中国惯用语、俗语英译

Toyger

T


踏破铁鞋无觅处，得来全不费工夫：You wear out iron shoes in hunting when all the time it's easy to be found.
抬杠：argue for the sake of arguing
太过分：go too far
态度坚决：take a tough stand
特异功能：psychic power
提倡节约，反对浪费：call for economy and guard against waste
提高对外开放水平：open up wider to the outside world
提高生活水平：improve the living standards
体察民情：closely observe how things are going with the people
天时、地利、人和：opportunities of time,favorable geographical location and popular support
天无绝人之路：Heaven never cuts off a man's means.
天下为公：All are equal under the heaven./The whole world is one community./Everything is for the public weal.
天灾人祸：natural disasters and human foe
条块结合：integration of departments and regjions at different levels
天下无不散的宴席：All good things must come to an end.
跳槽：job hopping
铁饭碗：permanent employment
铁哥们：buddies

Toyger

听其自然：let things slide
听天由命：bow to the will of God/follow your own star
停薪留职：on leave with no pay
通融：accommaodation / make an exception
同甘共苦：share weal and woe
同是天下沦落人，相逢何必曾相识：Both of us in misfortune go from shore to shore,meeting now,need we have known each other before?
同乡会：association of fellow townsmen
同舟共济：in the same boat
捅娄子：be in a jam
头痛医头，脚痛医脚：deal with piecemeal with no attempt to correct the root
头头是道：clear and straightforward / closely reasoned and well argued / do things in good order
团年饭：family reunion dinner on lunar New Year's Eve
脱贫：cast off poverty
脱贫致富：emerge from poverty and get rich

Toyger

W


歪打正着：score a lucky hit
歪风邪气：malpractice
外粗内秀的人：a rough diamond
外快：side money
外向型：export-oriented
外引内联：secure investment from overseas and enter into partnership with order companies at home
完善制度：improve a system
玩命儿做事：do something like hell
万金油：Jack of all trades.
万事俱备，只欠东风：All is ready except for what is crucial.
网虫：netter / Internet geek
网恋：online love affairs
网民：netizen / cyber citizen
网上冲浪：surf the Internet
望子成龙：hope one's children will have a brilliant future
威武之师，文明之师：mighty and civilized forces
为人师表：role model / be worthy of the name teacher
温饱问题：basic needs for living / subsistence

Toyger

文明之约：civic virtues pledge
文明国家：culturally advanced country
文明街道：model community
文明礼帽月：Civic Virtues Month
文明守则：codes of public conduct
稳定压倒一切：Maintaining stability is of top priority.
稳中求进，有效增长：strive for sustained and well-performing growth
问心无愧：have a good conscience / have done one's best
无稽之谈：fantastic talk/sheer nonsense/groundless statement
无可非议：irreproachable/ unquestionable
无名英雄：unsung(unknown) hero
无所作为：attempt nothing and accomplish nothing
无缘分：The two are just across the way.
物尽其用：make the best use of everything
物质生活：living standards
物质文明：high material standards / sound economic development

Toyger

X


西部大开发：West China development
希望工程：Project Hope
希望小学：Hope Primary School
瞎指挥：boss somebody around / give confusing orders
下不了台：on the spot /unable to back down with a good grace
下放权力：devolution
下海：plunge into the business sea / start a business
下岗分流：reposition of redundant hands
下游企业：down-stream enterprises
先锋模范作用：play a vanguard and exemplary role
先进工作者：role model employees
现身说法：advise somebody by citing one's own experience as an example
乡巴佬：a country hick
相辅相成：complement each other
相生相克：mutually reinforce and neutralize
想不开：take something to heart
想不通：not convinced/can't figure out why
消气：cool/calm one's anger
小道理服从大道理：The minor principle should be subordinated to the major one.
小而全：small and all-inclusive
小康：relative affluence/enjoy fairly comfortable life
小算盘：petty niggling

