成语英译

汉语成语英译四法

I. 直译法

直译法（literal translation）能够保留原文的巧喻及形式，是翻译成语的最好方法。但直译法必须在不违背译文的语法习惯，又不致引起误解的情况下才能使用。例如：

川流不息→flowing past in an endless stream

犬马之劳→ to serve like a dog or a horse

易如反掌→ as easy as turning over one's hand

触景生情→ the scene brings back memories

无可救药→ beyond cure

II. 意译法

有的成语用直译法无法表达其意，我们只好忍痛割舍原文的巧喻，改以意义（free translation）来翻译。例如：

木已成舟→What's done is done.

杞人忧天→ unnecessary anxiety

东施效颦→ blindly copying others and making oneself look foolish

姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩→ Willingly fall into the snare.

III.同义成语借用法

有的汉语成语在内容和形式上都能够与英语成语相通，这时我们可以用同文的英语习语或成语来翻译汉语成语。例如：

隔墙有耳→ Walls have ears.

绞尽脑汁→ to rack one's brains

一文不名→ without a penny to one's name

谋事在人，成事在天→ Man proposes, God disposes.

说曹操，曹操到→ Talk of the evil and he is sure to come.

对牛弹琴→ to throw pearls before swine

IV. 注释法

翻译汉语成语时，我们还可采用注释法（explanation），运用该种方法的好处是能介绍本国成语的特色，并能兼顾比喻、形式、清晰各方面。例如：我们前面意译法中的几个成语还可这样译：

姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩→like the fish rising to Jiang Taigong's hookless and baitless line

东施效颦→ Dong Shi, an ugly woman, knitting her eyebrows in imitation of the famous beauty Xi Shi only to make herself uglier.

木已成舟→ the wood is already make into a boat

杞人忧天→ like the man of Qi who was haunted by the fear that the sky might fall

爱屋及乌Love me, love my dog.

百闻不如一见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

不遗余力spare no effort; go all out; do one\'s 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 one\'s eyes; broaden one\'s 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 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 can\'t be pure and man can\'t 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 fence

君子之交淡如水the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green

老生常谈，陈词滥调cut and dried, cliché

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 wealth

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 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be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself.