成语典故a-b.doc

成语英译
爱屋及乌Love me, love my dog.
半斤八两 six of one and half a dozen of the other
班门弄斧 teach fish to swim; teach one’s grandmother to suck eggs
本末倒置 put the cart before the horse
捕风捉影 catch at shadows
不顾艰险，赴汤蹈火 go through thick and thin; go through fire and water
不伦不类；非驴非马；古怪之人 be neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring
不劳则无获 No pains, no gains. No gains without pains.
不入虎穴，焉得虎子 Nothing venture, nothing have.
　　百闻不如一见Seeing is believing.
　　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
　　笨鸟先飞A slow sparrow should make an early start.
　　不眠之夜white night　
　　不以物喜，不以己悲not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personal losses
　　不遗余力spare no effort; go all out; do one\'s best
　　不打不成交"No discord, no concord.
不择手段 by hook or by crook
吃一堑，长一智 A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.
出生牛犊不怕虎 A new-born calf makes little of a tiger.
船到桥头自会直 You will cross the bridge when you get to it.
　　拆东墙补西墙rob Peter to pay Paul
　　辞旧迎新bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new
打草惊蛇 beat the grass to alert/startle the snake
大海捞针 look for a needle in a haystack
打开天窗说亮话 put all cards on the table
多此一举 carry coals to Newcastle
　　大事化小，小事化了try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to nothing at all
　　大开眼界open one\'s eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener
放长线，钓大鱼 throw a long line to catch big fish
改邪归正 mend one’s ways
隔墙有耳 Walls have ears.
本性难改 The leopard can’t change its spots.
孤注一掷 put all one’s eggs in one basket
光明正大 be fair and square
过河拆桥 kick down the ladder
　　国泰民安The country flourishes and people live in peace
　　过犹不及going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little
　　功夫不负有心人Everything comes to him who waits.
画蛇添足 paint the lily
患难见真情A friend in need is a friend indeed.
浑水摸鱼 fish in troubled waters
火上加油 add fuel to the fire; pour oil on the flame
好了伤疤忘了疼once on shore, one prays no more
　　好事不出门，恶事传千里Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.
　　和气生财Harmony brings wealth
　　活到老，学到老One is never too old to learn.
　　既往不咎let bygones be bygones
见风使舵 (to steer according to the wind)
捡了芝麻，丢了西瓜 Penny wise, pound foolish
骄兵必败 Pride goes before a fall.
捷足先登 The early bird catches/gets the worm.
金窝银窝，不如自家草窝 East or west, home is the best.
酒肉朋友 a fair weather friend
　　金无足赤,人无完人Gold can\'t be pure and man can\'t be perfect.
　　金玉满堂Treasures fill the home
　　脚踏实地be down-to-earth
　　脚踩两只船sit on the fence
　　君子之交淡如水the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green
　　老生常谈，陈词滥调cut and dried, cliché
　　礼尚往来Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
来得快，去得快 Easy come, easy go.
乱七八糟 be at sixes and sevens
　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧"Where there is life, there is hope."
　　马到成功achieve immediate victory; win instant success
　　名利双收gain in both fame and wealth
　　茅塞顿开be suddenly enlightened
　　没有规矩不成方圆Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.
　　每逢佳节倍思亲On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one\'s dear ones far away./ It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.
　　谋事在人，成事在天 "The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. / Man proposes, God disposes. "
　　弄巧成拙be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself.
　　拿手好戏masterpiece
旁观者清 The onlooker sees most of the game.
赔了夫人又折兵throw good money after bad
抛砖引玉a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale
　　破釜沉舟cut off all means of retreat；burn one‘s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end
骑虎难下 hold a wolf by the ears
抢得先机take the preemptive opportunities
　　巧妇难为无米之炊If you have no hand you can\'t make a fist./ One can't make bricks without straw.
　　千里之行始于足下a thousandli journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
　　前事不忘,后事之师Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
　　前人栽树,后人乘凉One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests.
　　One sows and another reaps.
　　前怕狼,后怕虎fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind/ hesitate in doing something
　　强龙难压地头蛇Even a dragon (from the outside) finds it hard to control a snake in its old haunt - Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.
　　强强联手win-win co-operation
　　瑞雪兆丰年A timely snow promises a good harvest.
　　人之初,性本善Man\'s nature at birth is good.
　　人逢喜事精神爽Joy puts heart into a man.
　　人海战术huge-crowd strategy
入乡随俗 When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
山穷水尽 be at the end of one’s rope(tether)
三思后行 Look before you leap.
事难两全 You cannot eat your cake and have it
食言 go back on one’s word
水底捞月 fish in the air
熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect.
