英语习语翻译

第十九讲 习语翻译 Lecture 19 Idioms

一、Idioms的定义：

广义的idioms包括：1. set phrase短语，2. proverbs谚语，3. sayings俗语, 4. epigrams警句，5. slang俚语，6. colloquialisms 口语，7. quotations名言/语录，8. two-part allegorical sayings寓言 9. allusions典故 汉语中包括：1. 成语set phrases， 2. 谚语proverbs， 3. 俗语colloquialism, 4. 歇后语allegorical saying 二、英语idioms的来源

1．From the Bible圣经故事:

1) Cast pearls before swine对牛弹琴；白费好意

这个成语源自《新约。马太福音》第7章：“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you”.

2）Don’t you see the writing on the wall? 难道你没有看出大难临头了吗？（writing on the wall意为“不

详之兆”，典出《旧约全书》） 2. From the fables寓言故事:

1) Veper and File出自《伊索寓言》，说的是一条蝰蛇（Viper）发现一把铁锉（File），以为是一顿美餐。但铁锉说，它的天职是咬别人，而不是被别人咬。后人借此比喻“骗人者反受人骗”，汉译时要作直译或意译处理。

2) kill the goose to get the eggs，源于希腊寓言，说的是曾有一个乡下人，因为发财心切杀死了自己饲养的那只能下金蛋的鹅，以为如此就可一次获得全部想象中的金块，但其结果一无所获。 3．From fairy tales神话故事：

1) rain cats and dogs，源于北欧神话，猫对天气有很大影响，英国水手至今说：“猫尾巴藏大风”。据说驾暴风雨的巫士化为猫形。狗是风的信号，狗和狼都是暴风雨神奥丁的随从。在德国古画中，风被画成狗头和狼头。因此，猫被年作暴雨的象征，狗是伴随暴雨的强风，to rain cats and dogs就是to rain heavily/hard，汉译便为“下倾盆大到雨”。 2) Analthea’s horn，汉译常为“丰饶的羊角”。阿玛尔忒亚（Amalthea），希腊祖籍中一神女，是宙斯（Zeus为主神，相当于罗马神话中的朱庇特Jupiter）的保姆。婴儿时宙斯由神女阿玛尔忒亚喂以羊乳。为了感思，宙斯敲下一羊角送给她。许诺让羊角主人永远丰饶。

3) the sword of Damocles达摩克利斯的剑，临头的危险（希腊神话，廷臣达摩克利斯羡慕国王狄奥尼修斯的国王生活，国王于是用一根头发将一把到件剑悬挂在王位上，让达摩克利斯坐在上面） 4。From history allusion /legend历史典故/传说 1) burn one’s boats（bridges），此成语中的bridges为美国人所使用，原指古罗马朱力斯·凯撒大军乘船越过Rubicon后就把船烧了，以此向士兵指明后路已断，不可能后退。现借用来比喻“不留后路，下定决心干到底”，同汉语的“破釜沉舟“。

2）Leave no stone unturned，相传公元前447年波斯奖军马多尼奥斯在希腊的普拉蒂亚兵败被杀后，留下一大批财宝在军帐里。底比斯的波利克拉特斯搜寻却一无所获，请示德尔斐神谕后知道要“翻转所有的石头”，最后找到了财宝。现借此比喻想方设法等，汉译为“千方百计，想尽办法” 3）a Spartan look 简朴的; 艰苦的 （古希腊斯巴达人以简朴和不畏艰辛著称） 4）a Trojan Horse 内奸, 暗藏之敌 5）the heel of Achilles 致命的弱点 6）Gordian Knot 难题；僵局

7）have an axe to grind别有用心,另有企图 5. From literature works文学作品:

1) Simon Legree“残暴之徒，尖酸刻薄、好吹毛求疵的人”

Simon Legree是美国女作家斯陀夫人所著《汤姆大伯的小屋》一书中管黑奴的工头，此人既凶狠又

1

尖酸刻薄，将心地善良的汤姆大伯活活打死。

2) Life is but an empty dream，其汉译为“人生如梦”。源于美国诗人Longfellow的诗文

3) as busy as a bee (From Chaucer's Canterbury Tales)

4）Catch-22 situation 不可逾越的障碍（源自美国作家约瑟夫·赫勒的小说Catch-22） 6. From social custom社会风俗:

1) a feather in your cap，汉译为“值得荣耀的事、荣誉”。源于广泛流行于亚洲和美洲印第安人当中的一种风俗：每杀死一个敌人就在头饰或帽子上加插一根羽毛，以此来显示战绩与荣誉。 2) have a ball at one’s foot，汉译为“有成功的机会”，源于足球运动。

3）When you are down, you are not necessarily out.遇到挫折，并不一定丧失成功的机会。（拳击规则，被击倒还有10秒可爬起来） 三、汉语成语的分类：

1． 联合式：山盟海誓，粗枝大叶，昂首阔步， 2．动宾式：为所欲为，闻所未闻，

3．主谓式：盛气凌人，想入非非，心怀叵测，忠心耿耿，自惭形秽， 4．偏正式：泰然自若，洋洋得意（得意洋洋），小心翼翼，半途而废，奋不顾身，泰然处之， 5．连动式：投笔从戎，见异思迁，挖肉补疮，触类旁通，无地自容， 6．兼语式：引狼入室，调虎离山， 7．紧缩式：脍炙人口 联合结构：不学无术，

