汉语成语翻译

1.爱屋及乌Love me, love my dog.

2.百闻不如一见Seeing is believing.

3.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.

4.笨鸟先飞A slow sparrow should make an early start.

5.不眠之夜white night

6.不以物喜不以己悲not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses

7.不遗余力spare no effort; go all out; do one's best

8.不打不成交No discord, no concord.

9.拆东墙补西墙rob Peter to pay Paul

10.辞旧迎新bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new

11.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

12.大开眼界open one's eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener

13.国泰民安The country flourishes and people live in peace

14.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

15.功夫不负有心人Everything comes to him who waits.

16.好了伤疤忘了疼once on shore, one prays no more

17.好事不出门恶事传千里Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.

18.和气生财Harmony brings wealth.

19.活到老学到老One is never too old to learn.

20.既往不咎let bygones be bygones

21.金无足赤人无完人Gold can't be pure and man can't be perfect.

22.金玉满堂Treasures fill the home.

23.脚踏实地be down-to-earth

24.脚踩两只船sit on the fence

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

26.老生常谈陈词滥调cut and dried, cliché

27.礼尚往来Courtesy calls for reciprocity.

28.留得青山在不怕没柴烧Where there is life, there is hope.

29.马到成功achieve immediate victory; win instant success

30.名利双收gain in both fame and wealth

31.茅塞顿开be suddenly enlightened

32.没有规矩不成方圆Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards. 33.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.

34.谋事在人成事在天The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. Man proposes, God disposes.

35.弄巧成拙be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself

36.拿手好戏masterpiece

37.赔了夫人又折兵throw good money after bad

38.抛砖引玉a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale

39.破釜沉舟cut off all means of retreat；burn one‘s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end

40.抢得先机take the preemptive opportunities

41.巧妇难为无米之炊If you have no hand you can't make a fist. One can't make bricks without straw.

42.千里之行始于足下a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step

43.前事不忘后事之师Past experience, 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 reaps.

45.前怕狼后怕虎fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind hesitate in doing something

46.强龙难压地头蛇Even a dragon (from the outside) finds it hard to control a snake in its old haunt - Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.

47.强强联手win-win co-operation

48.瑞雪兆丰年A timely snow promises a good harvest.

49.人之初性本善Man's nature at birth is good.

50.人逢喜事精神爽Joy puts heart into a man.

51.人海战术huge-crowd strategy

52.世上无难事只要肯攀登Where there is a will, there is a way.

53.世外桃源a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;

54.死而后已until my heart stops beating

55.岁岁平安Peace all year round.

56.上有天堂下有苏杭Just as there is paradise in heaven, ther are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth

57.塞翁失马焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing.

58.三十而立A man should be independent at the age of thirty.At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself.

59.升级换代updating and upgrading (of products)

60.四十不惑Life begins at forty.

61.谁言寸草心报得三春晖Such kindness of warm sun, can't be repaid by grass. 62.水涨船高When the river rises, the boat floats high.

63.时不我待Time and tide wait for no man.

64.杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel

65.实事求是seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts

66.说曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.

67.实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is

68.实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.

69.山不在高，有仙则名'No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy; '

70.韬光养晦hide one's capacities and bide one's time

71.糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets

72.天有不测风云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue

73.团结就是力量Unity is strength.

74.“跳进黄河洗不清”'eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean--there's nothing one can do to clear one's name '

75.歪风邪气unhealthy practices and evil phenomena

76.物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.

77.往事如风'The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is pas

78.望子成龙hold high hopes for one's child

79.屋漏又逢连阴雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.

80.文韬武略military expertise; military strategy

81.唯利是图draw water to one's mill

82.无源之水,无本之木water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots

83.无中生有make create something out of nothing

84.无风不起浪There are no waves without wind. There's no smoke without fire. 85.徇私枉法bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends

86.新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean

87.虚心使人进步,骄傲使人落后Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.

88. 蓄势而发accumulate strength for a take-off

89.心想事成May all your wish come true

90.心照不宣have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding 91.先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched.

92.先下手为强catch the ball before the bound

93.像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan

94.现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example

95.息事宁人pour oil on troubled waters

96.喜忧参半mingled hope and fear

97.循序渐进step by step

98.一路平安，一路顺风speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest

99.严以律己,宽以待人be strict with oneself and lenient towards others

100鱼米之乡

101.有情人终成眷属'Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.'

