中高级笔译常用成语英译

 　　中华文化源远流长，汉语博大精深，在做汉译英的过程中，我们经常会遇到一些成语表达，这些成语言简意赅，表达准确，可是在翻译成英语的时候就要让译者费不少功夫。今天我们就来介绍其中常见的一些成语的英译，供大家参考。

　　（一）并列关系

　　名山大川famous mountains and great rivers

　　名胜古迹scenic¹ spots and historical sites

　　湖光山色landscape of lakes and hills

　　青山绿水green hills and clear waters

　　奇松怪石strangely-shaped pines and grotesque² rock formations

　　平等互利equality and mutual³ benefit

　　扬长避短play up strengths and avoid weaknesses

　　反腐倡廉fight corruption⁴ and build a clean government

　　简政放权streamline⁵ administration and institute decentralization

　　集思广益draw on collective wisdom and absorb all useful ideas

　　国泰民安the country flourish and the people live in peace and harmony

　　政通人和the government functions well and people cooperate well

　　国计民生national welfare and the people’s livelihood⁶

　　辞旧迎新bid farewell to the old year and usher⁷ in the new

　　徇私舞弊bend the law for personal gain and engage in fraud

　　流连忘返linger on with no thought of leaving for home

　　国际局势复杂多变the complex and volatile⁸ international situation

　　开拓进取blaze new trails and forge ahead

　　求同存异seek common ground while shelving differences

　　（二） 语意重复

　　广袤无垠的中华大地the boundless⁹ expanse of the Chinese territory

　　高瞻远瞩的决策a visionary/far-sighted decision

　　贯彻落实重大决策carry out/ implement¹⁰ a series of major policy decisions

　　层峦叠嶂peaks rising one after another

　　优胜劣汰survival of the fittest

　　延年益寿prolong one’s life

　　灵丹妙药panacea¹¹ / miraculous¹² cure

　　长治久安a long period of stability

　　求真务实pragmatic

　　审时度势size up the trend of events

　　招商引资attract investment

　　誉满全球举世闻名world-renowned

　　功在当代，利在千秋in the interest of the current and future generations

　　继往开来，承前启后(continue the past and open up the future ) break new ground for the future

　　路遥知马力，日久见人心Time will tell.

　　吃的苦中苦，方知甜中甜no sweet without sweat

　　车到山前必有路，船到桥头自然直in the end things mend /there’s always a way out

　　急功近利eager for instant success and quick profits

　　大黑扫黄crack down on gangland and pornography

　　德高望重of high ability and integrity

　　互利互补mutually complementary and beneficial

　　互谅互让mutual understanding and accommodation

　　遵纪守法observe the relevant code of conduct and the law

　　（三） 目的关系

　　减员增效downsize (and cut payroll) to improve efficiency (for efficiency)

　　退耕还林return cultivated land to forest or pastures

　　集资办学raise money to set up new schools

　　结党营私form cliques for private gain

　　扭亏为盈turn a loss-making enterprise into a profitable one

　　（四） 途径方式

　　寓教于乐teach through lively activities

　　因材施教teach students according to their aptitude

　　按劳分配distribution according to performance

　　以商养文support /sponsor cultural activities with the profits from doing business

　　（五） 偏正词组

　　廉洁奉公honestly perform one’s official duties

　　环境绿化environmental greening

　　超前消费premature consumption; Over-consume; excessive consumption

　　以强凌弱the strong domineering over the weak

　　以人为本people foremost; People-oriented

　　（六） 动宾关系

　　优势互补complement each other’s advantages

　　自主经营，自负盈亏make one’s own management decisions, take full responsibility for one’s own profits and losses

　　（七） 条件关系

　　不进则退no progress simply means regression

　　（八） 省略意象

　　瞻前顾后over cautions and indecisive

　　源远流长have a long history

　　呕心沥血spare no efforts

　　画龙点睛bring out the crucial point

　　花天酒地go on the loose

　　汗马功劳exploits

　　闻名遐迩famous

　　独具匠心original

　　中流砥柱mainstay, chief cornerstone

　　鱼米之乡a land of milk and honey

　　世外桃源a haven of peace

　　浩如烟海的文化典籍numerous volumes of literature

　

1 scenic   

adj.自然景色的，景色优美的

参考例句：

• The scenic beauty of the place entranced the visitors.这里的美丽风光把游客们迷住了。
• The scenic spot is on northwestern outskirts of Beijing.这个风景区位于北京的西北远郊。

2 grotesque   

adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）

参考例句：

• His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。
• Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

3 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

6 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

7 usher   

n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员

参考例句：

• The usher seated us in the front row.引座员让我们在前排就座。
• They were quickly ushered away.他们被迅速领开。

8 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

9 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。

10 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

11 panacea   

n.万灵药；治百病的灵药

参考例句：

• Western aid may help but will not be a panacea. 西方援助可能会有所帮助，但并非灵丹妙药。
• There's no single panacea for the country's economic ills. 国家经济弊病百出,并无万灵药可以医治。

12 miraculous   

adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的

参考例句：

• The wounded man made a miraculous recovery.伤员奇迹般地痊愈了。
• They won a miraculous victory over much stronger enemy.他们战胜了远比自己强大的敌人，赢得了非凡的胜利。