四、Idioms的翻译方法：

1． 直译法：按原语字面意义翻译（异化译法） 1）kill two birds with one stone一石双鸟 2) Forbidden fruit is sweet.禁果格外香。

3) Friends are thieves of time.朋友是时间的窃贼。 4) Truth is the daughter of time. 真理是时间的女儿。 5) One swallow does not make a summer.一燕不成夏。

1) 薛蟠也来上学，不过是三日打鱼，两日晒网。Xue Pan enrolled as a student. But he was like the

fisherman who fishes for three days and then suns his net for two”…

2) 他对乡里的情况，了如指掌。He knew everything about the township like the back of his hand. 3) 旁边一人鼓掌大笑曰：“此事易如反掌，何必多议？” （《三国演义》）Then one of those about him suddenly clapped his hands, crying, Ït’s as easy as turning over one’s hand! Why so much talk?” 4) 他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of. 6) 这工作花了我九牛二虎之力。The work cost me the strength of nine bulls and two tigers. 7）中国有句古话是这样说的：“山不在高，有仙则名；水不在深，有龙则灵。”

An ancient Chinese saying goes that “Any mountain can be famous with the presence of an immortal, and any river can be holy with the presence of a dragon.” 7) 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; \"

8）城门失火，殃及池鱼。A fire on the city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat. 9) 木已成舟The wood is already made into a boat. 10）十年树木，百年树人。

It takes ten years to grow trees, but one hundred years to rear people. It takes three generations to make a gentleman. (套译)

画饼充饥to draw a cake to satisfy one’s hunger 犬马之劳to serve like a dog or a horse

声东击西to shout in the east and strike in the west

2

刻骨铭心to be engraved on one’s heart and bones 井底之蛙to be like a frog at the bottom of a well 调虎离山to lure the tiger from the mountain 口蜜腹剑to be honey-mouthed and dagger-hearted 2. 意译法

1）There is a skeleton in the cupboard.家家有本难念的经。

(the family skeleton / the skeleton in the cupboard家丑) 2）The die is cast.木已成舟。

3）Experience must be bought.吃一堑，长一智。 5）Let the cat out of the bag.泄漏天机。 6）Put the cart before the horse.本末倒置。

7）The eye is bigger than the belly.贪多嚼不烂。

8）When Greek meets Greek , then comes the tug of war. 两雄相争,其斗必烈。/张飞杀岳飞，杀得满天飞

9）get the sack（To be dismissed from a job，to be told to leave your job）解雇

① He got the sack when they found out that he'd lied about his qualifications. ② After only 2 weeks she was given the sack for being rude to a customer.

take a French leave不辞而别 break the ice打破僵局（沉默、拘束） drive pig to the market 鼾声如雷 under the rose，秘密地、私下地

baker’s dozen一打零一、十三 keep one’s nose down to the grindstone埋头苦干 1) 他把老谢的话一五一十告诉了邓秀梅。

He recounted everything Lao Xie had said in detail to Deng Xiumei. 2) 你要有个三长两短，我也不想活了.

If anything should happen to you, I don’t want to live.

3) 木已成舟，也只好如此了。What’s done is done, and can’t be undone. 4)“你真是不到黄河心不死”,她低声说,无可奈何地摇摇头。(《寒夜》)

“You really do refuse to give until all hope is gone. ”She murmured , shaking her head

helplessly

6) 我对他简直佩服得五体投地。I simply admire him from the bottom of my heart. 7）你这人真是“狗嘴里长不出象牙”。

A filthy mouth cannot utter decent language. You are really such a person. 8）他初出茅庐，没有什么经验。He is a green hand.

9) 祸兮福所依，福兮祸所伏fortune or misfortune may lead to the opposite

（直译：misfortunes may promise fortunes while fortunes may promise misfortunes） 两袖清风to remain uncorrupted

望子成龙 --- to expect one's son to become a great personage

3. 借译（套译）法：套用目的语现成的成语、谚语、熟语（归化译法）

1) Every potter praises his pot.王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸。 9) hold a wolf by the ears骑虎难下 2) After praising the wine they sell us vinegar.挂羊头卖狗肉 10) hang by a hair千钧一发 3) to cast pearls before swine对牛弹琴/明珠投暗11）kill two birds with one stone一箭双雕 4）kill the goose that lays the eggs沙鸡取卵/竭泽而渔12）show the cloven hoof露出马脚 5）Six of one and half a dozen of the other半斤八两 13）ay sixes and sevens乱七八糟、 6）Time tries all.路遥知马力，日久见人心。 14）to laugh off one’s head笑掉大牙 7）It is easy to be wise after the event.事后诸葛亮好当。 8）The pot calls the kettle black.五十步笑百步。

15）Rome is not built in a day.冰冻三尺，非一日之寒。

3

16）Too much knowledge makes the head bald.学问太多催人老/聪明的头脑不长毛。 17）Two is company but three is none.一个和尚挑水喝，两个和尚没水喝。 18）You cannot eat your cake and have it.鱼与熊掌，不可得兼。

19）Be just to all, but trust not all.害人之心不可有，防人之心不可无。 20）Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.初生牛犊不怕虎。 21）我没有想到他对同志们的批评竟充耳不闻。

I didn’t expect him to turn a deaf ear to the comrade’s criticism. 22) 又要马儿好，又要马儿不吃草. You can’t eat your cake and have it! 23) 难怪他数学那么好，他父母都是大学教授。“龙生龙，凤生凤，老鼠生儿打地洞”嘛！

No wonder he is good at maths---his parents are professors of maths. “Like father, like son.” indeed.

