1、中国独特概念词英文表达法中国独特概念词英文表达法(一) 1 中国意念词（Chinesenesses）八卦 trigram 阴、阳 yin, yang道 Dao（ cf. logo）江湖（世界） the jianghu World （the traits world）e.g. You cant control everything in a traits world. (人在江湖，身不由己 )道 Daoism（Taoism）上火 excessive internal heat儒学 Confucianism红学（红楼梦研究） redology世外桃源 Shangri-la or Arcadia开放
2、 kaifang （Chinese openness to the outside world）大锅饭 getting an equal share regardless of the work done 伤痕文学 scar literature or the literature of the wounded 不搞一刀切 no imposing uniformity on 合乎国情，顺乎民意 to conform with the national conditions and the will of the people 乱摊派，乱收费 imposition of arbitrary qu
3、otas and service charge铁交椅 iron (lifetime) posts; guaranteed leading post脱贫 to shake off poverty; anti-poverty治则兴，乱则衰 Order leads to prosperity and chaos to decline2 中华民族的喜庆节日（Chinese Festivial）国庆节 National Day中秋节 Mia-Autumn Festival春节 Spring Festival元宵节 Lantern Festival儿童节 Childrens Day端午节 Dragon B
4、oat Festival妇女节 Womens Day泼水节 Water-Splashing Day教师节 Teachers Day五四青年节 Youth Day3 中国独特的传统饮食（Unique Traditional Chinese Foods） 馄饨 wonton锅贴 guotie (fried jiaozi)花卷 steamed twisted rolls套餐 set meal盒饭 box lunch; Chinese take-away米豆腐 rice tofu魔芋豆腐 konjak tofu米粉 rice noodles冰糖葫芦 a stick of sugar-coated ha
5、ws (or apples,etc.)火锅 chafing dish八宝饭 eight-treasure rice pudding 粉丝 glass noodles豆腐脑 jellied bean curd 4 中国新兴事物（Newly Sprouted Things）中国电信 China Telecom中国移动 China Mobile十五计划 the 10th Five-Year Plan中国电脑联网 Chinanet三峡工程 the Three Gorges Project希望工程 Project Hope京九铁路 Beijing Kowloon Railway扶贫工程 Anti-Pov
6、erty Project菜篮子工程 Vegetable Basket Project温饱工程 Decent-Life Project安居工程 Economy Housing Project扫黄 Porn-Purging Campaign西部大开发 Go-West Campaign5 特有的一些汉语词汇 禅宗 Zen Buddhism禅 dhyana; dhgaya混沌 chaos道 Daosim, the way and its power四谛 Four Noble Truth八正道 Eightfold Path无常 anity五行说 Theory of Five Elements无我 ana
7、tman坐禅 metta or transcendental meditation空 sunyata虚无 nothingness双喜 double happiness(中)，a doubled stroke of luck(英)小品 witty skits相声 cross-talk噱头；掉包袱 gimmick, stunt夜猫子 night people; night-owls本命年 this animal year of sb.处世之道 philosophy of life姻缘 yinyuan（prefixed fate of marriage）还愿 redeem a wish (vows)
8、6 具有文化特色的现代表述大陆中国 Mainland China红宝书 little red book红色中国 socialist China四化 Four Modernizations终生职业 job-for-life铁饭碗 iron rice bowl大锅饭 communal pot关系户 closely-related units外出打工人员 migrant workers关系网 personal nets, closely-knitted guild五讲(讲文明、讲礼貌、讲卫生、讲秩序、讲道德) ：the Five Merits focus on decorum, manners, h
9、ygiene, disciplines and morals四美（心灵美、语言美、行为美、环境美）： the Four Virtues are golden heart, refined language, civilized behavior, and green environment7 中国古代独特事物（Unique Ancient Chinese Items）宣纸 rice paper衙门 yamen叩头 kowtow孔子 Confucius牌楼 pailou；pai-loo武术 wushu（Chinese Martial Arts）功夫 kungfu ；kung fu中庸 the w
10、ay of medium （cf. Golden Means）中和 harmony (zhonghe)孝顺 to show filial obedience孝子 dutiful son家长 family head三纲：君为臣纲，父为子纲，夫为妻纲 three cardinal guides: ruler guides subject, father guides son husband guides wife五常：仁、义、理、智、信 five constant virtues: benevolence (humanity), righteousness, propriety, wisdom a
11、nd fidelity八股文 eight-legged essays多子多福：The more sons/children, the more blessing/ great happiness养儿防老：raising sons to support one in ones old age 8 近一季度见诸报端的中国现代特色词汇翻译基层监督 grass-roots supervision基础税率 base tariff level婚介所 matrimonial agency婚外恋 extramarital love婚纱摄影 bride photo黑心棉 shoddy cotton机器阅卷 ma
