英译汉常用的方法和技巧（6）
English-Chinese Translation Practice
Course Tutor: SUN Pinghua
英译汉常用的方法和技巧（6）
一、习语的译法
翻译习语时，应当尽能保持原文习语的形象比喻、丰富联想、修辞效果以及其民族、地方特色等。习语不仅大量出现在文艺作品中，在政治和科学论文中也同样经常遇到。习语（idioms）一般包括俗语（colloquialisms）、谚语（proverbs）、俚语（slang expressions）等。习语的英译汉有三种主要方法：（一）直译法；（二）汉语同义习语的套用法；（三）意译法。
（一）直译法
所谓直译法即指在不违背译文语言规范以及不因其错误的联想的条件下，在译文中保留英语
习语的比喻、形象和民族、地方特色的方法。
To fight to the last man
To break the record
Under one’s nose
Armed to the teeth
Packed like sardines
Sour grapes
A die-hard
A gentleman’s agreement
An olive branch
The Trojan horse
The heel of Achilles
The open-door policy
The most-favored-nation clause
The position-of-strength policy
Shuttle diplomacy
The cold war
A cat has nine lives
Blood is thicker than water
Barking dogs do not bite
A rolling stone gathers no moss
战斗到最后一个人 打破记录 在某人鼻子底下 武装到牙齿 挤得象罐头沙丁鱼
酸葡萄 死硬派 君子协定 橄榄树枝 特洛伊木马 阿基里斯的脚踵
悬挂在达摩克里斯头顶上的剑 门户开放政策 最惠国条款 实力地位政策
穿梭外交 冷战 热战 猫有九命 血浓于水 吠犬不咬人 滚石不生苔
（二）汉语同义习语的套用法
有的英语习语和汉语同义习语在内容和形式上都相符合，双方不但有相同的意义和修辞色彩，并且有相同的或大体相同的形象比喻。在这种情况下，汉译时可以直截了当地套用汉语同义习语。例如：
1．双方有完全相同的形象比喻：
To praise to the skies To fish in troubled waters To add fuel to the fire
捧上天去 浑水摸鱼 火上加油
To be on thin ice Walls have ears Strike while the iron is hot
如履薄冰 隔墙有耳 趁热打铁
2． 双方有大体相同的形象比喻：
A drop in he ocean To laugh off one’s head
To shed crocodile tears To be out at elbows
To spend money like water At sixes and sevens
Six of one and half a dozen of the other
One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy
沧海一粟 笑掉牙齿 猫哭耗子 促襟见肘 挥金如土 七颠八倒；乱七八糟
半斤八两 一个和尚挑水吃，两个和尚抬水吃，三个和尚没水吃
（三）意译法
Many kiss the baby for the nurse’s sake. 醉翁之意不在酒。
Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌。
Give me liberty or give me death. 不自由，毋宁死。
To pay Chinese compliments 阳奉阴违
To hold a candle to the devil 助纣为虐
Let speak frankly./ to put all the cards on the table 打开天窗说亮话
It’s unnecessary anxiety. 杞人忧天
We’ve been driven to it. 逼上梁山。
It is better for the doer to undo what he has done. 解铃还待系铃人。
To pick on something to find fault with 吹毛求疵
To cast off one’s old self and take on new self 脱胎换骨
Who chooses well chooses sons-in-law; who chooses badly chooses land. 会选的选儿郎，不会选的选田庄。
A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. 吃一堑，长一智。
To be in the same boat 同舟共济
Like a drowned rat 像个落汤鸡
Strike while the iron’s hot. 趁热打铁。
I have been a stranger in a strange land. 独在异地为异客。
Castle in the air 空中楼阁
Give him an inch and he’ll take an ell. 得寸进尺。
Time flies like an arrow. 光阴似箭。
Nothing comes wrong to the hungry. 饥不择食。
Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚。
There is no smoke without fire. 无火不起烟。
To know like the palm of one’s hand 了如指掌
To throw cold water on 浇冷水
Facts speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。
The burnt child dreads the fire. 一朝遭蛇咬，三年怕井绳。
Even an honest official can’t judge domestic cases. 清官难断家务事。
A long road tests a horse’s strength and a long task proves a man’s heart. 路遥知马力，事久见人心。
The teenagers don’t invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket.
Among so many well-dressed and cultured people, the country girl felt like a fish out of water.
All right, I blame myself. But it’s the last time. We were cat’s-paws, that’s all.
To break the ice, Ted spoke of his interest in mountain climbing, and they soon had a conversation going.
She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth; she thinks she can do what she likes.
Two heads are better than one. （三个臭皮匠胜过诸葛亮。）一人不及两人智。
If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. 脚踏两头船，必定落空。
It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. 猫儿不在，鼠儿成精。
A stitch in time saves nine. 及时缝一针，可以省九针。
注意：有时可以把英语原文中的非习语译为汉语习语，是译文生动有力：
But against the vast expanse of the sky, the chute looked very small.
Over the past several weeks, she had grown increasingly restless.
It is clear that he was one of the outstanding pilots in the whole program.
It was nervous before crowds.
The mere thought of appearing before a crowd frightened me.
The guest was pleased by the distinction but not overwhelmed.
但是，习语的使用不能违背忠实、通顺的翻译标准。如：
The aircraft is small, cheap, pilotless.
It was a chilly day in early spring.
Earthy and gracious, he finds the city dwellers too cold and sophisticated.
