所谓的精选就是字字珠玑, 没有烂竽充数的意思. 虽然英语的成语何其多, 没有几万也有几千, 小笨霖不求一网打尽, 但求每个列举出来的成语都是真正有用而且非常好用的成语.例如像是, "说曹操曹操就到"这句中文里耳能详的成语, 你知道英文版要怎么说吗? 答案就在下面喔!
1. Speak of the devil.
说曹操曹操就到.
有些中文的成语用直接用英文翻出来老美还可以接受, 但是 "说曹操, 曹操就到" 这句话要翻可就没有那么容易了.而何况你还要先解释曹操是谁, 那难度又更高了.以前我不会 Speak of the devil 时, 我都是说, That's a coincidence. (那真是一个巧合.) 但是大家现在学会了这句之后, 又更加好用了.下次当你们谈到某人, 某人就正好出现时, 你就可以说 Speak of the devil. 或是 Talk of the devil.
2. That's the best thing since sliced bread.
那是有史以来最好的事情.
像这句话要避免说成, the best thing in the history, 听来就不那么道地.老美他们都是用 the best thing since sliced bread 来表示有史以来最好的事情. 这句话的典故是这样的, 在 1928 年以前, 在美国所贩卖的面包都是整条没有切过的.所以面包买回家后还要自己切. 后来有一个密西根人 Otto Rohwedder 发明了切面包的机器, 美国人一时之间觉得这种机器实在是太神奇了, 所以往后要是有什么很棒的事情发生, 他们就会说那是自从切面包的机器发明以来最好的事情. That's the best thing since slice bread. 这句话我常听到, 例如有一次网路银行 Net Bank 的广告就说, Net Bank is the best thing since sliced bread.
或许你会跟我一样觉得实在很可笑, 因为美国历史上重要的发明何其多. 这个切面包机可能连前一百名都排不进去, 为何把它的发明说成是最棒的事呢? 这个问题也许就要留给老美了. 不过如果你要展现一下自己的创意和幽默感, 建议你可以'故意'把这句话说成, That's the best thing since the invention of space shuttle. (自从太空梭发明以来最棒的事.)
3. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
When you are at Rome, do as they do at Rome.
入境随俗.
在美国有一群特殊的美国人, 他们坚持用传统的方式生活, 自己耕种, 驾马车, 不用电, 不能拍照. 这群人就是 Amish. 也因为这样, 很多他们居住的地方现在却成了观光胜地.听来很讽刺, 不是吗? 话说上次我去某个个 Amish 的市集买东西时, 看到很多的 Amish. 我好奇之下就问其中一个作 Amish 打扮的人说, Are you Amish? 结果你猜他怎么说? 他说, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 天啊! 原来是个冒牌货! 所以大家下次不要再被骗了.
从字面上的意思来看, When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 就是说当你在罗马的时候, 要表现的跟罗马人一样, 所以就有入境随俗的意思在内.另外关于罗马还有一些很常听到的成语可以顺便记一下, Rome was not built in a day. (罗马不是一天造成的.) All roads lead to Rome. (条条大路通罗马.)
4. The lesser of the two evils.
二颗烂苹果中比较不烂的.
记得我刚来美国时我都会把这句话照中文的字面意义下去直接翻译, 说成, The better one of two rotten apples. 当然老美也是听得懂.直到有一次我班上的同学纠正我说, 这句话应该是 The lesser of the two evils. 意谓著二恶相权取其轻. 说得再口语一点, 就是二颗烂苹果中比较不烂的意思吧!
5. This is like chickens and eggs.
这就像是倒底是先有鸡还是先有蛋的的道理.
记得我在小学的时候我就会问, 鸡生蛋, 蛋生鸡, 那到底是先有鸡还是先有蛋.这个问题到我现在念到博士班了还是不会.所以看来这二十年是不是有点浪费了? 回到主题, 任何不知道时间先后的事情我们都可以用 chicken and eggs 来形容. 例如, 到底是有钱才去从政还是从政之后才有钱? This is like chickens and eggs.
6. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
情人眼里出西施.
这句话大家都不陌生吧! 要是看到某个美男和某个丑女走在一起, 你就可以深表婉惜地说, "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder." 总之这是各人喜好, 我们也不便多说什么. 另外有一句成语, 一朵鲜花插在牛粪上, 我曾试著用 A flower in the bullshit 来诠释, 可惜似乎老美不太懂我在说些什么. 各位有什么更好的建议吗? 至于速配的话, 可以试试, Every Jack has its Jill. (破锅自有烂盖配.) 或是 Let beggars match with beggars. (乞丐配乞丐)
7. Practice makes perfect.
熟能生巧.
