俚语俗语与谚语

俚语、俗语与谚语(一)

A bad beginning makes a bad ending.

不善始者不善终

A bad workman quarrels with his tools.

不会睡觉怪床歪

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

十鸟在树，不如一鸟在手

A bit trying

有些苦恼

A burnt child dreads the fire.

一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳

A cat has nine lives.

猫有九命

A cat may look at a king.

一视何伤

A constant guest is never welcome.

久住令人贱

A contented mind is a perpetual feast.

知足常乐

A crooked stick will have a crooked shadow.

上梁不正下梁歪

A fool may throw a stone into a well which a hundred wise men cannot

put out.

一愚闯祸，百智难补

a friend in need is a friend indeed/ tested friends/ share weal and

woe.

患难中的朋友才是真正的朋友/雪中送炭真君子

A friend is easier lost than found.

朋友易失不易得

A good beginning is half done./Well begun is half done.

良好的开端就是成功的一半.

A good beginning is half done.

能善其始，事已半成

A good beginning makes a good ending.

善始善终

A good book is the best friends, the same today and forever.

好书如挚友，情谊永不

A good gain takes long pain.

好事多磨

A good lather is half a shave.

良好的开端等于成功的一半

A good name is better than riches.

名声好，胜金宝

A good tale is none the worse for being told twice.

好戏不厌百回看

a heart of gold

道德高尚的人

a heart of oak

果断的人

A hundred pounds of sorrow pays not one ounce of debt. 百镑愁难还一分债

A Jack of all trades is master of none.

样样精通样样稀松

A little learning is a dangerous thing.

一知半解是危险的事。

A man cannot whistle and drink at the same time.

一心不能两用

A man who has friends must show himself friendly.

要想交朋友，就得有诚意

A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.

人无笑脸不开店

A miss is as good as a mile.

失之毫厘，差之千里

A near neighbor is better than a distant cousin.

远亲不如近邻

A necessary lie is harmless.

必要的谎言无妨

A pin a day is a groat a year.

聚沙成塔

A reformed rake makes the best husband.

浪子回头金不换

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

转石不成苔，转业不聚财

A stitch in time saves nine.

一劳永逸

A stone in a wall is not lost.

金簪掉在井里头?有你的就是有你的

A straw shows which way the wind blows.

见微知着

A three-hundred-mile journey starts with the first step. 千里之行,始于足下

A waterside pavilion gets the moonlight and plants facing the sun

grow better.

近水楼台先得月，向阳花木早逢春。

a white elephant

暴殄天珍

A word is enough to the wise.

快马一鞭

A word spoken is past recalling.

一言既出，驷马难追

A work ill done must be twice done.

首次做不好，必须重新做

A young idler, an old beggar.

少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲

Absent-minded professor

无头苍蝇

Act one's age

适龄行为

Actions speak louder than words.

行动胜于言辞/坐而言，不如起而行

After a fashion

差劲

After a storm comes a calm.

雨过天晴

All good things come to an end.

好花不常开，好景不常在/一切美好的事物皆有终结之时All is fair in love and war.

情场如战超不择手段

All is fish that comes to the net.

抓到篮里便是菜

All lay loads on a willing horse.

人善被人欺，马善被人骑

All roads lead to Roma.

条条大道通罗马\殊途同归

All that glitters is not gold.

闪光的东西并非都是金子

All things are difficult before they are easy.

万事起头难

All's well that ends well.

结局好的就算好

Amiss is as good as a mile.

差之毫厘，失之千里

an ax to grind

图谋不轨

An empty sack cannot stand upright.

空袋立不直

An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

以眼还眼，以牙还牙

An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told.

诚实的故事，哪怕是平淡地讲，也传得最快

An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.

一日之间在于晨

An onlooker sees most of the game.

旁观者清

Appearances are deceptive.

人不可貌相

Art is long, but life is short.

人生有限，学海无涯

Art is long, life is short.

人生朝露，艺业千秋

as always

一如既往

as poor as a church mouse

一贫如洗

as red as a rose

艳如桃花

As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.

一不做二不休

as wet as a drowned rat

湿如落汤鸡

As you brew so you must drink.

自作自受

As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.

自食其果/自作自受

As you sow, so shall you reap.

种豆得豆，种瓜得瓜

assess the situation, go with the tide

审时度势，顺应潮流

at one's wit's end

智穷才尽

俚语、俗语与谚语(二)

back and forth

前前后后

Bad news travels fast.

坏事传千里

Barking dogs seldom bite.