102.有钱能使鬼推磨Money makes the mare go. Money talks.

103. 有识之士people of vision

104.有勇无谋use brawn rather than brain

105.有缘千里来相会Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.

106.与时俱进advance with times

107.以人为本people oriented; people foremost

108.因材施教teach students according to their aptitude

109.欲穷千里目，更上一层楼'to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight.' a land of milk and honey

110.欲速则不达Haste does not bring success.

111. 优胜劣汰survival of the fittest

112.英雄所见略同Great minds think alike.

113.冤家宜解不宜结Better make friends than make enemies.

114.冤假错案'cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases'

115.一言既出，驷马难追A real man never goes back on his words.

116.招财进宝Money and treasures will be plentiful

117.债台高筑become debt-ridden

118.致命要害Achilles' heel

119. 众矢之的target of public criticism

120.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.

121. 纸上谈兵be an armchair strategist

122.纸包不住火Truth will come to light sooner or later.

123.左右为难between the devil and the deep blue sea

同床异梦

Every couple is not a pair.

种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆

As you sow,so will you reap.

祸从口出言多必失

The tongue cuts the throat.

文如其人

The style is the man.

骄兵必败

Pride goes before a fall.

无官一身轻

Out of office,out of danger.

公事公办

Business is business.

积少成多

Many a little makes a mickle.

新官上任三把火

A new broom sweeps clean.

隔墙有耳

Hedges have eyes,walls have ears.

近朱者赤，近墨者黑

He that lives with cripples learns to limp.

班门弄斧

Teach fish to swim.

良药苦口

A good medicine tastes bitter.

浑水摸鱼

Fish in troubled waters.

天网恢恢，疏而不漏

Justice has long arms.

英雄所见略同

Great minds think alike.

居安当思危

In time of peace prepare for war.

宁为玉碎，不为瓦全.

It is better to die than to live when life is a disgrace./Better die with honor than live with shame. 明修栈道，暗度陈仓

Do one thing under cover of another.

君子之交淡如水

A hedge between keeps friendship green.

不入虎穴，焉得虎子

Nothing venture,nothing have.

谋事在人，成事在天

Man proposes,God disposes.

前事不忘后事之师

The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future.

未雨绸缪

Live within your means and save for a rainy day.

成功源于勤奋

Industry is the parent of success.

强中更有强中手

Diamond cut diamond.

以毒攻毒

Devil must be driven out with devils.

树大招风

Names are debts.

人急造反，狗急跳墙

Despair gives courage to a coward.

考虑要仔细，行动要迅速

Deliberate in counsel,prompt in action.

要想懂得今天，就必须研究昨天

If you want to understand today,you have to research yesterday.

熟能生巧

Practice makes perfect.

心旷神怡，事事顺利

A merry heart goes all the way.

坐失良机，必有忧患

Delays are dangerous.

言柔弱无能，行刚强有力Deeds are males,and words are females.

人比人，气死人

Comparisons are odious.

知足常乐

Content is better than riches.

看人看年少，看天看破晓

Childhood shows the man,as morning shows the day. 和气生财

Cheek brings success.

大智若愚，大巧若拙

Cats hide their paws.

大事未成时，莫开庆功宴

Catch the bear before you sell his skin.

他山之石，可以攻玉

By other's faults，wise men correct their own.

塞翁失马，焉知非福

Behind bad luck comes good luck.

不劳则无获

No gains without pains. （No pains,no gains.）

机不可失，时不再来

Take time while time is,for time will be away.

欲速则不达

More haste,less speed

以眼还眼，以牙还牙

An eye for an eye,and a tooth for a tooth.

滴水穿石

Little strokes fell great oaks.

兵不厌诈

All is fair in war.

天下无不散之宴席

All good things came to an end.

英雄所见略同

Great minds think alike.

祸不单行

Misfortunes never come alone.

隔篱右眼，隔墙有耳

Hedges have eyes,walls have ears.

谋事在人，成事在天

Man proposes,god disposes.

情人眼里出西施

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

时不我待/岁月无情

Time and tide wait for no man.

少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲

A young idler,an old beggar.

不要恩将仇报

A man should not bite the hand that feeds him.

家有万贯财，不如一身健

Health is better than wealth.

无官一身轻

Out of office,out of danger.

生命在于运动

Rest breeds rust.

盛名之下，其实难副

Common fame is a liar.

醉翁之意不在酒

Many kiss the baby for the nurse's sake.