不但是音乐家也好, 运动员也好, 在他们的成长过程中, 总是需要不断的练习才能有完美的演出. 这就造就了一句成语, Practice makes perfect. 鼓励别人要不断地去尝试错误.类似的成语例如 When at first you don't succeed, try try again. (如果一开始不成功的话, 要不断地尝试下次, 注意这里的 try try again 不是我多打了一个 try 而是老美真的是这样说的.),
8. There is no such a thing as free lunch.
天下没有白吃的午餐.
这句成语太出名了, 似乎没有人不知道.这也是经济学的理论基础吧! 天底下没有那么好的事情可以不劳而获. 总之, 当我们听到一件事情好到不可思议时, 例如一元手机, 免费上网, 我们就可以对别人说, There is no such a thing as free lunch.
但是有规则就有例外, 个人觉得美国的'教会或是救世军 (Salvation Army) 之类的慈善组织就蛮喜欢请大家吃免费的午餐.例如他们有时会办一些免费的 BBQ, 随到随吃, 吃到饱为止, 完全打破了天下没有白吃的午餐这个规则.
9. If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance, baffle them with your bullshit.
如果你无法用你的才能无法说服别人, 就用你的废话迷惑别人吧!
这也许是个不争的事实, 老美在数理的基础上也许不如我们东方人, 但他们在数据收集, 上台报告方面却硬是比我们强上一大截, 这或许也是外国人无法在美国站上主流社会的原因之一吧! 所以各位要记得, baffle others with your bullshit. 把三分的结果加上七分的 bullshit. 就能拿到一个十分的成绩. 或许很讽刺, 但现实生活不也是如此吗?
还有一些类似摆烂的成语, 蛮有趣的, 例如, If everything else fails, manipulate the data. (如果所有的方法都失败了, 就试著去改变量据吧!) 或是 If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that suggests you tried. (如果你不成功, 就把建议你这么作的所有证据都给毁了.)
10. God is shining on you.
你真是幸运.
God is shining on you 就是指一个人非常幸运, 也就等于 You are very lucky 的意思. 例如大家修理一台机器都修不好, 结果你一来一下子就把问题给找出来, 别人就会对你说 God is shining on you.
《一个乞丐》英语
A Beggar-一个乞丐
At a street corner squats a beggar。 He is always there， under the tree， in the shade。 Senile as he is， he crouches in some ragged pieces of cloth。 He is there， always there， like a sculpture in the street。 Day after day， thousands of people pass in front of him hurriedly。 Some spare coins， most give a quick glance in disgust。 However， it shocks me very much。 What a miserable life a human being can bear!
At the first sight， you will be appalled that God has created such an emaciated creature。 His dark face is full of wrinkles， deep or shallow。 They remind people of the hardship the beggar has experienced。 His cheeks are bony while his neck is so thin。 His hair is bedraggled like a nest， a nest with a coat of oil。 What an impressive sculpture it is! Most of the time， his mouth speaks while his eyes are half closed。 But once a pedes trian passes by， he will keep nodding his head slightly and auto matically as if a gust of wind had forced him to do so。 At the same time， he raises his gnarled right hand from the ground，murmuring to beg。 What a hand! It is a seamy， shriveled hand。 The wrinkles in his skin are stretching， twisting and in tersecting。 Dirt fills the grooves。 In front of him lies an dilapidated bowl with only a few coins in it。 Believe it or not， it is more and more difficult to make a living by begging。 Beside him， there is a stick as slim as his legs as if the third leg of the poor old beggar。
The sun is shining in the sky， but it doesn't shine every corner of the world。 There are still people who are not bathed in the sunshine。 The beggar is just one of them。
简 评
本文用生动的语言形象地刻画了一位在路边以乞讨为生的孤苦老人。作者非常注重细节的描写，如乞讨者布满皱纹、饱经风霜的脸，乱蓬蓬油腻的头发，半张半合的眼睛，粗糙的手，瘦弱的腿和脖子，他面前的.破碗，破烂的衣服等。还包括乞讨者的动作，如向行人点头，伸手乞讨等。此外，作者还描述了行人厌恶的神色，进一步渲染了乞讨者艰难的处境，以唤起读者的共鸣。
美中不足的是作者对乞讨者的描写没有遵循一定的顺序。描写文的写作一般要按一定的空间顺序组织，如：从上到下、从里到外、从远到近等，使文章显得更有条理。此外，在描写人物时，要抓住其最主要的特征，避免面面俱到。
本文在语言表达上的一大特色是词汇丰富而准确。如bony(cheeks)，thin(neck)，bedraggled(hair)，gnarled(hand)，stretching，twisting，intersecting(wrinkles)，dilapidated(bowl)等。作者还恰如其分地运用了一些修辞手法，特别是比喻，如His hair is bedraggled like a nest，a nest with a coat Of oil；there is a stick as slim as his legs;he will keep nodding his head slightly and auto matically as if a gust of wind had forced it to do so。
常用英语句子带翻译
1、Business is the salt of life.