爱叫的狗很少咬人

be all fingers and thumbs(be very awkward and clumsy in handling things)

做事笨手笨脚

Be careful with thing and merciful with people.

对物要爱惜，对人要感恩

be far-sighted

be in the same boat

同舟共济

be kept waiting for some time

苦苦等候

be open and aboveboard

光明磊落

be true to one's name

名副其实

be very ungrateful

以怨报德

Beauty is but skin deep.

人不可貌相

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

情人眼里出西施

Beauty is only skin-deep.

人不可貌相

Beggars must not be choosers.

饥不择食

bell the cat

风险重重

Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.

宁为鸡头，不为凤尾

Better late than never .

迟做总比不做好

Better master one than engage with ten.

会十事不如精一事

Better the devil you know than the devil you do not know. 明枪易躲，暗箭难防

Birds of a feather flock together.

鸟以群分，物以类聚

bite the hand that feeds one

忘恩负义

Bitter pills may have wholesome effects.

良药苦口

Blood is thicker than water.

疏不间亲/血浓于水

bonkers

疯狂的

both feet on the ground

实事求是

Boys will be boys.

男孩子毕竟是男孩子

Brazen-faced

burn one's boats

破釜沉舟

bury one's head in the sand

无视事实

Business comes before pleasure.

正事在先，玩乐在后

Buyers want a hundred eyes; sellers，none.

买东西的要有百只眼，卖东西的可以不长眼.

By George

的确

by the grapevine

小道消息

can of worms

一团糟

cannot see the wood for the trees

只见树木不见森林

carry the can

面对责备,负起责任

change with each passing day

日新月异

chaos

乌烟瘴气

Clothes do not make the man.

人不可貌相

Clothes make the man.

人要衣装，佛要金装

Come Across A Tiger In The Mountain

山中遇虎

come straight to the point

开门见山

Coming events cast their shadows before.

山雨欲来风满楼

Comparisons are odious.

人比人，气死人

Constant dropping wears away the stone.

滴水穿石

cool one's heels

坐冷板凳

Craft must have clothes, but truth loves to go naked. 诡计需要伪装，真理喜欢阳光

Custom makes all things easy.

熟能生巧

Custom reconciles us to everything.

习惯成自然

Cut your coat according to your cloth.

量入为出

Dead men tell no tales.

死无对证

Deal with a man as he deals with you.

以其人之道还治其人之身

deli(delicatessen)

熟食店

deserve one's reputation

名不虚传

Diamond cut diamond.

强中更有强中手

Diligence is the mother of success.

失败是成功之母

disco(discotheque)

迪斯科

divi(dividend)

红利

Do as I say, not as I do.

照我说的做，别照我做的做

Do as you would be done by.

己所不欲,勿施于人

Do evil that good may come.

行恶以求善果

Do in Rome as the Romans do.

入乡随俗

Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.

别过早地乐观

Don't cross the bridge until you come to it.

不要杞人忧天

Don't cry stinking fish.

不要喊鱼腥/卖瓜不说瓜苦/老王卖瓜，自卖自夸

Don't do unto others what you don't want others do unto you. 己所不欲勿施于人

Don't let the cat out of the bag.

不要泄露机密

Don't meet trouble half-way.

勿杞人忧天

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

勿孤注一掷

Don't put off till tomorrow what should be done today.

今日事今日毕

Don't quarrel with your bread and butter.

端人家碗，服人家管

Don't ride the high horse.

勿摆架子

Don't teach your grandmother to suck egg.

不要对着耶稣讲道理

Don't wash your dirty linen in public.

家丑不外扬

Don′t judge a person by the clothes he wears.

不能以貌取人

down-to-earth

平易近人

draw worldwide attention

举世瞩目

Early to bed and early to rise.

早睡早起

Easier said than done.

说起来容易，做起来难

East or west, home is best.

管他东方或西方，家是最好的地方/兔儿满山跑，依旧归老巢

Easy come, easy go.

来的容易去的快

easy meat

易辨的事

Empty talks would lead the country astray, and hard work can rejuvenate the

nation.

空谈误国,实干兴邦

Empty vessels make the most sound.

满瓶不响半瓶响叮当

engage in speculation

投机倒把/买空卖空

enjoy a happy get-together

欢聚一堂

enjoy popular support

深入人心

Enough is as good as a feast.

知足常乐

Equal pay for equal work.

同工同酬

Even Homer sometimes nods.

智者千虑必有一失

Every dog has his day.

