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1、中文俗语美语说法集锦 中文俗语美语说法集锦 1. 人山人海：有人直译为：People mountain people sea. 这就是中国英文，老外很难理解。他们指人多时，通常只说：There is a large crowd of people.如果看到电影院门前大排长龙，也只说：There is (was) a long movie line. 不过在诗词用语 (poetic expression) 里，老外也有使用：a (the) sea of faces，颇有咱们人山人海的味道。例如： Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered
2、 a touching speech. Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him. 可见，说话者通常要在台上或高处，才有人海的感觉。因此，可以说：I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中，就不说：I saw the sea of faces.也不说：There is a sea of faces.只说：I saw a large crowd of people. 2. 家家有本难念的经：有人译成：Every f
3、amily cooking pot has a black spot. (意思是：每个家庭的锅子都有黑色的污点) 这样说法，老外恐怕不能充分了解。不过老外最常的说法是： Many families have skeletons in the closet. (许多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸) (骨骸就是指家丑) 或者说： Every family has its own source of shame. (每个家庭都有自己的丑事) 说白些，就是： Every family has its own problem. 3. 天下无不散的宴席：有人直译为：There are no feasts in th
4、e world which do not break up at last. 老外听后，也许很难体会其中意义。如果按照美语说法，也许更易理解： All good things come to an end. (意思是：所有好的事情，总有结束的一天。) 假如是指好友最后也有分别的一天，那么可以说： Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart. (bosom friend 是指知心的好友) 4. 平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚：有人照字直译为：When times are easy, we do not burn the incense,but when
5、the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha. 这种说法，老外也会一知半解。美语里一般说法是： Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity. (要每天敬拜神，不是只在困难时。) 对学生也可以说： If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming. (如果你每天用功，考试就不会形成压力。) 5. 挂羊头，卖狗肉：有人照字直译为：He advertises mutton, but sells dogs
6、flesh. 或 He hangs up a sheeps head at the shopfront and sells dog meat. 这两种译法，恐怕老外都难理解，尤其谈到狗肉，他们更会反感，因为狗是他们最爱的宠物，不过老外倒有相近的说法： He applied bait-and-switch factics in business. (他经商的策略是先引诱顾客来，再改变货物的品质。) (Bait-and- switch 当名词用) (也可不用连字号) This store uses bait and switch policy. 或者简单的说： Let the buyer be a
7、ware! (让消费者提高警觉) ; 或 Say one thing and do another. 6. 一言既出，驷马难追：有人译成：One word lets slip and four horses will fail to catch it. 或 A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping horses. 这两种说法，中文味道嫌重，老外未必理解。不过他们倒有类似的说法： A word once let go cannot be recalled. 或者说： You can not take ba
8、ck what you have said. (你说出的话，就不能再收回来。) 7. 祸从口出，言多必失：有人译为：The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil. 老外听了，恐怕不能完全理解。最好说成： Careless talk leads to trouble. (不小心说话，会带来麻烦); 或 The less said the better. (说的愈少愈好) 甚至也可以说： Shut the mouth and open the eyes. (闭嘴少说，张眼多看。) 美国口语俚语 美国口语俚语 1.clock in 打卡 Dont forg
9、et to clock in,otherwise you wont get paid. 别忘了打卡，否则领不到钱。 e on to 对.轻薄；吃豆腐 Tanya slapped Bill after he came on to her. Tanya在Bill对她轻薄之后打了他一巴掌。 e easily 易如反掌 Languages come easily to some people. 语言学习对有些人来说易如反掌。 4.dont have a cow别大惊小怪 Dont have a cow! Ill pay for the damages. 别大惊小怪的！我会赔偿损失的。 5.push a
10、round 欺骗 Dont try to push me around! 别想耍我！ 美国口语俚语 1.keep ones shirt on保持冷静 Keep your shirt on. He didnt mean to offend you. Thats just the way he talks. 保持冷静。那只是他说话的惯常方式，他并非有意要冒犯你。 2.cool it冷静一点 Cool it. You are making me mad. 冷静一点。你快把我逼疯了。 3.joy ride兜风 Lets go for a joy ride. 让我们去兜兜风。 4.rap说唱乐 Do y
11、ou like rap music? I have trouble understanding the words. 你喜欢说唱音乐吗？我听不太懂其中的歌词。 5.red-letter day大日子 This is a red-letter day for Susan. She made her first sale to a very important client. 今天是susan的大日子。她和一个非常重要的客户做成了第一笔生意。 美国口语俚语 1.go up in smoke成为泡影 Peters vacation plans went up in smoke when a cris
12、is arose in the office. 办公室出了问题，peter的假期泡汤了。 2.hit the road上路 We should probably hit the road. Its going to take us two hours to get home. 我们可能该上路了吧？到家的两个小时呢！ 3.shape up表现良好，乖 Youd better shape up if you want to stay on. 如果你还想留下来的话最好乖一点儿。 4.scare the shit out of someone吓死某人了 Dont sneak up behind me
13、like that. You scared the shit out of me. 不要那样从后面突然吓我。你吓死我了。 美国口语俚语 1.flop 不卖座，失败 The movie was a flop. Nobody went to see it. 这部电影卖座率奇低，没有人去看。 2.drop in/by/over 随时造访 Feel free to drop in anytime. Im usually home and Id love the company. 欢迎随时来坐坐。我通常在家，也喜欢游人做伴。 3.drop a line 写信 Drop me a line! 给我写信！
14、4.duck 躲闪，突然低下头 Remind little Bobby to duck his head when he crawls under the table so he wont hit his head. 提醒小波比爬到桌下时要低头才不会受伤。 5.go with the flow 随从大家的意见 Sharon is an easy-going person. She just goes with the flow. 沙伦是个随和的人。人家怎么说，她就怎么做。 美国口语俚语 1.act up 胡闹，出毛病 The children started to act up as soon