Toyger

心理不平衡：feel disturbed
心里美：wholesome mentality
心情复杂：mixed feelings
心往一处想，劲往一处使：think with one mind and work with one heart
心有灵犀一点通：Hearts which have a common beat are linked.
心悦诚服：fully convinced
辛苦了：How was the fight?/You've been working very hard./Thank you for all the trouble you've taken.
新官上任三把火：A new broom sweeps clean.
新新人类：New Human Being / X Generation
新秀：up-and-coming star / rising star
形势逼人：The trend of events is pressing.
形势喜人：The trend of events is encouraging.
胸怀祖国，放眼世界：have national and global view in mind
虚报浮夸：false reports and exaggerate
宣传和舆论工作：public awareness work
喧宾夺主：steal the show
血汗钱：hard-earned money

Toyger

Y


雅俗共赏：Everyone can enjoy. / appeal to all
严打：Strike-Hard Operation,campaign to crack down on criminal activities
严肃处理：seriously investigate and correct
言而无信：go back on one's word / fair to keep faith
言而有信： true to one's word / keep one's word
眼中钉：a thorn in one's flesh / the most hated person
扬长避短：give play to one's strong points and avoid one's shortcomings
摇钱树：cash cow
咬文嚼字：chop logic / mince words
要面子：keen on face-saving
叶落归根：return to one's ancestral home at old age

Toyger

一把手：first in command / boss
一边倒：lean to one side / enjoy overwhelming superiority
一不做，二不休：be in for a penny,in for a pound
一步到位：achieve a goal in one leap
一次性付款：lump-sum payment / pay in full
一刀切：take across-the-board apporach to...
一分钱一分货：One gets what one pays for.
一概而论：lump together / lump things under one head
一个巴掌拍不响：It takes two to make a quarrel.
一个鼻孔出气：sing the same tune
一国两制：one country, two system
一会生，两回熟：difficult the first time,easy the second / strangers first met, friends the second
一见如故：hit it off well right from the start
一块石头落地：One's mind is at last set at rest.
一揽子解决：package settlement
一诺值千金：A promise is a promise.
一切仅在不言中：All is understood,and no words are necessary.
一切向钱看：Put money above all else/ monry oriented
一手抓经济，一手抓民主法制：We attach equal importance to both economic development and democracy and legal system advancement.
一条龙服务：one-stop-shopping service / one package service
一碗水端平：an impartial approach
一言堂：What one says goes.
一言为定：It's a deal.
一要吃饭，二要建设：First,feed the people;and second,build the country.
一衣带水：seperated by a narrow strip of water
一支笔审批：one-chop approval
一专多能：specialized and versatile

Toyger

依法行政：perform official duties according to law
以不变应万变：meet changes with constancy
以工养农：finance agriculture with revenue generated from industries
以进养出：use imports to serve the expansion of exports
以路养路：use tolls to repay loans for road construction and finance new road development 以人为本：people foremost / anthropocentric
以史为鉴，面向未来：keep in mind the past and look toward the future
以...为龙头：with ...as thepowehouse / take the lead in
以...为依托：with ...as the base
以...为重：take to heart
以质量求发展：strategy of growth through quality
义卖：charity sales
义演：benefit performance
阴盛阳衰：rise of yin and fall of yang / Women do better than men.
隐形就业：unregistered employment / veiled reemployment

Toyger

英雄所见略同：Great minds think alike. / We see eye to eye.
英雄无用武之地：There's no scope for one's energies.
赢得市场：gain a large share of the market/ carve a niche in the market
硬道理：absolute priciple / top priority
硬环境：tangible infrastructure
拥军优属：support arm forces and give preferential treatment to famlies of servicemen and martyrs
拥政爱民：support the government and cherish the people
优生优育：promote good prenatal and postnatal care
优势互补：complement each other
忧患意识：awareness of unexpected development/be prepared for any eventualities
有百利而无一弊：have nothing to lose but everything to gain
有备无患：Preparedness averts peril.
有道理：You make a point there./ make sense/ be justified in doing/ well founded