24) 酒后吐真言Truth lies at the bottom of a decanter./ In wine there is truth.Wine in, truth out.（三杯下肚，

真话出口 。 ）

25) 遗憾的是我们的呼吁如石沉大海。It is regrettable that our appeal remained a dead letter.。 26) 三思而后行。Look before you leap.(直译：Think twice and then do it.)

44) 吃一堑，长一智 a fall in pit, a gain in wit; experience teaches/ Experience must be bought. 27) 不入虎穴，焉得虎子Nothing venture, nothing have.

28) 有眼不识泰山Entertain an angel unawares. 良机勿失。Make hay while the sun shines.

贪多嚼不烂。The eye is bigger than the belly. 如坐针毡 like a fish out of water 过河拆桥kick down the ladder 水中捞月to fish in the air 不辞而别take a French leave 洗心革面turn over a new leaf

小题大做make a mountain out of a molehill 赴汤蹈火go through fire and water 木已成舟。The die is cast. （直译：What’s done is done.） 鼾声如雷drive pig to the market

① I heard you driving your pigs to market last night

② “The whole house shook when you drove your pigs to market,” Mrs. Leung said to her husband. “你打鼾时，整座房子都在晃动。”梁太太对丈夫说。 洗耳恭听all ears

① Go ahead and explain, I’m all ears.=Go ahead and explain, I am fully listening.你解释吧，我洗耳恭听。 乳臭未干be wet behind the ear没有经验的；无知的

① Forgive her, she’s still wet behind the ears! 原谅她吧，她毕竟还不成熟老练。

左右为难/进退维谷/骑虎难下/进退两难/无所适从/莫衷一是/腹背受敌between the devil and deep sea/between two fires/between Scylla and Charybdis /hold a wolf by the ear/with one’s back to the wall/stick in the mud

4. 增补法：

A. 直译加解释 :

1）a bull in a china shop公牛闯进瓷器店──肆意捣乱/一动就闯祸 2）to shed crocodile tears流鳄鱼眼泪──假慈悲

3) The best fish swim (are) near the bottom. 好鱼居水底--有价值的东西不能轻易得到。 4）Fish begins to stink at the end.鱼要腐烂头先烂--上梁不正下梁歪。

5）拔苗助长try to help the shoots grow by pulling them upward—spoil things by excessive enthusiasm 6）盲人瞎马 A blind man on a blind horse—rushing headlong to disaster.

7）黄鼠狼给鸡拜年 The weasel goes to pay his respect to the hen--not with the best of intention./Greek gift B. 意译加解释 :

1）throw in the sponge 认输，投降 （注：若拳击运动员的副手把擦身用的海绵抛向空中，则表示这个运动员认输因而不进入下一轮比赛。）

4

2）pour oil on troubled waters 平息风波，息事宁人（注：传说航海遇到风浪时，若把油倒进海里，可起到使海浪平息的作用。） D. 直意结合:

1) 初生牛犊不怕虎 a newborn calf isn’t afraid of the tiger; a youngster is a daredevil 2) 磨刀不误砍柴工sharpening your knife won’t waste your time for cutting your faggot; preparation may quicken the process

4) 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量•don’t judge a man by his appearance and don’t measure the sea with a dou or bucket; he may be more capable than he looks; a man may have more potential than you know

5) 老马识途•an old horse recognizes the way back; an old hand is a good guide• 6) 生姜还是老的辣 old ginger proves more pungent; an old hand has more experience

7) 不怕一万，就怕万一 not afraid of ten thousands but afraid of a ten-thousandth; always prepared for the

unexpected risk in a million doings; take every care just in case

E. 为了意思完整而加词：:

1）A little pot is soon hot 壶小易热,量小易怒。

2）Lock the stable door after the horse is stolen.亡羊补牢，为时已晚 3）A rolling stone gathers no moss.滚石不生苔，转业不聚财 4）Every bird likes its own nest .鸟爱自己的巢, 人爱自己的家。 5．减译法

汉语中有许多语义重复的成语，重复部分省去不译。如：打躬作揖、经久耐用、鬼鬼祟祟（stealthily/sneak around）、断断续续（disjointedly）、慌里慌张（be flustered）、糊里糊涂(confused)等。 1）冷淡的阳光照着他们愁眉苦脸和长发白眼。The cold, pale sunlight fell on their gloomy faces, long hair and lusterless eyes. 2）忽然有人在牡丹亭畔，长吁短叹。Suddenly he heard a rustle in the peony pavilion and someone sighing deeply. 3）“这断子绝孙的阿Q！“远远地听得小尼姑的带哭的声音。（鲁迅《阿Q正传》） “Ah Q, may you die sonless!” sounded the little nun’s voice tearfully in the distance. ４）在长期的历程中，个民主当派与中国党同呼吸共命运。