事业是生命之盐。
2、Business before pleasure.
事业在先，享乐在后。
3、Business makes a man as well as tries him.
事业可以考验人，也可以造就人。
4、Business neglected is business lost.
忽视职业便是放弃职业。
5、Never think yourself above business.
勿自视过高；不要眼高手低；永远不要认为自己是大才小用。
6、Business may be troublesome,but idleness is pernicious.
事业虽扰人，懒惰害更大。
7、He that thinks his business below him will always be above his business.
自命大才小用，往往眼高手低。
8、Do business,but be not a slave to it.
要做事，但不要做事务的奴隶。
9、Everybody’s business is nobody’s business.
众人的事就是无人过问的事。
10、Work makes the workman.
勤工出巧匠。
11、Better master one than engage with ten.
会十事，不如精一事。
12、A work ill done must be twice done.
首次做不好，必须重新搞。
13、They who cannot do as they would,must do as they can.
不能如愿而行，也须尽力而为。
14、If you would have a thing well done,do it yourself.
想把事情来做好，就得亲自动手搞。
15、He that doth most at once doth least.
什么都想一次做完，结果一件也做不完；贪多嚼不烂。
16、Do as most men do and men will speak well of thee.
照大多数人那样干，人们会把你称赞。
17、What may be done at any time will be done at no time.
在任何时候都可做的事情，总是在任何时候都不做的事情。
18、Better late than never.
迟做总比不做好。
19、Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.
凡是值得做的事，就值得做好。
20、The shortest answer is doing the thing.
最简短的回答就是一个“干”字。
21、Action is the proper fruit of knowledge.
行动是知识之佳果。
22、Finished labours are pleasant.
完成工作是一乐。
23、It is lost labour to sow where there is no soil.
没有土壤，播种也是徒劳。
24、It is right to put everything in its proper use.
凡事都应用得其所。
25、Affairs that are done by due degrees are soon ended.
按部就班，事情很快就做完。
26、All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
只工作，不玩耍，聪明小孩也变傻。
27、Work bears witness who does well.
工作能证明谁做的好。
28、It is not work that kills,but worry.
工作不会伤身，伤身乃是忧虑。
29、He that will not work shall not eat.
不工作者不得食。
30、Business is business.
公事公办。()
31、Deliberate slowly,执行 promptly.
慢慢酌量，快快行动。
32、Put your shoulder to the wheel.
努力工作。
33、Never do things by halves.
做事不要半途而废。
34、In for a penny,in for a pound.
做事一开头，就要做到底；一不做，二不休。
35、Many hands make quick work.
人多干活快。
36、Many hands make light work.
众擎易举。
37、A bad workman quarrels with his tools.
技术拙劣的工人抱怨自己的工具。
38、Diligence is the mohter of success.
勤奋是成功之母。
39、Idleness is the root of all evil.
懒惰乃万恶之源。
40、Care and diligence bring luck.
谨慎和勤奋带来好运。
41、Diligence is the mother of good fortune.
勤勉是好运之母。
42、Industry is fortune’s right hand,and frugality her left.
勤勉是幸运的右手，世俭是幸运的左手。
43、Idleness is the key of beggary.
懒惰出乞丐。
44、No root,no fruit.
无根就无果。
45、Idle people （folks） have the most labour （take the most pains）。
懒人做工作，越懒越费力。
46、Sloth is the key of poverty.
惰能致贫。
47、Sloth turneth the edge of wit.
懒散能磨去才智的锋芒。
48、An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.
懒汉的头脑是魔鬼的工厂。
49、The secret of wealth lieth in the letters SAVE.
节俭是致富的秘诀。
50、An idle youth,a needy age.
少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。
