【口译资料】常用成语和三十六计(中英文)

1、爱不释手 fondle admiringly百闻不如一见（眼见为实）Seeing is believing.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.笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start.不眠之夜 white night不以物喜不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses不遗余

2、力 spare no effort; go all out; do ones best不打不成交 No discord, no concord.拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in 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大开眼界 open

3、 ones eyes; broaden ones horizon; be an eye-opener国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace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

4、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.和气生财 Harmony brings wealth.活到老学到老 One is never too old to learn.既往不咎 let bygones be bygones金无足赤人无完人 Gold cant be pure and man cant be perfect.金玉满堂 Treasures fill the home.脚踏实地 be down-to-earth脚踩两只船 sit on the

5、fence君子之交淡如水 the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps fri endship green老生常谈陈词滥调 cut and dried, clich 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.马到成功 achieve immediate victory; win instant success名利双收 gain in both fame and we

6、alth茅塞顿开 be suddenly enlightened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 ones 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

7、. Man proposes, God dis poses.弄巧成拙 be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself拿手好戏 masterpiece赔了夫人又折兵 throw good money after bad抛砖引玉 a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a spr at to catch a whale破釜沉舟 cut off all means of retreat；burn one so wn way of ret

8、reat and be determined to fight t o the end抢得先机 take the preemptive opportunities巧妇难为无米之炊 If you have no hand you cant make a fist. One cant make bricks without stra w.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前事不忘后事之师 Past experience,

9、 if not forgotten, is a guide for the future. 44.前人栽树后人乘 凉 One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests.One sows and another rea ps.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 contr

10、ol a snake in its old hau nt - Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.强强联手 win-win co-operation瑞雪兆丰年 A timely snow promises a good harvest.人之初性本善 Mans nature at birth is good.人逢喜事精神爽 Joy puts heart into a man.人海战术 huge-crowd strategy世上无难事只要肯攀登 Where there is a will, there is a

11、 way.世外桃源 a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;死而后已 until my heart stops beating岁岁平安 Peace all year round.上有天堂下有苏杭 Just as there is paradise in heaven, ther 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

12、age of thirty.At thirty, a man should be able to thi nk for himself.升级换代 updating and upgrading (of products)四十不惑 Life begins at forty.谁言寸草心报得三春晖 Such kindness of warm sun, cant be repaid by grass. 62. 水涨船高 When t he river rises, the boat floats high.时不我待 Time and tide wait for no man.杀鸡用牛刀 break a

13、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 mou

14、ntain is, its name will spread far and wide if the re is a fairy; 韬光养晦 hide ones capacities and bide ones 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 ” evei f one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clea

15、n-ther es nothing one can do to clear ones name 歪风邪气 unhealthy practices and evil phenomena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 pas望子成龙 hold high hopes for ones child屋漏又逢连阴雨 Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it p

16、ours.文韬武略 military expertise; military strategy唯利是图 draw water to ones 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. Theres no smoke without fire. 85.徇私枉法 bend t he law for the benefit of relatives or f

17、riends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.蓄势而发 accumulate strength for a take-off心想事成 May all your wish come true心照不宣 have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding 91. 先入为主 First impres sions are firm

18、ly 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息事宁人 pour oil on troubled waters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 onesel

19、f and lenient towards others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 predesti nation.与时俱进 advance with times以人为本 pe

20、ople 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 furthe r, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight. a land of milk and honey欲速则不达 Haste does not bring succ

21、ess.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, fa lse 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

22、 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 ,百战不殆 Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.纸上谈兵 be an armchair strategist左右为难 between the devil and the deep blue sea纸包不住火 Truth will come to light soon

23、er or later. 补充：繁荣昌盛 thriving and prosperous 爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog. 爱财如命 skin a flea for its hide 百里挑一 one in hundred 百折不挠 be indomitable 半途而废 give up halfway leave sth. Unfinished 包罗万象 all-embracing all-inclusive 饱经风霜 weather-beaten 卑躬屈膝 bow and scrape cringe 悲欢离合 vicissitudes of life 背道而驰 run