15、 as the teacher left the room. 老师一离开教室，孩子们就闹起来了。 2.ad lib 即兴而作，随口编 The comedian ad libbed most of his routine. 那个喜剧演员大多是即兴表演。 3.blah-blah-blah 说个不停 All she does is go blah-blah-blah all night. 她整夜说个不停。 4.hit it off 投缘，一见如故 They hit it off instantly and have been good friends ever since. 他们一见面就很投缘，从此
16、成了好朋友。 5.zit 青春痘 Why is it that every time I have a hot date, I break out with a big zit on my face? 为什么每次我有重要约会时，脸上都会冒出一个很大的青春痘呢？ 美国口语俚语 1.put someone on the spot 让某人为难 Dont put me on the spot like this. You know I cant give you confidential information. 别这样让我为难，你知道我不能给你机密资料的。 2.racket 非法行业，挂羊头卖狗肉
17、The police are determined to break up the racket. 警方决定打击这个非法行业。 3.have it good 享受得很 英汉互译中的谚语巧合 1.World is but a little place, after all. 天涯原咫尺，到处可逢君 Explanation: it is used when a person meets someone he knows or is in someway connected with him in a place where he would never have expected to do so
18、. Example: Who would have thought I would bump into an old schoolmate on a trek up Mount Tai. The world is but a little place after all. 2. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 入乡随俗 Explanation: conform to the manners and customs of those amongst whom you live. Example: I know you have egg and bacon f
19、or breakfast at home, but now you are on the Continent you will do as the Romans do and take coffee and rolls. 3. What you lose on the swings you get back on the roundabouts. 失之东隅，收之桑榆 Explanation: a rough way of starting a law of average; if you have bad luck on one day you have good on another; if
20、 one venture results in loss try a fresh one-it may succeed. Example: he may always possess merits which make up for everything; if he loses on the swings, he may win on the roundabouts. 4.What are the odds so long as you are happy. 知足者常乐 Explanation: what does anything else matter if a person is ha
21、ppy. Example: you complain so much, but you have a good family, parents, health, and money. Whats the odd so long as youre happy. 5Entertain an angel unawares. 有眼不识泰山 Explanation: to receive a great personage as a guest without knowing his merits. Example: in the course of evening someone informed h
22、er that she was entertaining an angel unawares, in the shape of a composer of the greatest promise 6.every dog has his day . 是人皆有出头日 Explanation: fortune comes to each in turn Example: they say that every dog has his day; but mine seems a very long time coming. 7.every potter praises his own pot. 王婆
23、买瓜，自卖自夸 Explanation: people are loath to refer to defects in their possessions or their family members Example: he said that his teacher considered his work brilliant, but I would rather hear it from his teachers own mouth. Every potter praises his own pot 1.After meat, mustard; after death, doctor
24、. 雨后送伞 Explanation: this describes a situation where assistance or comfort is given when it is too late. Example: just as I had cancelled my application to go abroad, I had a promise of money for my fare. It was a case of after death, the doctor. 2. After praising the wine they sell us vinegar. 挂羊头卖
25、狗肉 Explanation: to offer to give or sell something that is inferior to what you claim it to be. Example: that fellow completely misled us about what he was capable of doing. After praising the wine, he sold us vinegar. 3. All is over but the shouting. 大势已去 Explanation: finally decided or won; brough
26、t to the end; not able to be changed. Example: after Bills touch down, the game is all over but shouting. 4. All lay load on the willing horse. 人善被人欺，马善被人骑 Explanation: a willing horse is someone who is always doing things for others. Very often the implication is that others impose on him. Examples
27、: the trouble is youre too good-natured and people take advantage of it. all lay load on the willing horse. You will have to learn to refuse people who ask too much. 5.anger and haste hinder good counsel. 小不忍则乱大谋 Explanation: one can not act wisely when one is angry or in a hurry. Example: you shoul
28、d calm down before you decide the next move. Anger and haste hinder good counsel. 6. As poor as a church mouse 一贫如洗 Explanation: to be exceedingly poor, having barely to live upon. Example: he has a large family, and is poor as a church mouse. Note: a church is one of the few buildings that contain no food. 7. A word spoken is past recalling. 一言既出，驷马难追 Explanation: the harm done by a careless word can not easily undo. Example: for the rest of his life he regretted what he had said, but a word spoken is past recalling and he knew he could never repair the damage of that moment of harshness.
