Idioms and Proverbs Frequently Used in English-Chinese Interpretation By Zhang Wenghui
英汉口译中常用谚语
sharpness can cut through metal.
一、常用汉语谚语 15．各人自扫门前雪，哪管他家瓦上霜。
Sweep the snow from your own front 1．百花齐放，百家争鸣。
Let a hundred flowers blossom and a door，leave the frost on the other man' hundred schools of thought contend． roof to thaw． 2. 搬石头砸自己的脚。 16．水能载舟，亦能覆舟。 Lifting a rock only to have his own toes The water that bears the boat is the same squashed. that swallows it up． 3．宾至如归。 17. 狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心。 When the visitor arrives，it is as if Like the dog that bit Lu Tungbin一you returning home． bit the hand that feeds you． 4．不到黄河心不死。 18. 海内存知己，天涯若比邻。 Until all is over ambition never dies. A bosom friend afar brings distance near. 5．不管三七二十一。 19. 葫芦里卖的什么药？ No matter what you may say. What's at the back of it? 6．不人虎穴，焉得虎子。 20. 既来之，则安之。 How can one get tiger cubs even without Take things as they come． entering the tiger's lair 21．己所不欲，勿施于人。
Do not do to others what you would not 7．趁热打铁。
Strike while the iron is hot. have others do to you． 8. 没有不带刺的玫瑰。 22. 捡了芝麻，丢了西瓜。 There's no rose without a thorn. To concentrate on minor matters to the
neglect of major ones. 9．成则公侯败则寇。
People may become princes or thieves，23．见贤思齐。
depending on whether they're successful When you see men of worth，you should or not. think of equaling them. 10．大智若愚。 24. 酒香不怕巷子深。 He knows most who speaks least. Good wine needs no bush． 11．但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。 25．居安思危。 We wish each other a long life so as to In time of peace prepare for war. share the beauty of this graceful moon- 26．君子之交淡如水。
A hedge between keeps friendship green· light，even though miles apart.
12. 独立自主，自力更生。 27. 路遥知马力，日久见人心。 To maintain independence and keep the A long road tests a horse's strength and a initiative in our hands and rely on our long task proves a man's heart. own efforts． 28．人言可畏。 13．独木不成林。 The tongue is not steel，yet it cuts.
One person cannot accomplish much． 29. 民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻。
The people are the most important 14. 二人同心，其力断金。
If two people are of the same mind，their element in a state；next are the gods of land
1
Idioms and Proverbs Frequently Used in English-Chinese Interpretation By Zhang Wenghui
and grain；least is the ruler himself. 30．谋事在人，成事在天。
Man proposes，God disposes. 31. 木已成舟。
The wood is already made into a boat一what's done is done. 32．能者多劳。
All lay loads on a willing horse. 33．宁为玉碎，不为瓦全。
Better die with honor than live with shame．
34．否极泰来。
The extreme of adversity is the beginning of prosperity.
35．拼着一身剐，敢把皇帝拉下马。
One who will risk being sliced to pieces dare unsaddle the Emperor. 36. 青出于蓝而胜于蓝。
The pupil outdoes the master. 37．清官难断家务事。
Not even good officials can settle family troubles．
38.人怕出名猪怕壮。
Great honors are great burdens. 39. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。
Nothing so bad，as not to be good for anything.
40. 三个和尚没水喝。
Everybody's business is nobody's business.
41．少数服从多数。
The minority is subordinate to the majority.
42．少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。 A young idler，an old beggar. 43. 身正不怕影子斜。
A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe．
44. 盛名之下，其实难副。 Common fame is a liar. 45．盛筵必散。
Even the grandest feast must have an end．
46. 生于忧患，死于安乐。
2
Life springs from sorrow and calamity，and death from ease and pleasure· 47．失之东隅，收之桑榆。
What we lose in hake we shall have in herring.
48．十年树木，百年树人。
It takes ten years to grow trees but a hundred years to rear people· 49．识时务者为俊杰。
Whosoever understands the times is a great man.
50．逝者如斯乎！不舍昼夜。
The passage of time is just like the flow of water，which goes on day and night． 51. 顺其自然。
Let the nature take care of it. 52．天生万物，唯人为贵。
Man is the most valuable among all the things that heaven fosters． 53．天涯何处无芳草。
There are plenty of fish in the sea.