困龙也有上天时

Every dog has its/his day./A man his hour, and a dog has his day. 人人均有得意

Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard.

家家有本难念的经

Every flow must have its ebb.

人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺

every little counts/helps

积少成多

Every man is his own worst enemy.

一个人最大的敌人就是他自己

every now and then

时时刻刻

Everyone to his taste.

人各有所好

Example is better than precept.

身教重於言教

Experience is the best teacher.

前事不忘後事之师

Experience is the mother of wisdom.

不经一事，不长一智

Extremes meet.

物极必反

Facts speak louder than words

事实胜于雄辩

Failure is the mother of success.

失败为成功之母

faint-hearted

胆小的

Familiarity breeds contempt.

近之则不逊

feel like an old friends at first sight

一见如故

Fine feathers make fine birds.

人要衣装，马要鞍

First come, first served.

先来先招待

First impressions are most lasting.

先入为主

First time strangers, second time friends

一回生,二回熟

Follow the river and you will get to the sea.

顺藤摸瓜

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

初生牛犊不怕虎

俚语、俗语与谚语(三)

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.

花开堪折直须折

get the opposite of what one intended

事与愿违

get the sack

炒鱿鱼

Give a dog a bad name and hang him.

谗言可畏/欲加之罪，何患无辞

Give a thief enough rope and he, ll hang himself.

多行不义必自毙

give him an inch and he'll take an ell.

得寸进尺

Give knaves an inch and they will take a yard.

得寸进尺

go for broke

尽最大努力

go while the going is good.

三十六计,走为上计

God helps those who help themselves.

自助者天助之

Gold will not buy everything.

金钱并非万能

Good opportunity, favorable geographical location and support from the people.

天时、地利、人和

Good things come in small packages.

乡人不识货，尽捡大的摸

good wine needs no bush

酒香不怕巷子深

Grasp all, lose all.

样样都要，全都失掉

Great minds think alike.

英雄所见略同

Great oaks from little acorns grow.

万丈高楼从地起

grow with every passingday\flourishing

蒸蒸日上

Half a loaf is better than no bread.

聊胜於无

Half the world knows not how the other half lives.

一家不知一家事，神仙不知瓜里事

hard and fast

hard-hearted

铁石心肠的

Haste makes waste.

欲速则不达

have one's wish fulfilled

如愿以偿

He laughs best who laughs last.

最后笑的人笑得最得意

He that commits a fault thinks everyone speaks of it.

作贼心虚

He that hath a full purse never wanted a friend.

有钱有酒，必有朋友

He that is full of himself is very empty.

自满的人是空虚的

He that touches pitch shall be defiled.

近朱者赤，近墨者黑

He who knows most speaks least.

识多者寡言

He who laughs last, Laughs Best.

谁笑在最后谁笑得最甜

He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount.

骑虎难下

he who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom.

千里之行,始于足下

heart and soul

全心全意地

heart of stone

石头心肠

heart-to-heart

坦白的

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

天助自助者

Homer sometimes nods.

圣贤也有缺失

Honesty is the best policy.

诚实是上策

How happy we are, To meet friends from afar!

有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎!

Hunger is the beat sauce.

饥不择食

If a little knowledge is dangerous, where is the man who has so much as to be out

of danger?

如果说知识短少是危险的话，到哪里去找知识丰富到足以摆脱危险的人物呢?（生物学家汤马斯.赫胥黎（Thomas Huxley））

If the sky falls, we shall catch larks.

杞人忧天

If you kill one flea in March you kill a hundred.

二月杀跳蚤，杀一少百

If you run after two hares, you'll catch neither.

脚踏两头船摆渡难

in a hundred and one thousand ways

千方百计

In doing, we learn.

经一事，长一智

In fair weather prepare for the foul.

未雨绸缪

In for a penny, in for a pound.

一不做，二不休

in one's heart of heart

在内心深处

in spite of oneself

不由自主

In the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

比上不足，比下有余/山中无老虎，猴子称霸王

In wine there is truth.

酒後吐真言

invigorating/boosting/prospering China through science and technology

科技兴国

issue IOUs

打白条

It goes in one ear and out the other.

左耳朵进，右耳朵出

It is dogged that does it.

天下无难事，只怕有心人

It is easier to go up the hill than to run down.

上山容易，下山难

It is easier to pull down than to build.

百年成之不足，一旦毁之有余

It is love that makes the world go round.

情之一字，所以维持世界

It is never too late to mend.

亡羊补牢，时犹未晚

It is no use crying over spilt milk.

