1、1英语习语一、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
2、 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）Dont you see the writing on the wall? 难道你没有看出大难临头了吗？（writing on
3、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) rai
4、n 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) Analtheas 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
5、。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 ones 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
6、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
7、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23) as busy as a bee (From Chaucers 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-2
8、2）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 ones 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
9、：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) Trut
10、h 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 han
11、d.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, ts as easy as turning over ones 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
12、 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
13、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 t
14、o satisfy ones 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刻骨铭心 to be engraved on ones heart and bones 3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-hearted2. 意译法1）There is a
15、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
16、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 He got the sack when they found out that hed lied about his qualifications. 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
17、僵局（沉默、拘束）drive pig to the market 鼾声如雷 under the rose，秘密地、私下地bakers dozen 一打零一、十三 keep ones 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 dont want to live.3) 木已成舟，也只好如此了。
18、Whats done is done, and cant 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.
19、 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 ones son to become a great personage3. 借译（套译）法：套用目的语现成
20、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
21、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 ones 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。 16）Too much kn
22、owledge makes the head bald.学问太多催人老/聪明的头脑不长毛。417）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 didnt expect him to t
23、urn a deaf ear to the comrades criticism.22) 又要马儿好，又要马儿不吃草. You cant 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 ther
24、e 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 ventur
25、e, 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
26、赴汤蹈火 go through fire and water木已成舟。The die is cast. （直译：Whats done is done.） 鼾声如雷 drive pig to the market I heard you driving your pigs to market last night “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 Go ahead and
27、explain, Im 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 Forgive her, shes 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 wol
28、f by the ear/with ones back to the wall/stick in the mud4. 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 gr
29、ow by pulling them upwardspoil things by excessive enthusiasm6）盲人瞎马 A blind man on a blind horserushing 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
30、进入下一轮比赛。 ） 52）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 isnt afraid of the tiger; a youngster is a daredevil 2) 磨刀不误砍柴工 sharpening your knife wont waste your time for cutting your faggot; preparation may quicken the process 4) 人不可貌相，海
31、水不可斗量dont judge a man by his appearance and dont measure the sea with a dou or bucket; he may be more capable than he looks; a man may have more potential than you know5) 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
32、more experience7) 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 caseE. 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
33、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 luste
34、rless 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 nuns voice tearfully in the distance.）在长期的革命历程中，个民主当派与中国共产党同呼吸共命运。In the protracted process of the Chinese
35、 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 / careles
36、sly，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 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
37、荐 to volunteer ones 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 ones career / yo
38、ung and inexperienced6倾城倾国 to be exceedingly beautiful悬梁刺股 to be extremely hard-working in ones 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 ones 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
39、 to look for fish指鹿为马 to talk black into white1） “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 Qi
40、n 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
41、Beauty is in the eye of the beholder/lover. / Beauty lies in the loves eyes.（二）套译法：to meet ones 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） He got the sack when they found out that hed lied about his qualifications. After onl
42、y 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 hes 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 th
43、e hope that one day youll 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) Archilles heel- 阿克勒斯的脚踵，致命弱点 2) Pandoras 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
44、，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) SphinxS Riddle 斯芬克司之谜，难解之谜7）They have, by this very act , opened a Pandoras 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
45、box of Pandora, with this important difference; that they rarely leave hope at bottom. 政府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。7B. 直译加解释 (literal translation + annotation) :1）百步穿杨 To shoot an arrow through a willow leaf at the distance of 100 steps, extremely good at shootingNote: The allusion goes back
46、 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 awkwardlyNote: Legend has it that a youngster from the State of Yan saw that the Handans walk was
47、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 ma
48、n 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
49、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 dream7) 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 mo