12、chine scoring即开型奖券 scratch-open ticket/lottery集中精力把经济建设搞上去 go all out for economic development价格听证会 public price hearings甲 A 球队 Division A Soccer Team家政服务 household management service加强舆论监督 ensure the correct orientation is maintained in public opinion假帐 accounting fraud叫板 challenge; pick a quarrel矫
13、情 use lame arguments渐进式台独 gradual Taiwan independence借调 temporarily transfer扩大中等收入者比重 Raise the proportion of the middle-income group.扩大内需，刺激消费 expand domestic demand and consumption1. 爱心工程 Loving Care Project 2. 安家费 settling-in allowance 3. 安慰奖 consolation prize 4. 暗箱操作 black case work 5. 按资排辈 to a
14、ssign priority according to seniority 6. 按揭贷款 mortgage loan 7. 按揭购房 to buy a house on mortgage; to mortgage a house 8. 把关 guard a pass 9. 霸权主义 hegemonism 10. 吧台 bar counter 11. 把握大局 grasp the overall situation 12. 拔河(游戏) tug-of-war 13. 摆花架子 a metaphor for presenting an attractive facade but in reali
15、ty lacking substance 14. 拜金主义 money worship 15. 百年老店 century-old shop 16. 白热化 be white-hot 17. 摆脱贫困 shake off poverty; lift oneself from poverty 18. 拜把兄弟 sworn brothers 19. 摆架子 put on airs 20. 白马王子 Prince Charming 21. 拜年 pay New Year call 22. 摆谱儿 put on airs; show off; keep up appearances 23. 班车 shu
16、ttle bus 24. 半拉子工程 uncompleted project 25. 板楼，板式楼 slab-type apartment building 26. 斑马线 zebra stripes 27. 班门弄斧 teach ones grandma to suck eggs 28. 搬迁户 a relocated unit or household 29. 半脱产 a partial sabbatical from work 30. 帮倒忙 trying to help but causing more trouble in the process 31. 傍大款 (of a girl
17、) find a sugar daddy; be a mistress for a rich man; lean on a moneybags 32. 包产到户 fixing of farm output quotas for each household; production contracted to each household 33. 包车 to charter a vehicle (bus, train car, etc.); a chartered vehicle 34. 保持国民经济发展的良好势头 maintain a good momentum of growth in th
18、e national economy 35. 保兑银行 confirming bank 36. 暴发户 new rich; upstart (persons or households who suddenly became rich through scrupulous means or unexpected opportunities) 37. 曝光 make public; expose 38. 保护伞 protective umbrella 39. 保健按摩 therapeutic massage 40. 保健品 health care products 41. 爆冷门 produce
19、 an unexpected winner; a dark horse bobbing up 42. 暴力片 splatter film 43. 背投屏幕 rear projection screen 44. 被摘牌的公司 delisted company 45. 本命年 ones year of birth considered in relation to the 12 Terrestrial Branches 46. 奔小康 strive for a relatively comfortable life 47. 本本主义 bookishness 48. 蹦迪 disco dancing
20、 49. 蹦极 bungee, bungee jumping 50. 闭关政策 closed-door policy 51. 闭门羹 given cold-shoulder 52. 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“ 53. 逼上梁山 be driven to drastic alternatives 54. 变相涨价 disguised inflation 55. 边远贫困地区 outlying povert
21、y-stricken areas 56. 边缘知识人 Marginal intellectuals 57. 贬值 devalue, devaluate, depreciate (of a currency) 58. 表面文章 lip service; surface formality 59. 表演赛 demonstration match 60. 并网发电 combined to the grid 61. 伯乐 a good judge of talent62. 剥离不良资产 strip bad assets off 63. 薄利多销 small profit, large sale vol
22、ume 64. 博彩（业） lottery industry 65. 剥夺冠军 strip the gold medal of somebody 66. 薄利多销 small profits but quick returns; small profits and good sales 67. BP 机 beeper, pager 68. 不打不成交 “No discord, no concord. “ 69. 不到长城非好汉 He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man. 70. 不分上下的总统选举结果 the neck-
23、and-neck presidential election result 71. 不感冒 have no interest 72. 不管部部长 minister without portfolio 73. 不良贷款 non-performing loan 74. 不买帐 not take it; not go for it 75. 步行街 pedestrian street 76. 步行天桥 pedestrian overpass 77. 不以物喜，不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses 78.