既坠釜甑，反顾无益

It takes ten years to grow trees but a hundred years to educate people.

十年树木,百年树人

It takes two to make a quarrel.

一个巴掌不响

It's a deal.

一言为定

It's a long story.

一言难尽

It's never too late to learn.

活到老，学到老

It's never too late to mend.

亡羊补牢，未为晚也

It's of great urgency that

当务之急

It's self-evident that

不言而喻

It's the nature of beasts.

本性难移

It′s easy to b e wise after the event.

事后诸葛亮

Justice has long arms.

天网恢恢,疏而不漏

Keep something for a rainy day.

未雨绸缪

Kill two birds with one stone.

一箭双雕/一石二鸟

kind-hearted

心地慈祥的

Knowledge is power.

知识就是力量

Knowledge without practice makes half as artist.

有知识无实践只是半个艺术家

learn from other's strong points and close the gap

取长补短

learn to meet practical needs

学以致用

Learn to walk before you run.

循序渐进

Learning is like swimming you don't go forward, you'll

go back.

学如逆水行舟，不进则退

Let bygones be bygones.

既往不究

Let sleeping dogs lie.

莫惹是非/一动不如一静

Let things run their course.

听其自然

Life is but empty dream.

浮生若梦

like a lead balloon

毫无作用

Like father, like son.

有其父必有其子

Little and often fills the purse.

集腋成裘

Live and learn.

活到老学到老/学无止境

Look back to the old, if you would learn the new.

温故而知新

Look before you leap.

三思而后行

Lookers-on see most of the game.

旁观者清

Lost time is never found again.

光阴一去不复返

Love me, love my dog.

爱屋及乌

make great/rapid strides

突飞猛进

Make hay while the sun shines.

打铁趁热

make overall arrangements

统筹兼顾

make spectacle of oneself

出洋相

Make yourself all honey and the files will devour you. 招蜂引蝶

Man proposes, God disposes.

谋事在人，成事在天

Many a little makes a mickle.

积少成多

Many hands make light work.

人多力量大/只要人手多，牌楼搬过河

Many men, many minds.

百姓百姓，一百个心

marble-hearted

铁右心肠

Marriages are made in heaven.

姻缘天注定

Men are blind in their own cause.

人不知自丑，马不嫌脸长

merchant of death

死亡贩子

Might is right.

强权即公理

misfortunes never come singly.

祸不单行

mod(modern)

时髦的,摩登的

Money begets money.

钱赚钱

Money burns a hole in his pocket.

钱烧口袋漏，一有就不留

Money is everything.

有钱能使鬼推磨

Money is the root of all evil.

金钱是万恶之源

Money makes the mare go.

有钱能使鬼推魔

Money talks.

金钱万能/有钱能使鬼推磨

More haste, less speed.

欲速则不达

Murder will out.

纸包不住火

mutual understanding and mutual accommodation 互谅互让

俚语、俗语与谚语(四)

Necessity knows no law.

饥寒起盗心

neither fish nor flesh

非驴非马

network of personal connections

关系网

neut(neutron bomb)

中子弹

Never cackle till your egg is laid.

事未完成莫夸耀

Never do things by halves.

凡事不要半途而废

Never judge by appearances.

Never mind trouble troubles you.

明日愁来明日忧

Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today.

今日事，今日毕

Never put off what can be done today till tomorrow.

今日之事今日毕

New broom sweeps clean.

新官上任三把火

No cross, no crown.

吃得苦中苦，方为人上人

No gain without pain.

舍不得儿子，套不了狼（若非一番寒彻骨，焉得梅花扑鼻香）No pains, no gains.

不劳则无获

no work, no money.

不劳无获

not to wear your heart on your sleeve

不要太情绪化

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

世上无难事，只怕有心人

Nothing is too difficult if you put your heart into it.

世上无难事只怕有心人

Nothing venture, nothing have.

不入虎穴，焉得虎子

null and void

空洞无物

obedience is the first duty of a soldier.

服从是军人的天职

Of two evils choose the lesser.

两害相权取其轻

off and on

断断续续

old chap

老兄

Old friends and old wine are best.

陈酒味纯，老友情深

on one's last legs

日暮途穷

Once bitten, twice shy.

一回遭蛇咬，二回不攒草

Once the tree falls, the monkeys on it will flee helter-skelter

树倒猢狲散

One cannot be in two places at once.

One cannot make an omelet without breaking eggs.

有得必有失

One cannot put back the clock.