In the protracted process of the Chinese revolution, the various democratic parties shard a common fate with the Chinese Communist Party. 5) 那条小径曲曲折折通向山顶。The path zigzags up the hill. 6）创一溜服务，迎四海佳宾。First class service to all guests.（*Welcoming our honored guests from all over

the world with the first-class service.）

粗枝大叶careless / carelessly，南腔北调a mixed accent狼吞虎咽to wolf sth down, 同心同德with one mind, 清规戒律taboos/regulations, 惊心动魄soul-stirring,

五、（一）意译法：

family skeleton / skeleton in the cupboard(closet) 家丑

① Many old families have a number of skeletons in their closets which they are loath to discuss（许多古老的家族中有很多秘密，他们不愿谈及这些话题。）

毛遂自荐to volunteer one’s service

叶公好龙professed love of what one really fears 东施效颦crude imitation with ludicrous 南柯一梦a fond dream or illusory joy

四面楚歌to be besieged on all sides/ /. be utterly isolated / be in desperate strain 罄竹难书(of crime) too numerous to mention

初出茅庐at the beginning of one’s career / young and inexperienced 倾城倾国to be exceedingly beautiful

5

悬梁刺股to be extremely hard-working in one’s study 风声鹤唳 be seized with imaginary fears

亡羊补牢 to mend the fold after a sheep is lost

南辕北辙 to go south by driving one’s chariot north 削足适履 to cut / whittle down the feet to fit the shoes 缘木求鱼 to climb up a tree to look for fish 指鹿为马to talk black into white 1）“…高鼻子‘助桀为虐’，真可恨！”蒋翊武咬紧牙关狠狠地哼了一声。（李六如《六十年变迁》）Chiang Ye-wu swore between his clenched teeth: “ … those foreign devils are really a hateful crowd, adding bad to worse!”

2) 庆父不死，鲁难未已。There will always be trouble until the trouble-maker is removed.

(直译: Until Qin Fu is done away with, the crisis in the state of Lu will not be over.)

3) 此地无银三百两。A guilty person gives himself away by conspicuously protesting his innocence.(直译:

No 300 taels of silver buried here.)

4) 今年高考他又名落孙山了。This year he failed again in the entrance examinations for college students 情人眼里出西施Beauty is in the eye of the beholder/lover. / Beauty lies in the love’s eyes.

（二）套译法：

to meet one’s Waterloo一败涂地 Let the cat out of the bag.泄漏天机。

get the sack抄鱿鱼（To be dismissed from a job，to be told to leave your job）

① He got the sack when they found out that he'd lied about his qualifications. ② After only 2 weeks she was given the sack for being rude to a customer. 画蛇添足to paint the lily

说曹操，曹操到Talk of the devil, and he’s sure to appear. / Speak of the devil, and he appears. 1）Many heads are better than one.三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮。 2）只有破釜沉舟地跟他们拼，还许有翻身的那一天！

All you can do is to burn your boats and fight them in the hope that one day you’ll come out on top. 3）鹬蚌相争，渔翁得利。Two dogs strive for a bone, and a third runs away with it. （三）增补法：

A. 音译加注释(transliteration + annotation) :

1) Archille's heel--- 阿克勒斯的脚踵，致命弱点 2) Pandora's box--- 潘多拉的盒子，灾难根源

3) word Damocles达摩克里斯的宝剑：悬剑头上、千钧一发、死到临头、幸福中隐伏的危机 4)The Trojan Horse 特洛伊木马，暗藏之敌，内奸 5) Judas kiss犹大之吻，背叛行为

People considered that what he had played on that occasion was no more than a Judas kiss.人们认为他在那种场合所表演的不过是犹大之吻──居心险恶。 6) Sphinx’S Riddle斯芬克司之谜，难解之谜

7）They have, by this very act , opened a Pandora’s box. 正是他们的这种做法,打开了希腊神话中潘朵拉的盒子,造成了混乱和不幸。 8）The favors of Government are like the box of Pandora, with this important difference; that they rarely leave hope at bottom. 的恩惠如同潘多拉的盒子，后患无穷，主要不同之处是：盒底很少留有希望。

B. 直译加解释(literal translation + annotation) :

6

1）百步穿杨To shoot an arrow through a willow leaf at the distance of 100 steps, extremely good at

shooting

Note: The allusion goes back to Yang Youji, an excellent shooter in the Zhou Dynasty, who could shoot an arrow at a willow leaf one hundred steps away and never missed the target. 2) 邯郸学步：to walk as people of Handan do; to imitate awkwardly

Note: Legend has it that a youngster from the State of Yan saw that the Handans’ walk was very graceful and then tried to acquire the walking manner but only to find that he did not learn anything at all and had forgotten how he originally walked. Therefore, he had to crawl all the way back home. The allusion is now used to ridicule those who imitate blindly. 3) 塞翁失马，焉知非福? When the old man on the frontier lost his mare, who could have guessed it was a blessing in disguise? A loss may turn out to be a gain. 4） 三个臭皮匠，合成一个诸葛亮。Three cobblers with their wits combined would equal ChuKek Liang

the mastermind, meaning that the masses have great creative power.

