever onethinks of one's dear ones far away.Man proposes; God disposes.make a fool of oneself in trying to besmartsuffer a double loss; lose the bait alongwith the fisha modest spur to induce others to comeforward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whalecut off all means of retreat;burn one'sown way of retreat and be determined to fight to the endtake the preemptive opportunitiesOne can't make bricks without straw.a thousand-li journey begins with the firststep--the highest eminence is to be gained step by stepPast experience, if not forgotten, is aguide for the future.fear wolves ahead and tigers behind; hesitate indoing something41 The mighty dragon is no match for thenative serpent.A fall of seasonal snow gives promise of afruitful yearPeople are in high spirits when involved inhappy events.Where there is a will, there is a way.a retreat away from the turmoil of theworldJust as there is paradise in heaven, thereare Suzhou and Hangzhou on earthEvery cloud has a silver lining.A man should be independent at the age ofthirty.At thirty, a man should be able to thinkfor himself.A ship rises with the tideTime and tide wait for no man.use a steam-hammer to crack nutsseek truth from facts; be practical andrealistic; be true to factsspeak the plain truth; call a spade aspade; tell it as it isPractice is the sole criterion for testingtruth.hide one's capacities and bide one's timeAnything unexpected may happen. a bolt fromthe blue
61 Even if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneselfclean - there's nothing one cando to clear one's nameunhealthy trends and vulgar practicesBirds of a feather flock together.hold high hopes for one's childseek nothing but profits; be blind to allbut one's own interestsa sheer fabrication out of nothing;fabricate rumors out of thin airThere are no waves without wind. Nothingcomes of nothing.twist the law to suit one's own purposeaccumulate strength for a take-offMay all your wish come truehave a tacit understanding; thoroughlyunderstand each other, without having exchanged a word of explanationFirst impressions are firmly entrenched.He who strikes first gains the advantage.The best defense is offense.warn people by taking oneself as an examplepour oil on troubled waters; patch up aquarrel and reconcile the parties concernedproceed in an orderly way and step by step;advance gradually in due orderbe strict with oneself and lenient withothersJack shall have Jill, all shall be well.
81 Separated as we are thousands of milesapart, we come together as if by predestination.teach students according to their aptitudeto ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascendfurther, were you to look farther.Better make friends than make enemies.cases in which people were unjustly,falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong casesA real man never goes back on his words.bring in wealth and treasuretarget of public criticismbe an armchair strategistYou can't wrap fire in paper.What's done by night appears by day.
caught in a dilemma; between the devil andthe deep blue sea
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