中国谚语翻译 Popular chinese expressions

谚语/直译（Transliterated and/or Literal Translation）/意译（Figurative translation）

1. 天下無不散之筵席/ There is no never ending banquet under the sun./ All good things must come to an end.

or The best of friends must part.

2. 五十步笑百步/ The (soldier who retreated ) 50 paces jeered at the one

who (retreated) 100 paces./ The pot calls the kettle black.

3. 當局者迷/ The participant's perspective are clouded while the bystanders' views are clear./ You can't see the forest for the trees ,but onlookers see the whole game.

4. 塞翁失馬 / The squire at the frontier lost his horse. (The horse

eventually came back bringing some other horses with it.)/

This expression has its origin in a Chinese fable. See e.g. (From the Chinavista website)

Chinese Fable#6 Blessing or Bane

Certain bad luck is actually "a blessing in disguise."

5. 各花入各眼/ Different flowers look good to

different people/ Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

6.. 禍不單行/ Good luck seldom comes in pairs but bad things never walk (occur) alone./ Misery loves company.

7. 以毒攻毒/ Fight poison with poison/ Fight fire with fire.

8. 花開堪折直需折 / Pick the flower when it is ready to be picked . /

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.

9. 歲月不留人 / Age and time do not wait for people./ Time and tide waits

for no man.

10. 家家有一本難念的經/ Each family has its own difficult scripture (or sutra) to recite./ Each family has its own kind of hell.

11. 虎父虎子/ Tiger father begets tiger son/ A chip off the old block.

12. 人算不如天算 / Man's schemes are inferior to those made by heaven/ Man proposes and god disposes.

13. 有錢能使鬼推磨 / If you have money you can make the ghosts and devils

turn your grind stone./ Money makes the world go around.

Or: Money talks.

14. 好事多磨 / Good (happenings, results, achievements etc..) must go through many trials and tribulations/ The course of true love never runs smooth.

15. 盜亦有道 / Transliteration: (Even) Theives have "their (own) way/code

of behaviour" (Tao) /The "their way " (Way=Tao) can be interpreted in different ways,

the most general being "Even thieves have their principles."

Another interpretation is :"even the bad guys have a conscience".

So, could this also mean "There is honour amongst thieve" ?. Well, a

recent "Time essay" in Time's magazine seems to imply it does.

Time Essay, by James Poniewozik. Page 64. Time magazine, Canadian Edition. June 24,2002.

"They held up the myths of honor among thieves-we don't sell drugs, we

don't kill civilians...."

16. 大丈夫能屈能伸 / A great (or successful) man can bend and stretch./ A man must learn to sail in all winds.

17. 不入虎穴,焉得虎子 / If you don't go into the cave of the tiger, how

are you going to get its cub ?/ Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

18. 又要馬兒好,又要馬兒不食草 / You want you horse to look good but you also want it not to have to eat grass./ Want to have your cake and eat it

too.(Implying: You cannot have your cake and eat it too.)

19. 無風不起浪 / There is no wave without wind./ There is no smoke without fire.

20. 入鄉隨俗 / Follow the local custom when you go to a foreign place./ In Rome do as the Romans do.

21. 物以類聚 / Things of the same characteristics congregate together./

Birds of a feather flocks together.

Or: Like attracts

22. . 醉翁之意不在酒 / The drunken gentleman's desire is not about the wine./ Kissing the baby for the nurse (or nanny).

23. 牛不飲水,不能按牛頭低 / You cannot push a cow's head down unless it is