5) 杞人忧天like the man of Qi who was haunted by the fear that the sky might fall: unnecessary anxiety /groundless worry

6) 黄粱美梦a gold millet dream ; a fond dream/a pipe dream

7) 惊弓之鸟：A bird that fell down at the sound of an arrowless shooting; a deadly frightened person

五、俗语翻译

俚语包括委婉语、诅咒语和粗俗语。 A. 委婉语：

1．死---go to sleep/be no more/pass away/go west/长眠、不在了，献身，逝世，去世、与世长辞、寿终、

咽气、归西天、见马克思，

2．怀孕---to wear the apron high/to be in a delicate condition/a lady-in-waiting/a mother to be有喜、有身、身

重、身怀六甲、梦兰、

3．厕所---Ladies’(room). Gents’, loo, dressing room, powder room, wash room, B. 诅咒语：damn, hell, devil, bloody,

该死的！Damn you! 见鬼去吧！To hell with you! 不得好死！Hang you! 你这个杀千刀的！You be hanged! 挨刀货！Blast you! C. 粗俗语：fuck, screw, bugger, balls, shit,

1) 小娘养的！动了兵器了！Sons of bitches! They are using weapons now! 2) 忘了本的小娼妇儿！Ungrateful slut! 3) 把眼里没有主子的小蹄子打烂了！

We’ll give this impudent little bitch a good flogging!

4) ，你们有话就说吧！If you have something to say, say it, damn you! 5) 还有你这个浪货，跟谁来不行，非跟他！And you too, you baggage. Couldn’t you have picked someone else? Why did it have to be him?

6) 王八蛋，我终于碰上你了！You devils, so we meet again! D. 其他俗语：

1．不看僧面看佛面don’t blame the monk for the Buddha’ sake; don’t blame the inferior or the young for the sake of his superior or the old; forgive one person for another’s sake

3．不做亏心事，不怕鬼敲门•if you don’t commit any sin, you will not be afraid of the devil knocking at your door; an upright man isn’t afraid of anything 4．财大气粗a wealthy man speaks louder; money talks

5．差之毫厘，失之千里 •an error the breadth of a single hair can lead you a thousand li astray; a slightest error can lead to a greatest deviation; a slight carelessness can lead to a severe mistake

7

6．成事不足，败事有余•unable to accomplish anything but likely to spoil everything; impossible to achieve but possible to ruin

7．胜者为王，败者为寇 •victorious, you will be a king, but defeated, you will be a bandit; victory makes a king of the winner while defeat makes a bandit of the loser; whether you will be a king or a bandit depends on whether you can win or not

8．吃不了兜着走 •if you can’t eat it up, you have to take it away; get more than one has bargained for; you will have to take full responsibility if you are over-engaged

9．打狗要看主人面 •when you are beating a dog, you have to take the owner into consideration; don’t beat

the dog for the owner’s sake; love me, love my dog

10．打肿脸充胖子 pretending to be a fat man by slapping his own face swollen; pretending to be a wealthy

man

11．大事化小，小事化了reducing great trouble to small, and small to nothing

12．耳边风/一个耳朵进，一个耳朵出in one ear and out the other (adv. phr.) 很快被遗忘的（副词短语）

It seems everything I say goes in one ear and out the other with you!好像我说的话你从来就只当耳边风！ 13.平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚 \"never burn incense when all is well, but clasp Buddha's feet when in distress 14. 难得糊涂 Where ignorance is bliss, it's folly to be wise.

15. 虎父无犬子 A wise goose never lays a tame egg 16. 不打不成交 No discord, no concord.

17. 金无足赤,人无完人 Gold can't be pure and man can't be perfect. 18. 山高皇帝远The mountains are high and the emperor is far away.

脚踩两只船 sit on the fence酒肉朋友 fair-weather friend

六、歇后语的翻译 （一）定义：

《现代汉语词典》将歇后语定义为，“由两个部分组成的一句话，前一部分像谜面，后一部分像谜底，通常只说前一部分，而本意在后一部分。”《辞海》将歇后语定义为，“熟语的一种。多为群众熟悉的诙谐而形象的语句。运用时可以隐去后文，以前文示意”。我们的看法是，歇后语是俗语的一种，它与俗言和谚语的区别主要在形式上。歇后语很像谜语，通常由两部分构成，前一部分为谜面，后一部分为谜底，谜面通常具有比喻性质。

（二）歇后语的分类：1．典故型歇后语：八仙聚会——又说又笑；王羲之写字——横竖都好 2．双关型歇后语：狗撵鸭子呱呱(刮刮)叫

3．谐音型歇后语：李双双见到丈夫——有喜旺（希望）了；邮包掉到水田里--半信半疑(泥) (谐音关联); 牛角抹油——又尖（奸）又滑（猾）; 和尚打伞---无法(发)无天；空棺材出葬---目（木）中无人；孔夫子搬家，净是书（输）; 灯草拐杖，做不得主（柱）

4。语型歇后语：火爆玉米——开心；章鱼的肚子--有墨水(语意关联)

5．比喻型歇后语：竹篮打水--一场空(以事喻义)，天上的云--无拘无束(以物喻义)，大水冲了龙王庙--一家人不认一家人(以事喻义)，徐庶进曹营--一言不发(以人喻义) （三）翻译方法： 1．直译法：

1)“咱们俩的事，一条绳拴着的两条蚂蚱, 谁也跑了！” （老舍《骆驼祥子》）

We’re like two grasshoppers tied to one cord: neither can get away! 1） 再派人去，那不是瞎子打灯笼白费一支蜡吗？Sending someone else is like a blind man carrying a candle. A waste of wax. 瞎子点灯--白费蜡。It is as useless as a blind man lighting a candle.