不入虎穴，焉得虎子

Nothing venture,nothing have.

覆水难收

Things done cannot be undone.

真金不怕火炼

True blue will never stain.

为人不做亏心事，半夜不怕鬼敲门

A clear conscience is a sure card.

做贼心虚

A bad conscience is a snake in one's heart. 事与愿违

All your swans are geese.

大器晚成

Late fruit keeps well.

既来之则安之

Take things as they come.

君子之交淡若水

A hedge between keeps friendship green.

三个和尚没水吃

Everbody's business is nobody's business. 小巫见大巫

The moon is not seen when the sun shines. 因小失大

Penny wise and pound foolish.

五十步笑百步

The pot calls the kettle black

一失足成千古恨

Short pleasure,long lament

塞翁失马，安之非福?

Danger is next neighbor to security

祸兮福所倚，福兮祸所伏

Misfortune might be a blessing in disguises. 一箭双雕/一石两鸟

Kill two birds with one stone.

说到曹操，曹操就到

Speak of the devil(and he will appear).

Beat the dog before the lion.

一言既出，驷马难追

A word spoken is past recalling

勿打草惊蛇

Let sleeping dogs lie.

一不做二不休

In for a penny,in for a pound.

无风不起浪

There is no smoke without fire.

胸有成竹

Have a card up one's sleeve.

本末倒置

Put the cart before the horse.

人靠衣装

Fine feathers make fine birds.

种瓜得瓜

As a man sows,so he shall reap.

得陇望蜀/得寸进尺

Much will have more.

喧宾夺主

The sauce is better than the fish.

挂羊头，卖狗肉

He cries wine and sells vinegar.

酒香不怕巷子深

Good wine needs no bush.

青出于蓝而胜于蓝

The pupil outdoes the master.

天涯何处无芳草

There are plenty of fish in the sea.

强中更有强中手

Diamod cut diamod.

杀鸡用牛刀

He takes a spear to kill a fly.

拿了手短，吃了嘴软

Gifts blind the eyes.

天下乌鸦一般黑

Dogs bite in every country.

明枪易躲，暗箭难防

Better an open enemy than a false friend.

人不可貌相

Judge not a book by its cover.

殊途同归

All roads lead to rome./All rivers run into the sea

Peace on the forehead and war in the mind.

身正不怕影子歪

A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe.

水能载舟，亦能覆舟

The same knife cuts bread and fingers.

燕雀安知鸿鹄之志

A sparrow cannot understand the ambition of a swan.

宁当鸡头，不当凤尾

It is better to be the head of a dog/lizard than the tail of a lion. 事实胜于雄辩

Facts speak louder than words.

寸金难买寸光阴

Money can't buy time.

失败乃成功之母

Failure is the mother of success.

教学相长

To teach is to learn.

有其父必有其子

Like father,like son.

骄兵必败

Pride goes before a fall.

浑水摸鱼

Fish in troubled water.

眼不见为净

Out of sight,out of mind./Far from eye,far from heart.

有情人终成眷属

All shall be well,Jack shall have Jill.

天下无不散之筵席

Friends must part.

前事不忘，后事之师/前车之覆，后车之鉴

The remembrance of the past is the teacher of the future.

来得容易去得快

Easy come, easy go.

发光的未必都是金子

All that glitters is not gold.

兔子不吃窝边草

The fox preys farthest from his hole.

若要人不知除非己莫为

If you would not be known to do anything, never do it.

人无笑脸，不要开店

A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.

虎父无虎子

Like father, like son.

往者不可谏，来者犹可追

A mill cannot grind with the water that is past.

见异思迁

Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

适者生存

survival of the fittest

物以类聚

Birds of a feather flock together.

小Car笔记：

glitter：闪烁，灿烂【常用短语】glitter ice：雨淞，冻雨

flock together：聚集在一起

中国成语英译系列>>

夜以继日

day and night：The nurse was with the patient day and night.

英雄所见略同

Great minds think alike.

于事无补

Complaining is of little(no) avail. It is better for you to take action now.

姻缘天注定

Marriages are made in heaven.

逆来顺受

to make the best of a bad bargain

流芳百世

a niche in the temple of fame

为虎作伥

to act as guide to a tiger

孤注一掷

to put all one's egg in one basket

勇者不惧

A brave man will not shrink from dangers.

