Unit 9 translation of Chinese idioms

1、Unit NineTranslation of Chinese IdiomsI.The translation of Chinese set phrases我们看一条汉语成语翻译的实例：我们看一条汉语成语翻译的实例：黛玉道：黛玉道：“跌了灯值钱呢，还是跌了人值钱？你又不跌了灯值钱呢，还是跌了人值钱？你又不穿惯木屐子。那灯笼叫他们前头点着；这个又轻巧又穿惯木屐子。那灯笼叫他们前头点着；这个又轻巧又亮，原是雨里自己拿着的。你自己手里拿着这个，岂亮，原是雨里自己拿着的。你自己手里拿着这个，岂不好？明儿再送来。不好？明儿再送来。-就失了手也有限的，怎么忽然就失了手也有限的，怎么忽然又变出这又变出这剖腹

2、藏珠剖腹藏珠的脾气来！的脾气来！” “Which is more valuable, lamp or man? Youre not used to wearing pattens, so get them to carry the horn lantern in front and take this one yourself, since its handy and bright and meant to be used in the rain. Wouldnt that be better? You can send it back later. And even if you drop

3、it, it wont matter. Whats come over you suddenly that you want to cut open your stomach to hide a pearl?” (translated by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang)Group 1:1）涸泽而渔）涸泽而渔to drain a pond to catch all the fish (=kill the goose that lays the golden eggs)2）打草惊蛇）打草惊蛇to stir up the grass and alert the snake

4、 (=wake a sleeping dog)3）易如反掌）易如反掌to be as easy as turning over ones hand (=as easy as falling off a log)4）玩火自焚）玩火自焚to get burnt by the fire kindle by oneself (=fry in ones own grease)5）挥金如土）挥金如土to spend money like dirt (=spend money like water)6）掌上明珠）掌上明珠a pearl in the palm (=the apple of ones eye)

5、7）对牛弹琴）对牛弹琴to play the lute to a cow (=cast pearls before swine 猪猪)8）守口如瓶）守口如瓶to keep ones mouth closed like a bottle (=keep a still tongue in ones head)9）雪中送炭）雪中送炭to send charcoal in snowy weather (=help a lame dog over a stile （阶梯）（阶梯）)10）画蛇添足）画蛇添足to draw a snake and add feet to it (=paint the lil

6、y)Group 2:1）声东击西）声东击西to shout in the east and strike in the west2）刻骨铭心）刻骨铭心to be engraved on ones heart and bones3）井底之蛙）井底之蛙to be like a frog at the bottom of a well4）调虎离山）调虎离山to lure the tiger from the mountain5）口蜜腹剑）口蜜腹剑to be honey-mouthed and dagger-heartedGroup 3:1）劳苦功高）劳苦功高to have spent toilsom

7、e labour and won distinctive merits2）屡教不改）屡教不改to fail to mend ones ways after repeated admonition3）牢不可破）牢不可破to be so strongly built as to be indestructible4）攻其不备）攻其不备to strike sb. when he is unprepared5）史无前例）史无前例to be without precedent in historyGroup 4:1）粗枝大叶）粗枝大叶 to be crude and careless（死译：（死译：wi

8、th big branches and large leaves）2）无孔不入）无孔不入 to take advantage of every weakness（死译：（死译：to get into every hole）3）扬眉吐气）扬眉吐气 to feel proud and elated to raise the eyebrows and let out a breath 4）灯红酒绿）灯红酒绿 dissipated and luxurious（ with red lights and green wine）5）纸醉金迷）纸醉金迷 (a life of) luxury and dissi

9、pation（with drunken paper and bewitched gold）6）开门见山）开门见山 to come straight to the point （死译：（死译：to open the door and see the mountain）7）单枪匹马）单枪匹马 to be single-handed in doing sth. （死译：（死译：with a solitary spear and a single horse）8）大张旗鼓）大张旗鼓 on a large and spectacular scale （死译：（死译：to make a great arr

10、ay of flags and drums）9）海阔天空）海阔天空 (to talk) at random （死译：（死译：with a vast sea and a boundless sky）10）风雨飘摇）风雨飘摇 (of a situation) being unstable （死译：（死译：The wind and rain are rocking）Group 5:1）毛遂自荐）毛遂自荐to volunteer ones service2）叶公好龙）叶公好龙professed love of what one really fears3）东施效颦）东施效颦crude imitatio

11、n with ludicrous effect4）南柯一梦）南柯一梦a fond dream or illusory joy5）四面楚歌）四面楚歌to be besieged on all side6）罄竹难书（）罄竹难书（of crimes）too numerous to mention7）初出茅庐）初出茅庐at the beginning of ones career8）倾国倾城）倾国倾城to be exceedingly beautiful9）悬梁刺股）悬梁刺股to be extremely hard-working in ones study Group 6:1）小题大做）小题大做ma

12、ke a mountain (out) of a molehill2）赴汤蹈火）赴汤蹈火go through fire and water3）洗心革面）洗心革面turn over a new leaf4）七颠八倒）七颠八倒at sixes and sevens5）横行霸道）横行霸道throw ones weight about6）大发雷霆）大发雷霆blow ones top7）过河拆桥）过河拆桥kick down the ladder8）乳臭未干）乳臭未干be wet behind the ears9）格格不入）格格不入be like square pegs桩桩 in round holes1