2） 泥菩萨过江，自身难保。The clay idol fording the river---it’s as much as it can do to preserve itself from disaster

8

3） 千里送鹅毛，礼轻轻易重 to send the feather of a swan one thousand li---the gift in itself may be

insignificant, but the good-will is deep

4） 茶壶里煮饺子---有也倒不出。A dumpling in a boiler (kettle)-cannot be poured out.

5） 猪鼻子里插葱－－装象 A pig is sticking scallions into its nostrils to pretend to be an elephant (如果是口

译，只要一个词就行：“pretentious”或“vain”。) 7)“朱斌这个人就是狗咬耗子多管闲事！” ( 吴江《红日》)

“Chu Pin! He’s like a dog worrying a mouse, can’t mind his own business!”

2．意译法（典故式歇后语或双关式歇后语）： 1） 他必审问我，我给他个‘徐庶如曹营---一语不发’。He’s sure to ask questions but I’ll hold my tongue to

begin with.

2） 穷棒子闹翻身，是八仙过海，各显其能。When we pass from the old society to the new, each of us shows his true worth. 八仙过海--各显其能。(Like) the Eight Immortals crossing the sea-each showing his or her special prowess. ( Each of them shows their true worth.)

3) 等他们赶来增援时，已是“正月十五贴门神---晚了半月啦”。But they were too late for a rescue. 4) 可是谭招弟新中却想：骑着毛驴看书—走着瞧吧，看究竟是啥原因。

But Tan Zhaodi was still thinking to herself: “Let’s wait and see what the reason for it turns out to be in the end.

5) 咱们骑着毛驴看唱本—走着瞧吧。We’ll see who’s right. 6) 对新药业，老实讲，我是擀面杖吹火---一窍不通。To be quite honest with you, I don’t know the first thing about the modern drug business. （直译：to blow up a fire through a rolling pin, it doesn’t work.） 7) 外甥打灯笼－照舅(旧)， 用“business as usual”即可 3. 套译法：

1） 姨奶奶犯不着来骂我，我又不是姨奶奶家买的。‘梅香拜把子----都是奴才’罢咧！这是何苦来呢！ （《红楼梦》）You’ve no call to swear at me, madam. You didn’t buy me. We are all birds of a feather--- all slaves here. Why go for me?

2) 肉包子打狗，一去不回头。A dog given a bone who doesn’t come back for more. (直译：Chasing a dog by throwing meat dumplings at it-gone, never to return. ) 3) 日本曹长心里像有十五个吊桶打水，七上八下地不安宁。（《敌后武工队》） It was as if the sword of Damocles hung over the Japanese sergeant. 4) 老鼠尾巴上的疖子，出脓也不多。Squeeze water out of a stone 5) 他总是给你买昂贵的衣服，恐怕是黄鼠狼拜年，不安好心啊。He is always buying you expensive clothes, I'm afraid they are Greek gifts for you. 黄鼠狼给鸡拜年--不怀好意。a weasel wishing Happy New Year to a chicken---harboring no good intention；Greek gift.

6) 竹篮打水---一场空。to draw water with one’s sleeves / Like ladling water with a wicker basket-all is empty (nothing). ／to draw water with a bamboo basket---all was in vain

4．减译法（谐音型歇后语，省去前半截的比喻部分，译出后半部的实际意思） 1） 我是想：咱们是孔夫子搬家，净是书（输），心里真点点干啥的。Only I feel bad when we lose every fight. 中国足球队在国际大赛中多是孔夫子搬家，净是书（输）。

The Chinese football team has always lost in the the international football matches.

2) 我在店里呢，是灯草拐杖，做不得主（柱）的。My position in the company doesn’t permit me to make a decision individually. 3）你这人是“八十老翁靠墙吃稀饭－－卑鄙（背壁），无耻（齿），下流”。

You are base, shameless and dirty.

9

4）他是和尚打伞---无发（法）无天。He is an unruly person.1) 王小二过年，一年不如一年Wang Xiao’er

spending the New Year——one year is worse than another / like Wang Xiao’er’s life, one year is worse than anotherNote: Wang Xiao’er in Chinese can mean any poor fellow at the bottom of the society.

2) 丫头当媒人，自身难保•a maid serving as a matchmaker——hard to protect herself from the danger of being engaged; like a maid serving as a matchmaker, it is hard to pull herself from one’s own crisis•Note: The literal meaning of this allegorical saying is that since the maid herself is single, in doing the job of a matchmaker, she herself may fall in love with the man. 3) 牛角抹油——又尖（奸）又滑（猾）•spreading oil on an ox horn——to make it sharper and more slippery or cunning and treacherous•Note: the Chinese character jian, meaning sharp, is a homophone of jian, meaning cunning, and the Chinese character hua, meaning slippery, is a homophone of hua, meaning treacherous

癞想吃天鹅肉--痴心妄想。A toad lusting after a swan's flesh-aspiring after something one is not worthy of.

