中英习语谚语等对比.doc

英汉语成语、习语、俗语的比较与翻译
Lead up:
The Pure Brightness Day; All Souls’Day; The Clear-and-Bright Feast; the Rainy Season of Spring; the Tomb-visiting Day; The Mourning Day

吴钧陶　译 The Pure Brightness Day
It drizzles thick on the Pure Brightness Day;
I travel with my heart lost in dismay.
Is there a public house somewhere, cowboy?
He points at Apricot Bloom Village far away.

杨宪益、戴乃迭 译：In the Rainy Season of Spring
It drizzles endless during the rainy season in spring,
Travelers along the road look gloomy and miserable.
When I ask a shepherd boy where I can find a tavern,
He points at a distant hamlet nestling amidst apricot blossoms.

许渊冲译 The Mourning Day
A drizzling rain falls like tears on the Mourning Day;
The mourner's heart is going to break on his way.
Where can a wineshop be found to drown his sad hours?
A cowherd points to a cot 'mid apricot flowers.

一． 例句
1. to kill two birds with one stone
2. to flog a dead horse；do sth in vain; make futile efforts鞭打死马；白费力气
3. a drop in a bucket 沧海一粟；太仓一粟；九牛一毛；微不足道；微乎其微；不足挂齿
4. to teach a pig to play on a flute 教猪吹笛；对牛弹琴；

5. 过街老鼠
（直译）like a rat crossing the street
(意译) the object of universal condemnation; a bad man hated by everybody
6. 门庭若市
(直译) the courtyard is like a market.
（意译）a much visited house; a busy town; bustling; crowded
7. 望梅止渴
（直译）to gaze at plums to quench one’s thirst
（意译）to console oneself with false hopes; to feed on fancies (illusion); imagined satisfaction; a Barmecide （《一千零一夜》中一个口惠而实不至的人物）feast.
8. 危如累卵
（直译）as dangerous as a pile of eggs
（意译）hazardous in the extreme; great insecurity; in a precarious condition; at stake, at risk; at hazard; in peril; in danger; perilous; risky; critical...
9. A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse.
（直译）点头也好，眨眼也好，示意盲马，同样无效。
（意译）犟汉难劝，狂人难喻。
10. The worst wheel of a cart creaks most.
（直译）最坏的车轮最会嘎吱响。
（意译）能猫不叫，叫猫不能。
11. A creaky wheel gets the oil.
（直译）嘎吱响的轮子有润滑油。
（意译）会哭的孩子有奶吃。
12. 山雨欲来风满楼
（直译）The wind sweeping through the tower heralds a rising storm in the mountains.
（意译）A turbulent situation foretells a big event; Coming events cast their shadows before.
13. 树倒猢狲散
（直译）When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.
（意译）Members run away when the family (constitution) falls; when an influential person falls from power, his hangers-on dispers; Rats leave a sinking ship.
14. hand in glove with 狼狈为奸
15. once in a blue moon千载难逢
16. at sixes and sevens 乱七八糟
17. 招风惹草look for trouble
18. it is a long lane that has no turning好事多磨
19. It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest. 家丑不可外扬

如下成语：
20. cut in a joke 插科打诨
21. speak one’s mind 畅所欲言
22. be after one’s own heart; to one’ s heart’s content称心如意
23. at one’s finger-tips 了如指掌
24. fish in troubled waters 浑水摸鱼
25. in deep water水深火热
26. turn up one’s nose at 嗤之以鼻
27. skin and bones 皮包骨头
28. touch and go 一触即发
29. from the cradle to the grave一生一世；从生到死
30. hit the nail on the head 一语道破
31. 充耳不闻turn a deaf ear to
32. 出人头地be head and shoulders above others
33. 吹毛求疵pick a hole in one’s coat
34. 破釜沉舟burn one’s boat
35. 大惊小怪make a fuss about
36. 大海捞针look for a needle in a bundle of hay
37. 颠倒黑白talk black into white
38. 得意忘形have one’s nose in the air
39. 攀龙附凤worship the rising sun
40. 大发雷霆hit the ceiling; fly into a rage
41. 骑虎难下hold a wolf by the ears
42. 视而不见turn a blind eye to

如下谚语：
43. look before you leap三思而后行
44. make hay while the sun shines未雨绸缪
45. there is no smoke without fire无风不起浪
46. Ill news travels fast. 恶事传千里
47. 欲速则不达more haste, less speed.
48. 出门一里，不如家里；在家千日好，出门事事难east and west, home is best.
49. 捡到篮子里就是菜all is fish that comes to the net.
50. 皇天不负苦心人everything comes to him who waits.
51. 小巫见大巫the moon is not seen when the sun shines.
52. One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy; two is company, three is misery. 一个和尚挑水喝，两个和尚抬水喝，三个和尚没水喝。
53. Out of sight, out of mind.眼不见，心不烦。
54. Spare the rod, spoil the child.
55. Where there is a will, there is a way. 有志者,事竞成
56. The on-lookers see most of games. 旁观者清
57. Tall trees catch much wind. 树大招风
58. Seeing is believing. 百闻不如一见
59. like father like son
60. like knows like
61. 笨鸟先飞A slow sparrow should make an early start.
62. 不打不成交"No discord, no concord.
63. to kill two birds with one stone
64. to flog a dead horse
65. a drop in the bucket 沧海一粟；九牛一毛；微不足道；
66. to teach a pig to play on a flute
67. pull one’s leg 开玩笑