盛年不重来，一日难再晨

One enemy is too much for a man in a great post，and a hundred friends too few.

身居要职，朋友百人太少，敌人一个太多

One father is more than a hundred school masters.

胜过师长百位

One good head is better than a hundred strong hands.

强手百双，莫如智者一人

One good turn deserves another.

好心有好报

One is never too old to learn.

活到老，学到老

One man is worth a hundred and a hundred is not worth one.

一人可抵一百，一百不抵一人

One man sows and another reaps.

东家种竹，西家生笋

One must draw back in order to leap better.

以退为进

One pair of heels is often worth two pairs of hands.

走为上策

One swallow does not make a summer.

单丝不成线，独木不成林

one's pound of flesh

合理不合情之要求

Opportunity makes the thief.

财不露白

Out of sight, out of mind.

眼不见，心不想

Over shoes, over boots.

一不做，二不休

pell-mell development

盲目发展/欲速则不达

Penny wise, pound foolish.

小事精明，大事糊涂

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

责人必先责己

person of insight

有识之士

Play by ear.

到时再看

Please give me a hand.

请帮我一个忙

posh

非常时髦的

Practice make perfect.

熟能生巧

present the facts and reason things out

摆事实讲道理

Pretty feathers make pretty birds.

人要衣装

Pride comes/goes before a fall.

骄兵必败

Reading makes a full man.

读书使人完善

Red shy in the morning, shepherd's warning.

早霞不出门，晚霞晴千里

remain fresh in one's memory

记忆犹新

renew friendship

共叙旧谊

rip off

宰客

risk one's fortune in business

下海

Rome was not built in a day.

冰冻三尺，非一日之寒/大器晚成

Rome was not built in a day.

罗马不是一天造成的

second to none

首屈一指

Seeing is believing.

百闻不如一见/眼见为实

seeking increasing perfection

精益求精

Self-praise is no recommendation.

自吹自擂并非推荐之道

serve as a bridge

牵线搭桥

Set a beggar on horseback and he'll ride to the devil. 叫花子发财忘乎所以然

short in weight

缺斤短两

Silly child is soon taught.

要想孩子好，教育要趁早

single-hearted Devotion

专心致志

six of one and half a dozen of the other

半斤八两

So many countries, so many customs.

各地各乡风

Sooner or later, the truth comes to light.

真相迟早会大白

Spare the rod and spoil the child.

不打不成器

spend money like water

花钱大手大脚

spick-and-span

焕然一新

street gossip

街谈巷议

Strike the iron while it is hot./Strike while the iron is hot.

打铁趁热

Strike while the iron is hot.

趁热打铁

stuff and nonserse

乱七八糟

Talk of the devil and he is sure to appear./Talk of the devil and he will appear.

说曹操曹操就到

Talk of the devil and he's sure to appear.

说曹操，曹操就到

tap new sources of revenue and husband existing resources

开源节流

Tastes differ.

羊羹虽美，众口难调

The best fish swim near the bottom.

好戏在後头/好酒沈瓮底)/好鱼居水底

The burnt child dreads the worm.

一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳

The child is father of (/to)the man.

３岁订到老

The early bird gets(/catches) the worm.

捷足先登

The end justifies the means.

为达目的不择手段

The first step is as good as half over.

第一步是最关键的一步

The first step is the hardest.

The fist blow is half the battle.

先下手为强

The gift itself may be small, but the goodwill is deep.

礼轻情意重

The government functions well and the people live in harmony. 政通人和

The grass is greener on the other side of the hill.

这山望着那山高

The greater the truth, the greater the libel.

真理越明，诽谤越凶

The leopard cannot change its spots.

江山易改，本性难移/狗改不了吃屎

The longest day must have an end.

天网恢恢，疏而不漏

The miles of God grind slowly.

人心节节高於天，越是有钱越爱钱

The more you have, the more you want.

人心节节高于天，越富越爱钱

The tailor makes the man.

人要衣装，佛要金装

The used key is always bright.

常用的钥匙常光亮

There is no smoke without fire.

无风不起浪

Thick-kinned.

厚脸皮

Think carefully before leaping.

三思而後行

This is beyond dispute

毫无疑问

Time and tide wait (s) for no man.

时间不等人/岁月不饶人

time and tide wait for no man.

岁月不饶人

Time flies never to be recalled.

光阴一去不复返

Time is money.

时间就是金钱/一寸光阴一寸金

Time is the father of truth.

时间是真理之父

Time tries all things.

时间考验一切

Time tries truth.