纳鞋不使锥子，针(真)好！A sherbet in a midsummer night’s dream: cool! （虽说直译成中文“仲夏夜梦吃果露冰糕－－真爽！”的时候双关丢了，但英文“cool”是双关。而如果将中文原文译成“To sew shoes without an awl, a needle is good.”不仅丢了双关，而且毫无意义。改换意境是为了在不偏主题的情况下求双关。）

狗咬耗子, 多管闲事He's like a dog worrying a mouse, can't mind his own business! 狗咬刺猬，无从下口A dog trying to bite a hedgehog-no way to make an approach. 老虎吃天，无从下口 a tiger wanting to eat the sky---not knowing where to start

七、异化（直译）还是归化（套译）？

1）不入虎穴，焉得虎子If you don’t enter the tiger’s lair, how can you catch the cubs? (异化) Nothing venture, nothing have.（归化）You can’t achieve the goal without a risk.（意译） 2) 画蛇添足 to draw a snake and add feet to it （异化） paint the lily （归化）

3）跑得了和尚跑不了庙。The monkey may run away, but the temple can’t run with him.（异化） A fugitive must belong to some place that can provide clues. （归化）

4）对牛弹琴to play the lute to a cow（异化） to cast pearls before swine（归化）

5）说曹操曹操就到mention Cao Cao and there he is（异化,不好）talk of the devil and he will appear（归化） 6）易于反掌to be as easy as turning over one’s hand （异化）

as easy as falling off a log /a piece of cake（归化）

7）打草惊蛇to stir up the grass and alert the snake（异化）to wake a sleeping dog（归化） 8）竭泽而渔to drain a pond to catch the fish （异化）

to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs（归化）

9）雪中送炭to send charcoal in snowy weather （异化）

to help a lame dog over a stile（归化）

10）守口如瓶as dumb as an oyster （归化）

11）Too many cooks spoil the broth. 厨子多了煮坏汤（异化），人多手乱（归化） 12) 竹篮打水一场空to draw water in (with) a bamboo basket（异化）

to draw water with one’s sleeves （归化）

有些用归化法较好：

1）Even Homer sometimes nods.智者千虑，必有一失。（归化） 2) Some prefer turnips and others pears. 萝卜白菜，各有所爱。（归化） 3) He cries wine and sells vinegar. 挂羊头，卖狗肉。（归化）

1）你真是脱裤子放屁，多此一举。You did carry coal to Newcastle. （归化） 3) 胸有成竹 *to have a bamboo in one’s heart (死译)

10

to have a well-thought-out plan before doing sth.(意译) to have a card up one’s sleeve （套译, 归化）

4）姨奶奶犯不着来骂我,我又不是姨奶奶家买了。“梅香拜把子———都是奴才”罢咧! 这是何苦来呢!(《红楼梦》)You’ve no call to swear to me , madam. You didn’t buy me. We’ve all birds of a feather ——all slaves here. Why go for me? （归化） 5）中国有句古话是这样说的：“山不在高，有仙则名；水不在深，有龙则灵。”

An ancient Chinese saying goes that “Any mountain can be famous with the presence of an immortal, and any river can be holy with the presence of a dragon.” （异化） 6）左右为难/进退维谷/骑虎难下/进退两难/无所适从/莫衷一是/腹背受敌

between the devil and deep sea/between two fires/between Scylla and Charybdis /hold a wolf by the ear/with one’s back to the wall/stick in the mud （归化）

7）四面楚歌Chu’s folk songs were heard everywhere（异化,不好）to meet one’s Waterloo（归化）/Be besieged on all sides / be utterly isolated / be in desperate strain（意译）

不好的异化:

1）赔了夫人又折兵*give one’s enemy a wife and lose one’s soldiers as well（异化,不好）

suffer a double loss instead of making a gain（归化）

2）不到黄河心不死not stop until one reaches the Yellow River （异化,不好） not stop until one reaches one’s goal (意译)

3）八字还没一撇儿 there's not even the first stoke of the character eight（异化，不好）

there's not the slightest sign of success yet (意译)

4) 眉飞色舞to beam with joy (死译：his eyebrows are flying and his countenance is dancing) 5) 粗枝大叶to be crude and careless (死译：thick branches and large leaves)

6) 扬眉吐气to feel proud and elated (死译：to raise eyebrows and let out a breath) 7) 灯红酒绿dissipated and luxurious (死译：with red lights and green wine)

8) 纸醉金迷(a life of) luxury and dissipation (死译：with drunken paper and bewitched gold) 9) 开门见山to come straight to the point (死译：to open the door and see the mountain) 10) 单匹马to be single-handed in doing sth. (死译：with a solitary spear and a single horse) 11) 海阔天空(to talk) at random (死译：with a vast sea and a boundless sky)

12) 风雨飘摇(of a situation) being unstable (死译：The wind and rain are rocking)