24、 不正之风 bad (harmful) practice; unhealthy tendency 79. 擦边球 “edge ball, touch ball“ 80. 菜篮子工程 shopping basket program 81. 菜鸟，新手 green hand 82. 采取高姿态 show magnanimity 83. 财务报表 financial statement 84. 参拜靖国神社 visit to the Yasukuni war shrine 85. 参政、议政 participate in the management of State affairs 86. 仓储式
25、超市 stockroom-style supermarket 87. 层层转包和违法分保 multi-level contracting and illegal sub-contracting 88. 茶道 sado 89. 差额选举 competitive election 90. 查房 make/go the rounds of the wards 91. 拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul 92. 拆迁户 households or units relocated due to building demolition 93. 禅 dhyana 94. 产粮大省 gr
26、anary province 95. 产品积压 overstocked products 96. 产品结构 product mix 97. 产品科技含量 technological element of a product 98. 产品生命周期分析 LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) 99. 产权制度、产权关系 property relations; property order 100.唱高调 mouth high-sounding words 101.长江三角洲 Yangtze River delta 102.长江中下游 the middle and lower reach
27、es of Changjiang River 103.畅通工程 Smooth Traffic Project 104.常务理事 executive member of the council 105.超前消费 pre-mature consumption 106.超前意识 superior consciousness 107.超载过牧 overgraze 108.炒作 speculation (stock); sensationalization (news) 109.扯皮 shirk; pass the buck 110.城镇社会保障体系 urban social security syst
28、em 111.承包 contract with 112.城乡信用社 credit corroborative in both urban and rural areas 113.吃老本 live on ones own fat; bask in ones past glory; rest on ones laurels 114.持续、稳定、协调发展 sustained, stable and coordinated development 115.吃大锅饭 “egalitarian practice of “everybody eating from the same big pot“ 116
29、.吃皇粮 “receive salaries, subsidies, or other supported from the government“ 117.充电 recharge ones batteries; update ones knowledge; brush up 118.冲帐 strike a balance; counter-balance accounts; reverse an entry 119.重复建设 building redundant project; duplication of similar projects 120.充值卡 rechargeable car
30、d 121.筹备委员会 preparatory committee 122.筹划指导委员会 steering committee 123.臭老九 stinking ninth category 124.出风头 show off;in the limelight 125.出家 pravrajana; cloister 126.出口转内销 domestic sales of commodities orginally produced for exports 127.触摸屏 touchscreen 128.出气筒 punching bag 129.传销 pyramid sales; multi-l
31、evel marketing 130.穿小鞋 make it hot for; make trouble for 131.春运 (passenger) transport during the Spring Festival 132.此地无银三百两 A guilty person gives himself away by consciously protesting his innocence. 133.辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new 13
32、4.从粗放经济转变为集约经济 shift from extensive economy to intensive economy 135.粗放经营 extensive operation 136.粗放式管理 extensive management 137.促进全球经济一体化 foster integration with the global economy 138.打白条 issue IOU 139.打包儿 use doggy bags to take food home 140.大包干 all-round responsibility system 141.大而全 large and c
33、omprehensive; large and all-inclusive 142.大规模杀伤性武器 mass destruction weapon 143.打黑 crack down on speculation and profiteering 144.打假 crack down on counterfeit goods 145.打假办 Office of Cracking down on Fake Products 146.大减价 markdown sales 147.大贱卖 big offering 148.大款 tycoon 149.大腕 top notch, big shot 15
34、0.大型电视系列片,长篇电视连续剧 maxi-series 151.大学生创业 university students innovative undertaking 152.大要案 major and serious criminal cases 153.大专生 junior college student 154.大专文凭 associate degree 155.待岗 “await job assignment, post-waiting“ 156.代培 train on contract; be commissioned to train; directional training 15
35、7.代销店 commission agent 158.带薪分流 assign redundant civil servants to other jobs while allowing them to retain their original rank and benefits 159.带薪假期 paid holiday 160.待业 job-waiting 161.待业人员 job-waiting people 162.呆帐 dead account 163.代职 function in an acting capacity 164.单边主义 unilateralism 165.党风建设
36、construction of the Party conduct 166.党群关系 Party-masses relationship 167.党政机关 Party and government organizations 168.盗版 VCD pirated VCD 169.德智体美劳 “all around development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetics and labour education “ 170.邓小平外交思想 Deng Xiaopings diplomatic thoughts 171.低调 low keye