13、0）魂不附体）魂不附体jump out ones skinGroup 7:左右为难左右为难 between the devil and the blue sea进退维谷进退维谷 stick in the mud骑虎难下骑虎难下 between the horns of a dilemma不上不下不上不下 at a nonplus迷惑迷惑进退两难进退两难 hold a wolf by the ears无所适从无所适从 with ones back to the wallII. Translation of ProverbsGroup 1:1）明枪易躲，暗箭难防。）明枪易躲，暗箭难防。It is

14、easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding.2）城门失火，殃及池鱼。）城门失火，殃及池鱼。A fire on the city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat护城河护城河.3）路遥知马力，日久见人心。）路遥知马力，日久见人心。As a long road tests a horses strength, so a long task proves a persons heart.4）初生牛犊不怕虎。）初生牛犊

15、不怕虎。New-born calves make little of tigers. Group 2:1）失之东隅，收之桑榆。）失之东隅，收之桑榆。What one loses on the swings秋千秋千 one gets back on the roundabouts. （ “lose where the sun rises and gain where the sun sets”)2）塞翁失马，焉知非福？）塞翁失马，焉知非福？A loss may turn out to be a gain. (“When the old man on the frontier lost his m

16、are, who could have guessed it was a blessing in disguise?”）3）庆父不死，鲁难未已。）庆父不死，鲁难未已。There will always be trouble until the trouble-maker is removed. (“Until Qing Fu is done away with, the crisis in the state of Lu will not be over”.4）此地无银三百两。）此地无银三百两。A guilty person gives himself away by conspicuousl

17、y protesting his innocence. ( “No 300 taels of silver buried here.”） Group 3:1）一次被火烧，二次避火苗。）一次被火烧，二次避火苗。A burnt child dreads the fire. （直译（直译: A burnt man always evades fire.）2）半瓶醋，出事故。）半瓶醋，出事故。A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. （直译：（直译：A little learning gives rise to accidents.）3）少见多怪。）少见多怪。W

18、onder is the daughter of ignorance. （直译：（直译：Seeing little is the cause of amazement.）4）三思而后行。）三思而后行。Look before you leap. （直译：（直译：Think thrice and then do it.）III. Customary UsageGroup 1:1）连根拔）连根拔 tear up by the roots2）走后门）走后门 get in by the back door3）捋虎须）捋虎须 stroke a tigers whiskers4）走下坡路）走下坡路 go d

19、ownhill5）一窝蜂）一窝蜂 like a swarm of bees6）及时雨）及时雨 timely rain7）九牛二虎之力）九牛二虎之力 the strength of nine bulls and two tigers8）病急乱投医）病急乱投医 turn to any doctor one can find when critically illGroup 2: 1）卷铺盖）卷铺盖 pack up and quit2）饱眼福）饱眼福 feast ones eyes on sth.3）单打一）单打一 concentrate on one thing only4）咬耳朵）咬耳朵 whi

20、sper in sbs ear5）扇阴风，点鬼火）扇阴风，点鬼火 fan the winds of evil and spread the fires of turmoilGroup 3: 1）门外汉）门外汉 a man outside the gate（改译成（改译成 the uninitiated或或 a layman）2）小广播）小广播 a small broadcast station（改译成（改译成 spreading of hearsay传闻的传闻的 information 或套译或套译 bush telegraph）3）风凉话）风凉话 cold words（改译成（改译成 irr

21、esponsible and sarcastic remarks）4）扣帽子）扣帽子 put a cap on sb.（改译成（改译成 put a label on sb.）5）寻短见）寻短见 look for a short view（改译成（改译成 commit suicide或或take ones own life）Group 4:1）赔了夫人又折兵）赔了夫人又折兵 give ones enemy a wife and lose ones soldiers as well（改译（改译:suffer a double loss instead of making a gain）2）跑了和尚

22、跑不了庙）跑了和尚跑不了庙 The monk may run away, but the temple cant run with him. （改译（改译:A fugitive逃亡者逃亡者 must belong to some place that can provide clues .）3）不到黄河心不死）不到黄河心不死 not stop until one reaches the Yellow River（改译（改译:not stop until one reaches ones goal）4）说曹操曹操就到）说曹操曹操就到 mention Cao Cao and there he is

23、 (改译改译:talk of the devil and he will appear )Group 5:1）杀风景）杀风景 be a wet blanket2）拍马屁）拍马屁 lick sbs boots3）放空炮）放空炮 spout hot air / talk big4）绕圈子）绕圈子 beat around the bush5）摆架子）摆架子 put on airs6）露马脚）露马脚 let the cat out of the bag7）戴高帽子）戴高帽子 lay it on thickGroup 6:1）开绿灯）开绿灯 give the green light2）泼冷水）泼冷水 p

24、our cold water on3）唱反调）唱反调 sing a different tune4）挖空心思）挖空心思 rack ones brains5）试金石）试金石 touchstoneIV. Translation of enigmatic folk similes1）那个宝玉是个）那个宝玉是个丈八的灯台丈八的灯台照见人家，照照见人家，照不见自己不见自己的的 As for Baoyu, hes like a ten-foot lampstand that sheds light on others but none on itself. 2）“咱们俩的事，一条绳拴着两蚂蚱，谁也跑不咱们

25、俩的事，一条绳拴着两蚂蚱，谁也跑不了！了！” “Were like two grasshoppers tied to one cord: neither can get away!”3) 哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出。哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出。He was like the dumb man eating the bitter herb: he had to suffer the bitterness of it in silence. 4) 肉包子打狗，一去不回头肉包子打狗，一去不回头.A dog given a bone who doesnt come back for more!5) 他心里像有十五个