54. 为人不做亏心事，半夜不怕鬼敲门。 A clear conscience is a sure card． 55. 温故而知新，可以为师矣。
He who by reviewing the old can gain knowledge of the new and is fit to be a teacher.
56．闻过则喜。
One rejoices when he is told to have a fault.
57．无风不起浪。
No smoke without fire． 58．无可奈何花落去。
Flowers fall off，do what one may. 59．小巫见大巫。
The moon is not seen when the sun shines.
60. 星星之火，可以燎原。 Little chips light great fire． 61．学如逆水行舟，不进则退。
Learning is like rowing upstream：not to advance is to drop back． 62．雅俗共赏。
Highbrows and lowbrows alike can
Idioms and Proverbs Frequently Used in English-Chinese Interpretation By Zhang Wenghui
enjoy.
63．眼高手低。
To have grandiose aims but puny abilities． 64．眼见为实。
Seeing is believing. 65．燕雀安知鸿鹊之志。
A sparrow cannot understand the ambition of a swan． 66.心有余而力不足。
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak．
67．一寸光阴一寸金。
An inch of time is an inch of gold． 68．一个巴掌拍不响。
It takes two to make a quarrel. 69. 一回生，二回熟。
First time strangers，second time friends． 70. 一乡之善士斯友一乡之善士，天下之善士斯友天下之善士。
A good citizen in one community will befriend the other citizens of the community；a good citizen of the world will befriend the other citizens of the world． 71．一招不慎满盘皆输。
One careless move loses the whole game．
72. 有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎。
It is such a delight to have friends coming from afar.
73．鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利。
Two dogs strive for a bone，and a third runs away with it.
74．与君一席话，胜读十年书。
One evening's conversation with a gentleman is worth more than ten years' study．
75. 欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。
We widen our views three hundred miles by ascending one flight of stairs. 76．欲速则不达。
More haste，less speed． 77. 这山望着那山高。
The grass is greener on the other side．
3
78. 真金不怕火炼。
True blue will never stain. 79. 智者千虑，必有一失。 The best horse stumbles． 80．众人拾柴火焰高。
Many hands make light work．
二、常用英语谚语
1 ．A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
双鸟在林，不如一鸟在手。
2 ．A bird is known by its note and a man by his talk．
闻啼知鸟，闻言知人。
3．A fall into the pit，a gain in your wit. 吃一堑长一智。
4．A good beginning is half the battle. 一个良好的开端是成功的一半。 5．A rolling stone gathers no moss. 滚石不生苔。
6．A small leak will sink a great ship． 小洞不堵要沉大船。
7．A wise man tightens his tongue，speaking less than thinking.
智者慎言，多思少说。
8．Absence makes the heart grow fonder. 离得越久想得越甚。
9．Actions speak louder than words． 事实胜于雄辩。
10．All is not gold that glitters． 发光的并不都是金子。
11．All the rivers run into the sea；yet the sea is not full．
百川归海而海不盈。 12．Barking dogs do not bite. 吠犬不咬人。
13．Beggars cannot be choosers. 只好给什么就要什么。
14．Be slow to promise and quick to perform.
慢许诺，快履行。
15．Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分。
16．Can not see the wood for the trees. 一叶障目，不见泰山。
Idioms and Proverbs Frequently Used in English-Chinese Interpretation By Zhang Wenghui
17．Can the leopard change his spots！ 江山易改，本性难移。 18．Care kills a cat. 忧能伤身。
19．Catch not at the shadow and lose the substance．
勿因小失大，舍本逐末。
20．Caution is the parent of safety． 小心驶得万年船。
21．Constant dropping wears away a stone． 滴水穿石。
22．Content is better than riches. 知足胜于财富（知足常乐）。 23．Diamond cut diamond． 强中自有强中手。
24．Do in Rome as Romans do. 入乡随俗。
25 ．Don't put the cart before the horse. 切勿本末倒置。 26．Easy come，easy go· 来得容易去得快。
27．Empty vessels make the most noise． 无知的人爱自吹。 28．Every dog has his day. 凡人皆有得意日。
29．Every man has his faults. 金无足赤，人无完人。 30．The style is the man. 文如其人。
31．Fine feathers make fine birds. 人靠衣装，佛靠金装。
32．Fortune knocks once at least at every man's gate． 风水轮流转。
33．Four eyes see more than two． 集思广益。
34．Great minds think alike． 英雄所见略同。
35．Great oaks from little acorns grow. 合抱之木，生于毫末。
36．Half a loaf is better than no bread． 有半块面包总比没有好。 37．He who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl.