37、d (a metaphor for taking a cautious and slow approach) 172.地方保护主义 regional protectionism 173.地方财政包干制 system whereby local authorities take full responsibility for their finances 174.第三代移动电话(3G 手机) third generation mobile; 3G mobile 175.电脑盲 computer illiterate 176.电脑迷 mouse potato 177.点球 penalty kick
38、 178.电视直销 TV home shopping 179.点子公司 consultancy company 180.吊销执照 revoke license 181.丁克一族 DINK (Double Income No Kids) 182.钉子户 person or household who refuses to move and bargains for unreasonably high compensation when the land is requisitioned for a construction project 183.“东突 “恐怖分子 East Turkistan
39、 terrorist 184.“豆腐渣 “工程 jerry-built project 185.渡假外交 holiday-making diplomacy 186.独生子女 the only child in ones family 187.对外招商 attract foreign investment 188.多媒体短信服务 MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) 189.多元化 pluralism 190.多种经营 diversified economy191.法人代表 legal representative 192.发烧友 fancier; zealot;
40、 enthusiastic fan 193.发展不平衡 disparate development 194.发展是硬道理 Development is of overriding importance. / Development is the absolute need. 195.法治国家 a country under the rule of law 196.法制国家 a state with an adequate legal system 197.反败为胜 “bring about a complete turnabout, pull out of the fire“ 198.翻版 r
41、eprint; reproduction; mirror image 199.反腐倡廉 combat corruption and build a clean government 200.翻两番 quadruple 201.翻牌公司 government-body-turned company 202.反倾销措施 anti-dumping measures against 203.防抱死系统 ABS (anti-lock braking system) 204.放下架子 to relinguish haughty airs; to get off ones high horse; throw
42、 off ones airs 205.放心店 trustworthy shop 206.放心肉 quality-assured meat 207.放行单 release permit 208.费改税 transform administrative fees into taxes 209.费改税改革 tax-for-fees reform 210.分流 reposition of redundant personnel 211.分期付款 installment payment 212.疯牛病 mad cow disease; bovine spongiform enceohalopathy (
43、BSE) 213.风险基金 VC funds 214.风险投资 venture capital; risk investment 215.浮动工资 floating wages; fluctuating wages 216.复读机 repeater 217.覆盖率 coverage rate 218.富贵病 rich mans disease (which calls for a long period of rest and expensive diet) 219.复合型人才 inter-disciplinary talent 220.福利彩票 welfare lotteries 221.福
44、利分房 welfare-oriented public housing distribution system 222.扶贫 poverty alleviation 223.扶贫办公室 Poverty Relief Office 224.复式住宅 duplex apartment; compound apartment (a type of residential housing that maximizes usable space by increasing the number of the storey building) 225.服务行业 catering industry 226.
45、改制上市 An enterprise is re-organized according to modern corporate system so that it will get listed on the stock market. 227.干部队伍革命化、年轻化、知识化、专业化 “ make the ranks of cadres more 228.revolutionary, younger in average age, better educated and professionally more competent “ 229.岗位培训 on-the-job training
46、230.高分低能 high scores and low abilities 231.高峰 peak time 232.高峰论坛 summit (forum) 233.高考 (university) entrance examination 234.高难度动作 stunner, stunt 235.高清晰度 high definition 236.高手 master hand, expert 237.(精通电脑和网络的) 高手 geek 238.高新技术产业开发区 high and new technology industrial development zone 239.高原反应,高山反应
47、 altitude stress; altitude sickness 240.个人数字助理 PDA (personal digital assistant) 241.个人演唱会 solo concert 242.个人自扫门前雪， 莫管他人瓦上霜 hoe ones own potatoes 243.功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits. 244.公告板服务 Bulletin Board Service (BBS) 245.公积金 “public accumulation funds, public reserve funds“ 246.公检法 “
48、public security organs, procuratorial organs and peoples courts“ 247.公务员 civil servants; governmental employee 248.恭喜发财 May you be prosperous!; Wish you prosperity. 249.个体经济 private economy 250.跟屁虫 1.ones shadow; to tag along; 2. flatterer, boot licker, ass-kisser, brown-noser 251.广告词 jingle 252.广告电
49、话直销 direct response advertising 253.广告妙语 attention-getter 254.光谷 optical valley 255.光机电一体化 “optical, mechanical and electronic integration“ 256.归口管理 put under centralized management by specialized departments 257.规模经济 scale economy 258.规模效益 scale merit 259.国产化率 import substitution rate; localization rate of parts and components 260.国家重点科技攻关项目 national key scientific and technological project 261.国脚 player of the national football team; footballer of the national team 262.国库券 treasury bonds 263.国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace 264.国家重点科技攻关项目