英译汉：
1. I took the news with a grain of salt. 我对这个消息半信半疑。
2. Unless you’ve got an ace up your sleeve, we are dished. 除非你有锦囊妙计，否则，我们是输定了。
3. He went through fire and flood to save his mother. 他赴汤蹈火去救他的母亲。
4. You have a lucky star above you. 你真是吉星高照。
5. She is now between the devil and the deep sea on this matter. 她在这个问题上真是进退维谷。
6. He is reaping what he has sown. 他这是咎由自取。
7. She is an easy-going woman. She always throws her cares to the winds.她是个大大咧咧的女人，总是把忧愁抛至九霄云外。
8. That fellow is always fair without but foul within.那个家伙总是口蜜腹剑。
9. That little girl has a ready tongue.那个小姑娘真是伶牙俐齿。
10. The light-fingered gentry frequented these shops. 梁上君子经常光顾这些商店。

汉译英：
1. 这些国家的经济形势每况愈下。The economic situation in these countries is on the downgrade.
2. 为了迷人眼目，他们把自己打扮成革命者。In order to throw dust into the eye of the public, they decked themselves out as revolutionaries.
3. 扪心自问，他不得不承认自己是错了。By searching his heart he could not but admit that he was in the wrong.
4. 我们必须全力以赴，拿下这场球。We must do our level best to win the game.
5. 照当时情况，他除了忍气吞声又能怎么办呢？As things stood, what else could he do but swallow the insult?
6. 侵略者已经走投无路。The invaders had come to the end of their tether.
7. 我讨厌游手好闲的人。I dislike the people eating the bread of idleness.
8. 你为什么要引狼入室？Why did you set the wolf to keep the sheep?
9. 他是信口开河，他对经济一窍不通。He is shooting off his mouth. He does not know the first thing of economy.
10. 鸡毛蒜皮trifling; trifles; odds and ends
11. 开门见山come straight to the point; get down to business
12. 公事公办business is business
13. 狗急跳墙do sth desperately
14. 顺手牵羊walk off with sth
15. 守株待兔trust to chance and stroke of luck
16. 唇枪舌剑engage in a battle of words
17. 黔驴技穷at one’s wit’s end
18. 单枪匹马all by oneself
19. 生龙活虎bursting with energy

英译汉：
1. I was practically on my knees but he still refused. 苦苦哀求
2. The two sisters were usually in agreement on most issues, but they were at swords’ point on the matter of abortion.
3. He is a rolling stone. I don’t think he can go far. 他是个见异思迁的人，我想他不会有多大出息。
4. Since I only got the news at second hand, I took it with a grain of salt.
5. I’ll break my neck to get this done by Friday, but I can’t promise for sure. 竭尽全力
6.

Different perspectives: 转换视角
1. To have one foot in the grave. 半身入土
2. To fish in the air. 水中捞月
3. Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌
拆东墙补西墙rob Peter to pay Paul

How to understand the proverbs:
1. It is a long lane that has no turning. 直译：没有弯的巷子要多长啊。意译：路必有弯；事情必有转机；好事多磨
2. It is a wise man that never makes mistakes. 从不犯错误的人可是个聪明人啊。（言外之意：再聪明的人也会犯错误；智者千虑，必有一失）
3. It is an ill wind that blows nobody good. 直译：吹得人人倒霉的风才是恶风。（即：没有使人人都受害的坏事；也即：世事皆利弊并存；鄙译：东风不尽善，西风不尽恶）
4. I am not the first man who has made mistakes.
5. Who dares do all that may become a man, and dares no more, he is a man indeed. ( William Shakespeare) 能屈能伸，方为大丈夫。

Coincidence:

汉语习语英译：

三个臭皮匠顶得上诸葛亮
Three cobbers with their wits combined equal ZhuGeliang the master mind.
Teamwork; brainstorming; Many hands make light work.
拙译：Wits combined are wits that satisfy; wits combined are wits of great mind.

螳螂捕蝉,黄雀在后
The mantis stalks the cicada but behind them lurks the oriole. (sparrow麻雀；swallow燕子)
Be careful about the hidden/implicit\potential risks; hazards;

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; better off than the worst and worse off than the best; fairly well-off; fairly contented life;

不以物喜，不以己悲not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses; take one’s personal gains lightly; to be philosophical about; be open-minded;

辞旧迎新bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new; wind up the old, unfold the new

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 all

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 little

功夫不负有心人Everything comes to him who waits.