练习题
一、试用汉语同义习语翻译下列各习语：
1. To take French leave 2. A stony heart
3. At one’s fingertips 4. To have a hand like a foot 5. As mute as a fish 6. To return good for evil
英译汉常用的方法和技巧（6）
English-Chinese Translation Practice
Course Tutor: SUN Pinghua
英译汉常用的方法和技巧（6）
一、习语的译法
翻译习语时，应当尽能保持原文习语的形象比喻、丰富联想、修辞效果以及其民族、地方特色等。习语不仅大量出现在文艺作品中，在政治和科学论文中也同样经常遇到。习语（idioms）一般包括俗语（colloquialisms）、谚语（proverbs）、俚语（slang expressions）等。习语的英译汉有三种主要方法：（一）直译法；（二）汉语同义习语的套用法；（三）意译法。
（一）直译法
所谓直译法即指在不违背译文语言规范以及不因其错误的联想的条件下，在译文中保留英语
习语的比喻、形象和民族、地方特色的方法。
To fight to the last man
To break the record
Under one’s nose
Armed to the teeth
Packed like sardines
Sour grapes
A die-hard
A gentleman’s agreement
An olive branch
The Trojan horse
The heel of Achilles
The open-door policy
The most-favored-nation clause
The position-of-strength policy
Shuttle diplomacy
The cold war
A cat has nine lives
Blood is thicker than water
Barking dogs do not bite
A rolling stone gathers no moss
战斗到最后一个人 打破记录 在某人鼻子底下 武装到牙齿 挤得象罐头沙丁鱼
酸葡萄 死硬派 君子协定 橄榄树枝 特洛伊木马 阿基里斯的脚踵
悬挂在达摩克里斯头顶上的剑 门户开放政策 最惠国条款 实力地位政策
穿梭外交 冷战 热战 猫有九命 血浓于水 吠犬不咬人 滚石不生苔
（二）汉语同义习语的套用法
有的英语习语和汉语同义习语在内容和形式上都相符合，双方不但有相同的意义和修辞色彩，并且有相同的或大体相同的形象比喻。在这种情况下，汉译时可以直截了当地套用汉语同义习语。例如：
1．双方有完全相同的形象比喻：
To praise to the skies To fish in troubled waters To add fuel to the fire
捧上天去 浑水摸鱼 火上加油
To be on thin ice Walls have ears Strike while the iron is hot
如履薄冰 隔墙有耳 趁热打铁
2． 双方有大体相同的形象比喻：
A drop in he ocean To laugh off one’s head
To shed crocodile tears To be out at elbows
To spend money like water At sixes and sevens
Six of one and half a dozen of the other
One boy is a boy, two boys half a boy, three boys no boy
沧海一粟 笑掉牙齿 猫哭耗子 促襟见肘 挥金如土 七颠八倒；乱七八糟
半斤八两 一个和尚挑水吃，两个和尚抬水吃，三个和尚没水吃
（三）意译法
Many kiss the baby for the nurse’s sake. 醉翁之意不在酒。
Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌。
Give me liberty or give me death. 不自由，毋宁死。
To pay Chinese compliments 阳奉阴违
To hold a candle to the devil 助纣为虐
Let speak frankly./ to put all the cards on the table 打开天窗说亮话
It’s unnecessary anxiety. 杞人忧天
We’ve been driven to it. 逼上梁山。
It is better for the doer to undo what he has done. 解铃还待系铃人。
To pick on something to find fault with 吹毛求疵
To cast off one’s old self and take on new self 脱胎换骨
Who chooses well chooses sons-in-law; who chooses badly chooses land. 会选的选儿郎，不会选的选田庄。
A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. 吃一堑，长一智。
To be in the same boat 同舟共济
Like a drowned rat 像个落汤鸡
Strike while the iron’s hot. 趁热打铁。
I have been a stranger in a strange land. 独在异地为异客。
Castle in the air 空中楼阁
Give him an inch and he’ll take an ell. 得寸进尺。
Time flies like an arrow. 光阴似箭。
Nothing comes wrong to the hungry. 饥不择食。
Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚。
There is no smoke without fire. 无火不起烟。
To know like the palm of one’s hand 了如指掌
To throw cold water on 浇冷水
Facts speak louder than words. 事实胜于雄辩。
The burnt child dreads the fire. 一朝遭蛇咬，三年怕井绳。
Even an honest official can’t judge domestic cases. 清官难断家务事。
A long road tests a horse’s strength and a long task proves a man’s heart. 路遥知马力，事久见人心。
The teenagers don’t invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket.
Among so many well-dressed and cultured people, the country girl felt like a fish out of water.
All right, I blame myself. But it’s the last time. We were cat’s-paws, that’s all.
To break the ice, Ted spoke of his interest in mountain climbing, and they soon had a conversation going.
She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth; she thinks she can do what she likes.
Two heads are better than one. （三个臭皮匠胜过诸葛亮。）一人不及两人智。
If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. 脚踏两头船，必定落空。
It’s no use crying over spilt milk.
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. 猫儿不在，鼠儿成精。
A stitch in time saves nine. 及时缝一针，可以省九针。
注意：有时可以把英语原文中的非习语译为汉语习语，是译文生动有力：
But against the vast expanse of the sky, the chute looked very small.
Over the past several weeks, she had grown increasingly restless.
It is clear that he was one of the outstanding pilots in the whole program.
It was nervous before crowds.
The mere thought of appearing before a crowd frightened me.
The guest was pleased by the distinction but not overwhelmed.
但是，习语的使用不能违背忠实、通顺的翻译标准。如：
The aircraft is small, cheap, pilotless.
It was a chilly day in early spring.
Earthy and gracious, he finds the city dwellers too cold and sophisticated.
练习题
一、试用汉语同义习语翻译下列各习语：
1. To take French leave 2. A stony heart
3. At one’s fingertips 4. To have a hand like a foot 5. As mute as a fish 6. To return good for evil