24、counter to run in the opposite direction 本末倒置 put the cart before the horse 笨鸟先飞 the slow need to start early 必由之路 the only way 闭关自守 close the country to international intercourse 变本加厉 be further intensified 变化无常 chop and change fantasticality 变化无常 chop and change fantasticality 别开生面 having sth. New

25、 别有用心 have ulterior motives 彬彬有礼 refined and courteous urbane 兵不厌诈 in war nothing is too deceitful 博古通今 erudite and informed 不败之地 incincible position 不耻下问 feel not ashamed to learn from ones subordinates 不可救药 be past praying for beyond redemption 不劳而获 reap where one has not sown 不屈不挠 fortitude indef

26、atigability perseverance persevere tenacity 不速之客 crasher uninvited guest 不同凡响 outstanding不言而喻 speak for itself tell its own story tell its own tale went without saying 不遗余力 spare no effort spare no pains 不以为然 not approve object to不义之财 filthy lucre filthy pelf the mammon of unrighteousness 不亦乐乎 extre

27、mely不远千里 go to the trouble of travelling a long distance不约而同 happen to coincide不择手段 by any kind of means by hook or crook play hard by fair means or foul 不知所措 be at a loss be all adrift lose ones head out of ones wits 才疏学浅 have little talent and learning惨绝人寰 extremely cruel沧海桑田 time brings a great c

28、hange to the worlds 沧海一粟 / 九牛一毛 a drop in the bucket 草木皆兵 a state of extreme nervousness 层出不穷 emerge in endlessly层峦迭嶂 peaks over peaks 察言观色 carefully watch what sb. is doing and saying 姹紫嫣红 very beautiful flowers 畅行无阻 checkless 车水马龙 heavy traffic 沉默寡言 taciturnity 称心如意 well-content趁热打铁 strike while i

29、ron is hot Hold a wolf the iron is hot 成群结队 gang horde诚惶诚恐 with reverence and awe诚心诚意 sincere desire承上启下 a connecting link between the preceding and the following 吃苦耐劳 tough吃里扒外 live on sb. while helping others secretly痴心妄想 胡思乱想 wishful thinking持之以恒 preserve叱咤风云 ride the whirlwind 愁眉苦脸 pull a long f

30、ace snoot 愁眉苦脸的，愁眉苦脸地 woebegone morosely 臭名远扬，臭名昭著 flagrancy ， notorious 出乎意料 unexpected出口成章 have an outstanding eloquence 出类拔萃，鹤立鸡群 fill the bill supereminence 出谋划策 give counsel suggest 出奇制胜 defeat sb. by a surprise action 出生入死 go through fire and water 触类旁通 comprehend by analogy 垂头丧气，无精打采 down in

31、the mouth lose ones spirits with the tail between the legs 垂头丧气的 blue about the gills crestfallen downhearted 绰绰有余 more than sufficient 此起彼伏 as one falls,another rises 从容不迫 go easy take ones time 从容不迫的 leisured unhurried 从容不迫地 by easy stages 粗枝大叶 careless slapdash sloppy 粗枝大叶的 broad-brush 措手不及 unawa

32、re unprepared 错综复杂 扑朔迷离 anfractuosity 错综复杂的 anfractuous daedal reticula sinuous 打草惊蛇 act rashly and about: the enemy 大材小用 waste ones talent on a petty job 大公无私 selfless大海捞针 look for a needle in a bottle of hay 大惑不解 be extremely puzzled大惊小怪 a storm in a teacup foofaraw fuss like a hen with one chicke

33、n 大惊小怪的 spoffish大快人心 affording general satisfaction 大名鼎鼎 famous well known大器晚成 great minds mature slowly 大千世界 the boundless universe 大失所望 greatly disappointed 大同小异 largely identical but with minor differences 大显身手 大显神通 strut ones stuff 大言不惭 夸夸其谈 fanfaronade rodomontade 大义凛然 inspiring awe by upholdin