洗心革面

to turn over a new leaf

小Car笔记：

avail：有利，有助于，益处【常用短语】①avail oneself of 利用②of no avail：完全没有用，完全无效

niche：壁龛，适当的位置【常用短语】①niche market 瞄准机会的市场，缝隙市场②trophic niche 营养龛，营养小生态

shrink：收缩，畏缩，萎缩【常用短语】①shrink from 退避，在... 前面畏缩②shrink ring 扣环

中国成语英译系列>>

美中不足

a fly in the ointment

背道而驰

to run counter

赴汤蹈火

to go through fire and water

风烛残年

to have one foot in the grave

风声鹤唳，草木皆兵

to apprehend danger in every sound

活到老学到老

It's never too late to learn./ Live and learn.

前事不忘后事之师

Remember the past and it will guide your future.

星星之火可以燎原

A single spark can start a prairie fire.

待人宽容如待己

Live and let live.

按部就班

Learn to walk before you run.

小Car笔记：

ointment：药膏，油膏，软膏【常用短语】①zinc ointment [药]氧化锌软膏②eye ointment 眼膏

counter：与……相反的，相反的【常用短语】①counter force 对抗力②counter current 反向电流，逆流

中国成语英译系列>>

以毒攻毒

to set a thief to catch a thief

以怨报德

He is a person who bites the hand that feeds one.

以逸待劳

To wait at ease till the enemy is exhausted.

以寡敌众

to fight against longer odds

以德报怨

I think it is better for you to render/return good for evil .

以其人之道还治其人之身

to pay somebody (back) in his own coin

以子之矛，攻子之盾

to turn a person's battery against himself

以柔克刚

Willows are weak yet they bind other wood. (Soft and fair goes far.)

以和为贵

A bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit.

以卵击石

What you do is throw a straw against the wind. (run one's head against a stone wall; Whether the pitcher strikes the stone or the stone strikes the pitcher, it is bad for the pitcher.)

小Car笔记：

at ease：不拘束，自在，安适

battery：[律]殴打

中国成语英译系列>>

知人知面不知心

It's easy to know men's faces, but not their hearts.

知己知彼百战百胜

Know your enemy and know yourself.

空中楼阁

castles in the air

金科玉律

the gold rule

奇装异服

a fantastic garb

明辨事非

to distinguish right from wrong

雨后春笋

like bamboo shoots after a spring shower

雨过天青

After a storm comes a calm.

秀才不出门能知天下事

A scholar does not step outside his gate, yet he knows the happenings under the sun.

事实胜于雄辩

Facts are most convincing.

小Car笔记：

garb：打扮，装束，外表【常用词语】prison garb：囚衣，犯人衣服

shoots：嫩芽【常用词语】①rice shoots：稻秧苗，禾秧，秧苗②bamboo shoots：竹笋under the sun：天下，究竟

中国成语英译系列>>

色是假，美是空

Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty.

吉人自有天相

The good are protected by Heaven. / All's well that ends well.

如愿以偿

get one's way with someone or something：The mayor finally got his way with the city council. (all turn out;have one's wish fulfilled;favorableness)

如人饮水冷暖自知

Only the wearer knows where the shoes pain.

知足者富

He who feels contented is rich.

早起的鸟儿有虫吃

The early bird catches the worm.

奇装异服

a fantastic garb

忠言逆耳

Honest advice is unpleasant to the ear

明辨是非

to distinguish right from wrong

知足常乐

Happy is he who is content

小Car笔记：

All's well that ends well. 结局好,一切都好。吉人自有天相。

fantastic：奇妙的，空想的，稀奇的【常用词组】①fantastic insanity：幻想性精神病②light fantastic toe：n.跳舞

distinguish：区别，辨认，使显著【常用词组】①distinguish from：不同于，辨别，区分②distinguish between：分辨，区分③distinguish for：因... 而出名

中国成语英译系列>>

有志者事竟成

Where there is a will, there is a way.

有钱能使鬼推磨

Money makes the world go around. /Money talks.

有其父必有其子

Like father, like son.

江山易改本性难移

a fox may grow gray, but never good（The leopard cannot change his spots；you cannot make a cra

b walk straight）

三岁看老

The child is father of the man.

百无一失

Not a single miss in a hundred times.

百依百顺

She expects us to jump through hoops for her.

眼见为实

To see is to believe. (Seeing is believing.)

吃得苦中苦，方为人上人

If you wish to be the best man, you must be prepared to suffer the bitterest of the bitter.

每人一生中皆有得意之日

Every dog has its day.