　　世上无难事，只要肯攀登"Where there is a will, there is a way. "
　　世外桃源a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;
　　死而后已until my heart stops beating
　　岁岁平安Peace all year round
　　上有天堂，下有苏杭"Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth."
　　塞翁失马，焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing.
　　三十而立"A man should be independent at the age of thirty.
　　 At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself."
      升级换代updating and upgrading (of products)
　　四十不惑Life begins at forty.
　　谁言寸草心，报得三春晖"Such kindness of warm sun, can't be repaid by grass. "
　　水涨船高When the river rises, the boat floats high.
　　时不我待Time and tide wait for no man.
　　杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel
　　实事求是seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
　　说曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.
　　实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.
　　山不在高，有仙则名"No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy; "
　　韬光养晦hide one's capacities and bide one's time
　　糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets
　　天有不测风云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue
　　团结就是力量Unity is strength.
　　“跳进黄河洗不清”"eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean--there's nothing one can do to clear one's name "
　　歪风邪气unhealthy practices and evil phenomena
　　物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.
　　往事如风"The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is past."
　　望子成龙hold high hopes for one's child
　　屋漏又逢连夜雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.
　　文韬武略military expertise; military strategy
　　唯利是图draw water to one\'s mill
　　无源之水,无本之木water without a source, and a tree without roots
　　无中生有make/create something out of nothing
　　无风不起浪There are no waves without wind. There's no smoke without fire.
洗心革面 turn over a new leaf
　　徇私枉法bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends
新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean
　　虚心使人进步,骄傲使人落后Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.
　　蓄势而发accumulate strength for a take-off
　　心想事成May all your wish come true
      心照不宣have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding
　　先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched.
　　先下手为强catch the ball before the bound
　　像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan
　　现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example
　　息事宁人pour oil on troubled waters
　　喜忧参半mingled hope and fear
胸有成竹 have a card up one’s sleeve
雪中送炭 help a lame dog over a stile
　　循序渐进step by step
　　一路平安，一路顺风speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest
一言既出，驷马难追A real man never goes back on his words.
易如反掌 as easy as a turn of one’s wrist
严以律己,宽以待人be strict with oneself and lenient towards others
　　鱼米之乡a land of milk and honey
　　有情人终成眷属Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.
　　有钱能使鬼推磨Money makes the mare go. Money talks.
　　有识之士people of vision
　　有勇无谋use brawn rather than brain
　　有缘千里来相会Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.
　　与时俱进advance with times/keep abreast with times
　　以人为本people oriented; people foremost
　　因材施教teach students according to their aptitude
欲穷千里目，更上一层楼 to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight.
　　欲速则不达Haste does not bring success；More haste, less speed.
　　优胜劣汰survival of the fittest
　　英雄所见略同Great minds think alike.
　　冤家宜解不宜结Better make friends than make enemies.
　　冤假错案"cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases"
　　招财进宝Money and treasures will be plentiful
掌上明珠 the apple of one’s eyes
直言不讳 call a spade a spade
坐立不安 be/sit on pins and needles
　　债台高筑become debt-ridden
　　致命要害Achilles' heel
　　众矢之的target of public criticism
　　知己知彼,百战不殆Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.
　　纸上谈兵be an armchair strategist
　　纸包不住火Truth will come to light sooner or later.
　　左右为难between the devil and the deep blue sea; between the rock and the hard place.

但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
We wish each other a long life so as to share the beauty of this graceful moonlight, even though miles apart.
独在异乡为异客，每逢佳节倍思亲。
A lonely stranger in a strange land I am cast, I miss my family all the more on every festive day.
大江东去，浪淘尽，千古风流人物。
The endless river eastward flows; with its huge waves are gone all those gallant heroes of bygone years.
二人同心，其利断金。
If two people are of the same mind, their sharpness can cut through metal.
富贵不能淫，贫贱不能移，威武不能曲，此之谓大丈夫。
It is a true great man whom no money and rank can confuse, no poverty and hardship can shake, and no power and force can suffocate.
海内存知己，天涯若比邻。
A bosom friend afar brings distance near.
合抱之木，生于毫末，九层之台，起于累土；千里之行始于足下。
A huge tree that fills one’s arms grows from a tiny seedling; a nine-storied tower rises from a heap of earth; a thousand li journey starts with the first step.
祸兮，福之所依；福兮，祸之所伏。
Misfortune, that is where happiness depends; happiness, that is where misfortune underlies.
见贤思齐焉，见不贤而内自省也。
On seeing a man of virtue, try to become his equal; on seeing a man without virtue, examine yourself not to have the same defects.
江山如此多娇，引无数英雄尽折腰。
This land so rich in beauty has made countless heroes bow in homage.