好了伤疤忘了疼once on shore, one prays no more

好事不出门，恶事传千里Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.

既往不咎let bygones be bygones

金无足赤,人无完人Gold can't be pure and man can't be perfect.

活到老，学到老One is never too old to learn.

脚踩两只船sit on the fence

君子之交淡如水a hedge between keeps friendship green

礼尚往来Courtesy calls for reciprocity.

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧"Where there is life, there is hope."

没有规矩不成方圆Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.

每逢佳节倍思亲 On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away. It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.

谋事在人，成事在天"The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. / Man proposes, God disposes. "

弄巧成拙;聪明反被聪明误be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself.

抛砖引玉a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale

破釜沉舟cut off all means of retreat；burn one‘s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end

巧妇难为无米之炊If you have no hand you can't make a fist./ One can't make bricks without straw.

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 step

1. 前事不忘,后事之师Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.

前人栽树,后人乘凉One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests；One sows and another reaps.

前怕狼,后怕虎fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind/ hesitate in doing something

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.

瑞雪兆丰年A timely snow promises a good harvest.

人之初,性本善Man's nature at birth is good.

人逢喜事精神爽Joy puts heart into a man.

世上无难事，只要肯攀登"Where there is a will, there is a way. "

世外桃源a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;
The Peach Colony (translated by Lin Yutang 林语堂)
2. Peach-Blossom Springs (trasnlated by Roland C. Fang 方重) (A Prose Narrative)
3. A Tale of the Fountain of the Peach Blossom Spring 罗经国
4. The Peach Blossom Visionary Land（孙大雨 译）
5. The Peach Blossom Source Tao Yuanming（谢百魁 译）
6. Peach-Blossom Source (translated by A. R. Davis)
7. Peach Blossom Shangri-la Tao YuanMing
Translated and proofed by Rick Davis and David Steelman
8. The Peach Blossom Spring by James Robert Hightower

上有天堂，下有苏杭"Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth."

塞翁失马，焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing.

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."

四十不惑Life begins at forty.
“三十而立 四十不惑 五十而知天命 六十而耳顺 七十而从我心欲” --《论语》
 The Analects of Confucius
　Confucius's own account of his gradual progress and attainments.
 　1. "理译" (James Legge):
The Master said: "At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning.
 　At thirty, I stood firm.
 At forty, I had no doubts.
 At fifty, I know the decrees of Heaven.
 At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth.
 At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right."
 2. "威译" (Arthur Waley):
 The Master said, At fifteen I set my heart upon learning.
 At thirty, I had planted my feet firm upon the ground.
 At forty, I no longer suffered from perplexities.
 At fifty, I knew what were the biddings of Heaven.
 At sixty, I heard them with docile ear.
 At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries

谁言寸草心，报得三春晖"Such kindness of warm sun, can't be repaid by grass. "

水涨船高When the river rises, the boat floats high.
时不我待Time and tide wait for no man.
杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel
实事求是seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
说曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.
实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.
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; "
韬光养晦hide one's capacities and bide one's time
糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets
天有不测风云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue
团结就是力量Unity is strength.
“跳进黄河洗不清”"eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean--there's nothing one can do to clear one's name "
物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.
往事如风"The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is past."
望子成龙hold high hopes for one's child
屋漏又逢连阴雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.　　
唯利是图draw water to one's mill
无源之水,无本之木water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots
无中生有make/create something out of nothing
无风不起浪There are no waves without wind. There's no smoke without fire.
徇私枉法bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends
新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean
虚心使人进步,骄傲使人落后Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.

心照不宣have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding
先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched.
先下手为强catch the ball before the bound
像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan
现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example
喜忧参半mingled hope and fear
循序渐进step by step
一路平安，一路顺风speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest
严以律己,宽以待人be strict with oneself and lenient towards others
鱼米之乡a land of milk and honey
有情人终成眷属"Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well."
有钱能使鬼推磨Money makes the mare go. Money talks.
有识之士people of vision
有勇无谋use brawn rather than brain
有缘千里来相会Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.
与时俱进advance with times
以人为本people oriented; people foremost
因材施教teach students according to their aptitude
欲穷千里目，更上一层楼"to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight."
欲速则不达Haste does not bring success.
优胜劣汰survival of the fittest
英雄所见略同Great minds think alike.
冤家宜解不宜结Better make friends than make enemies.
冤假错案"cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases"
一言既出，驷马难追A real man never goes back on his words.
招财进宝Money and treasures will be plentiful
债台高筑become debt-ridden
致命要害Achilles' heel
众矢之的target of public criticism
知己知彼,百战不