小Car笔记：

jump through hoops：经受磨难，做出很大努力，俯首帖耳，百般讨好，百依百顺

be prepared to：准备做...

自作自受

As you make your bed so you must lie on it.

自讨苦吃

to make a rod for one's own back

自力更生

to shift for oneself

自扫门前雪

After us the deluge.

回头浪子

the return of a prodigal son

先下手为强

Offence is the best defence.

同甘共苦

to share one's joys and sorrows

因地制宜

act according to circumstances

有勇无谋

more brave than wise

有备无患

Good watch prevents misfortune.

小Car笔记：

shift：转换，轮班，计谋【常用词组】①graveyard shift：n. 全体夜班的工人, (自午夜或凌晨2时的开始工作)夜班（=night shift），白班就是day shift. ②shift for oneself：独立谋生prodigal son：回头的浪子，悔改之罪人

misfortune：不幸，坏运气，灾祸【常用词组】meet with a misfortune：生了个私生子（=have a misfortune）

出人头地

Through his hard work, he finally came to the fore.

出类拔萃

John towers above the rest in math. (in a class by itself; out of the common run)

史无前例

without precedent （in history）：His excellent performance at that play is without precedent in history.

令人发指

His cruelty to animals make our hair stand on end.

令人咋舌

took my breath away：What he did really took my breath away.

付之一炬

Because of a blast, that new house just committed to the flames.

生龙活虎

alive and kicking：Nessie says it is alive and kicking under different names By Sussy.

仗势欺人

John always pulls rank on others.

白手起家

started from scratch：He is a successful business who started from scratch.

任劳任怨

to bear hardship without complaint

小Car笔记：

tower：高耸，屹立，超过，胜过，塔【常用词组】①a tower of strength：中流砥柱，中流砥柱②water tower ：自来水塔

in a class by itself：独一无二(独具一格)

hair stand on end：毛骨悚然，令人发指hardship：艰难，苦难，辛苦【常用短语】①hardship

subsidy生活困难补贴②economic hardship：经济困难

平分秋色

He did quite well, but I still think his is one equal terms with her.

平步青云

What an amazing thing! He should make a smashing hit in a short time. (beat the top of the ladder; come to the top over night; hit the jackpot)

平易近人

He is a person easy to get along with. (be well disposed; have a taking way with one have the common touch)

未雨绸缪

Don't take everyting for granted. It's better for you to lay up against a rainy day. (prepare for a rainy day)

功败垂成

a slip betwixt cup and the lip：I hate to tell you that your plan is a slip betwixt cup and the lip.

可歌可泣

His sacrifice for the country set us in a melting mood.

本末倒置

Don't put the cart before the horse.

甘拜下风

Would you like to play with me again? No, I'd rather play second fiddle.

甘之如饴

gladly endure hardship

世外桃源

Switzerland is like Utopia, which I always dream of visiting.

小Car笔记：

hit the jackpot：赢得大笔钱(获得最大成功)

get along with：与...和睦相处，仍继续使用，应付...，在...方面进展

lay up：储备，暂停使用，使卧床不起

a melting mood：感伤的心情

play second fiddle：居次要职位，做第二把手，充当副手，甘拜下风

中国成语英译系列>>

世界末日

Don't be so depressed. It's not Doomsday.

半斤八两

Tweedledum and Tweedledee：John is no better than Peter. They are just Tweedledum and Tweedledee. (six of one and half a dozen of the other)

半信半疑

half in doubt：A: Jimmy will invite you to dinner tonight? B: No, I don't think so. I will take it half in doubt. ( take with a grain of salt)

石沉大海

I couldn't find her. It seemed that her whereabouts sank into oblivion.

左右逢源

It appears that everything goes well with him.

司空见惯

order of the day：The situation is already order of the day. (par for the course)

目瞪口呆

She was already tongue-tied, and didn't know what to do. (lose one's tongue; struck dumb; stunned and speechless)

目光如豆

He is a person who sees no further than his nose.

出尔反尔

He is not a guy worthy of our trust. He often goes back on his word. (blow hot and cold)

出口成章

He is a learned person. His tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

小Car笔记：

oblivion：遗忘，忘却【常用词组】①pass into oblivion：渐为忘却，湮没无闻②bill of oblivion：大赦令

par for the course：意料之中的事，常有的事，司空见惯

blow hot and cold：朝三暮四，出尔反尔。【英英解释】to be favorable at one moment and adverse the next