举头望明月，低头思故乡。
Raising my head, I see the moon so bright; withdrawing my eyes, my nostalgia comes around.
俱往矣，数风流人物，还看今朝。
All are past and gone; we look to this age for truly great men.
君子成人之美，不成人之恶。
The gentleman helps others to achieve their moral perfection but not their evil conduct.
君子独立不愧于影，独寝不愧于魂。
A righteous man never feels ashamed to face his shadow when standing alone and to face his soul when sleeping alone.
君子之交淡如水，小人之交甘如醇。君子淡以亲，小人甘以绝。
The friendship between men of virtue is light like water yet affectionate; the friendship between men without virtue is sweet like wine, yet easily broken.
老吾老以及人之老，幼吾幼以及人之幼。
Expend the respect of the aged in one’s family to that of other families; expend the love of the young ones in one’s family to that of other families.
礼尚往来。往而不来，非礼也；来而不往，亦非礼也。
Propriety suggests reciprocity. It is not propriety not to give out but to receive, or vice versa.
两情若是长久时，又岂在朝朝暮暮。
If love between both sides can last for aye, why need they stay together night and day?
路漫漫其修远兮，吾将上下而求索。
The way ahead is long; I see no ending, yet high and low I’ll search with my will unbending.
民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻。
The people are the most important element in a state; next are the gods of land and grain; least is the ruler himself.
千丈之堤，以蝼蚁之穴溃；百尺之屋，以突隙之烟焚。
A long dike will collapse because of an ant-hole in it; a tall building will be burned down by a spark from a chimney’s chink.
锲而舍之，朽木不折，锲而不舍，金石可镂。
Carve but give up half way, even a decayed piece of wood will not break; carve without stop, even metal and stone can be engraved.
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺，此事古难全。
People have sorrow and joy; they part and meet again. The moon dims or shines; it waxes or wanes. Nothing is perfect not even in the olden days.
人之于文学也，犹玉之于琢磨也。
Learning and culture are to a person what polished and grinding are to jade.
三人行，必有我师焉。择其善者而从之，其不善者而改之。
Among any three people walking, I will find something to learn for sure. Their good qualities are to be followed, and their shortcomings are to be avoided.
士不可以不弘毅，任重而道远。仁以为己任，不亦重乎？死而后己，不亦远乎？
An educated gentleman cannot but be resolute and broad-minded, for he has taken up a heavy responsibility and a long course. Is it not a heavy responsibility, which is to practice benevolence? Is it not a long course, which will end only with his death
士之为人，当理不避其难，临患忘利，遗生行义，视死如归。
A moral intellectual is one who escapes no danger in face of truth, discards personal interests in front of disaster, practices righteousness at the expense of life, and looks upon death as going home.
逝者如斯夫！不舍昼夜。
The passage of time is just like the flow of water, which goes on day and night.
顺天者存，逆天者亡。
Those who follow the Heaven’s law will survive; those who go against it will perish.
天将降大任于斯人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，增益其所不能。
When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a great man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones, exposes him to starvation and poverty, harasses him by troubles and setbacks so as to stimulate his spirit, toughen his nature and enhance his abilities.
天生我才必有用。
Heaven has endowed me with talents for eventual use.
天时不如地利，地利不如人和。
Opportunities vouchsafed by Heaven are less important than terrestrial advantages, which in turn are less important than the unity among people.
天行健，君子以自强不息。
As Heaven’s movement is ever vigorous, so must a gentleman ceaselessly strive along.
温故而知新，可以为师矣。
He who by reviewing the old can gain knowledge of the new and is fit to be a teacher.
物格而后知至，知至而后意诚，意诚而后心正，心正而后身修，身修而后家齐，家齐而后治国，国治而后天下平。
Things investigated, genuine knowledge acquired; genuine knowledge acquired ,thoughts purified; thoughts purified, hearts rectified; hearts rectified, personalities cultivated; personalities cultivated, families regulated; families regulated, the states well governed; the states well governed, the whole world will be in peace and tranquil.
相见时难别亦难。
It is unbearable to meet as well as to depart.
学不可以已。青取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于冰。君子博学而日参省乎己，则知明而行无过矣。
There is never an end to learning. The dye extracted from the indigo is bluer than the plant; so is the ice colder than the water. By broadly learning and constantly examining himself every day, the gentleman sharpens his awareness and makes fewer mistakes.
学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。
Learning without thinking leads to confusion; thinking without learning ends in danger.
学而不厌，诲人不倦。
Never be contented with your study; never be impatient with your teaching.
学如逆水行舟，不进则退。
Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.
有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎。
It is such a delight to have friends coming from afar.
玉不琢，不成器。人不学，不知义。
As a jade without chiseling will not become a useful object, a