13）绿林好汉 hero in the green woods （异化，不好, 可归化为people like Robinhood） 14）名落孙山to fall behind Sun Shan (意译：failed in the examinations) 八、翻译英语习语应注意的几个问题 A. 切毋望文生义：

（1）John likes to pat himself on the back.*约翰喜欢捶自己的背。→ 约翰喜欢自吹。 （2）Then it happened that I had to answer the call of nature. *当时我碰巧要回答自然的召

唤。→ 当时我碰巧要解手。

（3）He kissed the hare's foot.*他吻了兔子的脚。→ 他迟到了。

（4）There is no love lost between them.*他们彼此恩爱，感情从未破裂。→ 他们互相憎恨，毫无爱情可

言。

（5）It is a good horse that never stumbles. 好马也有失蹄时。（*良马不失蹄） （6）It is a good man that never stumbles, and a good wife that never grumbles.

好丈夫也有过失，好妻子也会唠叨。（*从不失足的丈夫是好丈夫，从不唠叨的妻子是好妻子） （7）It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest.再坏的鸟也不至于弄脏自己的窝。（*弄脏自己的窝的是坏鸟雀。） （8）Of soup and love, the first is the best. 恋爱如喝汤，头一碗最香。（*头一次喝汤恋爱最好。） （9）In choosing a wife and buying a sword we ought not to trust another.

11

择妻如选剑，不能靠别人。（*择妻和选剑不能靠别人。）

（10）There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.

黑夜不能阻止日出，难题无法抹杀希望。（*黑夜和难题无法击败日出和希望） （11）People will be long forgetting her.人们会长久记住她的。（*人们在很长时间内会忘记她） B. 避免使用民族特色太浓的汉语成语来套译英语习语 （1）Beauty lies in lover's eyes. 情人眼里出美人。（不宜译作\"情人眼里出西施\"。） (2) Many heads are better than one. 一人不及众人计。（不宜译作\"三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮\"。） (3)Never offer to teach fish to swim.不要教鱼儿游泳。(不宜译作\"不要班门弄斧\"。) (4) Even a worm will turn. 逼人入绝境，绵羊也反抗（不宜译作\"狗急跳墙\"。）

(5)Give a dog a bad (an ill) name and hang him. 谗言可畏（不宜译为\"欲加之罪，何患无辞\"，其本意是指\"一旦给人加个坏名声，他就很难洗刷掉了\"。）

(6) Lock the stable door when the horse has been stolen.贼去关门。 （不宜译作\"亡羊补牢\"，其原意是\"马盗锁厩门，为时已太晚\"。） (7) A miss is as good as a mile. 错无大小，其错一样。（不宜译\"失之毫厘，谬以千里\"。） (8) have the face 恬不知耻，厚脸皮（不是有面子） (9) to pull somebody's leg 开玩笑（不是拖后腿）

(10) a big fish in a small pond 山中无老虎，猴子也称王。（或：林中无鸟雀称王。不是 \"小塘容不下大鱼\"。）

C.有些习语有多种译法，哪种译法恰当要视具体语境而定:

（1）Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves. （金钱）积少自然成多。/小事谨慎，大事自成。

（2）One swallow does not make a summer.一燕不成夏。/轻率推论必成大错。/一关渡过并 非万事大吉。

（3）Still water runs deep. 静水流深。/外表淡漠然而内心深情。/沉默者深谋。

（4）Don't cross the bridge till you get to it.到了桥边才过桥。/不必担心太早。/不必自寻烦 恼。

（5）He laughs best who laughs last. 谁笑在最后，谁笑得最好（鼓励）。/不要高兴得太早（警告）。 （6）Don't cast out the foul water till you bring in the clean.清水未来，莫泼脏水。/新的不来，

旧的莫丢。

八、含数字的成语的翻译

（一）数字不变 （二）数字变化 （三）不用数字

1) 大家七手八脚一会儿就把院子打扫干净了。With everybody lending a hand, the courtyard was soon swept clean.

一知半解、九死一生、一干二净、一窍不通、千方百计；一清二白、一举一动、一干二净、一岁三迁、一谦四益、一夕五起、一言九鼎、一目十行、一呼百应、一泻千里、一碧万顷、一官半职；

三位一体、三心二意、三从四德、三令五申、三年五载、三姑八婆、三媒六证、三灾八难、三教九流； 四海为家、四分五裂、四平八稳；五湖四海、五颜六色、五劳七伤、五光十色；七手八脚、七嘴八舌、七上八下；十拿九稳、十全十美。

（一望二三里，风烟四五家，门前六七树，十枝花。）

在英语习语中不存在这种数字的对举，然而也可以找到与汉语成语相同、相似或对应的英语习语，如a stone’s throw“一箭之遥”，fall in love at the first sight“一见钟情”，kill two birds with one stone“一箭双雕”，as like as two peas“一模一样”，be on the verge of breaking out“一触即发”，get something done once and for all“一劳永逸”，in a complete mess“一塌糊涂”，in two minds, half-hearted“三心二意”，again and again “三番五次”，abundant harvest of all food crops“五谷丰登”，at sixes and sevens“乱七八糟”，be perfect in every way“十全十美”。

12