34、g justice 大义灭亲 place righteousness above family loyalty 大智若愚 Still waters run deep. An empty vessel makes the most sound Still water runs deep 呆若木鸡 dumbstruck transfixed待人接物 the ways one gets along with others 殚思极虑 rack ones brains胆小如鼠 cannot say boh to a goose 胆战心惊的 funky淡泊明志 not seek fame and weal

35、th道貌岸然 be sanctimonious 得过且过 drift along muddle along 得天独厚的 advantaged 得心应手 handy with facility 得意忘形 得意洋洋 bloat get dizzy with success得意洋洋 elated elation exaltation jauntiness 得意扬扬 ride high 得意洋洋的 cock-a-hoop high-blown perky 得意扬扬的 triumphant德才兼备 have both ability and moral integrity德高望重 sainted sai

36、ntlike登峰造极 reach the limit reach the peak of perfection 地大物博 vast territory and abundant resources 颠倒黑白 颠倒是非 混淆是非 call white black swear black is white 颠三倒四 confused disorderly 雕虫小技 insignificant skill调兵遣将 move forces调虎离山 lure the enemy away from his base掉以轻心 treat sth. Lightly喋喋不休 blat cackle chack

37、le harp harp on jaw-jaw rattle twitter wag顶天立地 of indomitable spirit东施效颦 blind imitation with ludicrous effection东山再起 bob up like a cork 独具匠心 show originality 独树一帜 develop a school of ones own 独一无二 in a class by oneself 独一无二的 unique unmatched unparalleled 度日如年 one day seems like a year 断章取义 garble q

38、uote out of context 对牛弹琴 whistle jigs to a milestone Cast pearls before swine 对症下药 suit the remedy to the case多才多艺 versatility多才多艺的 accomplished all-round allround miscellaneous versatile 多愁善感 sensitivity sentimentality 多愁善感的 moonstruck spoony多此一举 bring owls to Athens hold a candle to the sun多多益善 th

39、e more the better咄咄逼人 aggressive脱胎换骨 thoroughly remould oneself阿谀奉承 趋炎附势 greasiness恩将仇报 以怨报德 忘恩负义 bite the hand that feeds one尔虞我诈 each trying to cheat the other 发人深省的 thought-provoking 发人深省 set people thinking 发扬光大 carry forward翻山越岭 tramp over hill and dale翻天覆地 world-shaking泛滥成灾 overrun飞黄腾达 青云直上 co

40、me into ones kingdom rise in the world strike oil 飞黄腾达的 successful飞禽走兽 birds and beasts废寝忘食 forget food and sleep分道扬镳 part company,each going his own way分化瓦解 disintegrate divide and demoralize分门别类 classify纷至沓来 come in a continuous stream 纷至沓来的 thick as hail奋不顾身 dash ahead regardless of ones safety愤愤

41、不平 be indignant愤世嫉俗的 cynical丰富多彩 rich and colorful丰功伟绩 great achievement丰衣足食 have ample food and clothing风花雪月 sentimental writings of the exploiting classes 风马牛不相及 be totally unrelated风靡一时 be the rage风平浪静 calm风起云涌 like a rising wind and scudding clouds风雨同舟 stand together regardless of situation风雨无阻

42、in all weathers锋芒毕露 make a showy display of ones abilities蜂涌而来 pour逢场作戏 join in the fun on occasion逢凶化吉 trun ill luck into good奉公守法 law-abiding敷衍了事 make short shrift of palter scuffle釜底抽薪 take a drastic measure to deal with a situation赴汤蹈火 出生入死 go through fire and water富丽堂皇 magnificence覆水难收 spilt wa

43、ter cannot be gathered up again It is no use crying over spilt milk英文“三十六计” 】瞒天过海 crossing the sea under camouflage围魏救赵 relieving the state of Zhao by besieging the state of Wei借刀杀人 killing someone with a borrowed knife以逸待劳 waiting at one s ease for the exhausted enemy趁火打劫 plundering a burning house声东击西 making a feint to the east and attacking in the west无中生有 creating something out of nothing暗渡陈仓 advancing secretly by an unknown path隔岸观火 watching a fire from the other side of the river笑里藏刀 cov