4
近朱者赤，近墨者黑。
38．He who laughs last laughs best. 谁笑到最后，谁就笑得最好。 39．If you cannot stand the heat，get out of the kitchen．
怕苦就别干。
40．If you will，you shall be taught. 处处留心皆学问。 41．Ill news comes apace．
好事不出门，坏事传千里。
42．Ill workmen often blame their tools. 拙工咎器。
43．In a calm sea，every man is a pilot. 海面平静，人人都可当舵手。 44．In the end things will mend． 车到山前必有路。
45．It's a long lane that has no turning. 路必有弯。
46．It never rains but it pours. 不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。
47．Jack of all trades，and master of none. 门门精通，样样稀松。 48．Justice has long arms. 天网恢恢，疏而不漏。
49．Kill two birds with one stone． 一箭双雕。
50．Let sleeping dog lie. 勿打草惊蛇。
51．Let's put all the cards on the table． 让我们打开天窗说亮话吧。 52．Like father，like son. 有其父，必有其子。 53．Like knows like. 英雄识英雄。
54．Look before you leap． 三思而后行。
55．Lookers-on see more than players. 当事者迷，旁观者清。
56．Make hay while the sun shines． 趁晴晒草。
57．Many hands make light work· 众人拾柴火焰高。
58．Many kiss the baby for the nurse's sake. 醉翁之意不在酒。
Idioms and Proverbs Frequently Used in English-Chinese Interpretation By Zhang Wenghui
59．No smoke without fire.
无火不起烟（无风不起浪）。
60．One false move may lose the game． 一招不慎满盘皆输。
61．One is never too late to learn. 活到老，学到老。
62．One swallow does not make a summer. 一燕不成夏。
63．Out of sight，out of mind.
眼不见为净（眼不见，心不烦）。 64．Practice makes perfect. 熟能生巧。
65．Put the cart before the horse． 本末倒置。
66．Reading makes a full man，conference a ready man，and writing an exact man。 读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。
67．Rome was not built in a day. 冰冻三尺，非一日之寒。
68．Speak of the devil and he will appear. 说曹操，曹操到。 69．Still waters run deep.
静水流深。
70．The early bird catches the worm. 捷足先登，笨鸟先飞。
71．The finest diamond must be cut. 玉不琢，不成器。
72．The higher up，the greater the fall. 爬得愈高，跌得愈惨。
73．The longest day must have an end. 苦难终有尽头。
74．The parent's life is the child's copy-book． 父母所为，子女之师。
75．The pot calls the kettle black． 五十步笑百步。
76．Things done cannot be undone． 木已成舟。
77．Time and tide wait for no man. 时不我待。
78．Too many cooks spoil the broth． 厨师多坏一锅汤。
79．To save time is to lengthen life. 节约时间就等于延长生命。 80．Two heads are better than one. 一人不及两人智。
汉英口译常用四字成语
1. 爱屋及乌 Love me，love my dog． 2. 安居乐业 live and work in peace and
contentment
3. 白头偕老 live in conjugal bliss to a
ripe old age
4. 百折不挠 be indomitable
5. 班门弄斧 display one's slight skill
before an expert
6. 半途而废 give up half way 7. 包罗万象 all-embracing 8. 饱经风霜 weather-beaten 9. 大吹大擂 talk big 10. 大庭广众 in public
11. 大义灭亲 place righteousness above
family loyalty
12. 大智若愚 It is a great ability to be able
5
13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
to conceal one's ability．
得不偿失 The game isn’t worth the candle．
独辟蹊径 blaze a new trial by oneself 红颜薄命 an ill一fated beauty
狡兔三窟 Wily hare has three burrows· 礼尚往来 Courtesy calls for reciprocity．
抛砖引玉 throw a sprat to catch a whale
人不敷出 be behindhand in one's circumstances
三十而立 A man should be independent at the age of thirty·
喜怒哀乐 the gamut of human feeling 言行一致 suit the action to the word