英语俚语的历史典故

篇一：英语分类记忆词汇大全 历史典故的英文翻译

历史典故的英文翻译

一桶水摇不响，半桶水响叮当

有人照字面译成：The full pot of water makes no sound; the half-empty pot of water is noisy. 老外听后，也许会感到困惑。他们有自己的说法：A little knowledge (or learning) can be (or is) dangerous.（一知半解很危险。）或者说：Still water runs deep.（静水深不可测。）也可以说：He who knows the most says the least.（懂得越多的人，反而说得越少。）

至于"大智若愚"，通常可以这么说：A truly wise person does not show off his (her) ability.（真正聪明的人，是不会显要自己的能力）

水落石出

有人照字直译为：As the water level sinks,the stones are exposed.这样说，恐怕老外还是听不懂。他们的说法是：All secrets may eventually come to light.（所有祕密最后总会曝光。）也可以说：Eventually, every secret will be disclosed.

这山望到那山高

有人译成：The apples on the other side of the wall are the sweetest.（意思是：墙那边的苹果最甜。）当然，如要译成：

If you stand on a mountain, you feel the distant mountain seems higher than yours. 老外也勉强能接受。而他们的最习惯说法是：The grass always looks greener on the other side.（另一边的草，看来总是绿些。） 烈火炼真金，患难见真情

有人译成：Fire is the test of gold；adversity is the test of friendship. 这句译文，虽然很好，老外也能了解，但是他们还有另外的说法：Liquor brings out a person's true color.（烈酒能显示一个人真正的特色。）或者说：Wine reveals a person's true heart.虽然老外不用"烈火炼真金"的比喻，但有"路遥知马力"的说法：By a long road, we know a horse's strength; at times of difficulty, we discover a friend's true character.

雷声大，雨点小

有人译为：The thunder roars loudly, but little rain falls. 或者说： All we hear is thunder, but no rain falls. 虽然这样直译比较容易理解，但是老外的说法是这样的：Actions speak louder than words. （行动胜于言谈。）或 All we hear is words, but there is no action. （只动嘴不动手。）或 Actions and words should go hand in hand. （言行必须一致。）另外，还有英语里还有这样的说法：An empty barrel makes biggest sound.（空洞的话说得太多了。）

人不可貌相，海水不可斗量

有人译为：A man can not be known by his look, nor can the ocean be measured by a dipper. 这样的译法只是直译，如果能够稍加修改，老外就能了解：A man can not be judged by his appearance, nor can the water in the sea be measured by a bucket. 不过，老外通常的说法是这样的：We can not judge a person by appearance only. 或You can not judge a book by its cover.（意思是：一本书的好坏取决于它的内容，而不是它的封面装帧的漂亮与否。）

口蜜腹剑，笑里藏刀

有人译为 His mouth is honey; his heart is a sword. 外国人听了会对这样的比喻摸不着头脑，如果要形容某人"口蜜腹剑，笑里藏刀"，我们可以说 with honey on one's lip and murder in one's heart, 或者 honey-mouthed but dagger-hearted.也可以更直接的译成He is an evil man who has a mouth that praises and a hand that kills.

少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲

有人译成 If you neglect study when you are young, what may happen to your old age? 这句问句会把老外问得云里雾里，因为他们沒有"学而优则仕"的思想，也不认为功课差，将来就会伤悲。他们劝告子女经常说的是Studying / working hard can lead you to a brighter / more promising future.（努力用功会带给你光明的前程。）当然也可以对年轻人说：Study hard when you are young. It will pay off when you get older.（年轻时好好努力，到老的时就会觉得学有所值。）

学如行舟，不进则退

如果直译成：Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back. 老外听后，也许会感到一头雾水。这样修改一下，表达可以清晰一些：Learning seems like rowing upstream（逆流）; if one does not advance, one will fall back.

Learning is like rowing against the current（激流）, if one does not advance, one will retreat. 更直接的说法是：If you don't make progress, you will fall behind.

一日为师，终身为父

有这样的译法：He who teaches me for one day is my father for life. If you are my teacher for even one day, you will be my teacher (mentor) all my life. He who teaches me may be considered my

father-figure for life. 这几种译法意思都是"老师即使对我只有一天的教诲，也会让我一生都受用不尽"。外国人也有他们表达师生关系的谚语，如：Teach others to fish and they will fish for a lifetime.（授人以鱼，不如授人以渔。）Give a man fish, he will have a meal; teach him to fish, he will have food all his life. 忠言逆耳，良药苦口

有人译成：Faithful words are contrary to the ears; good medicine tastes bitter to the mouth. 也有人反译为：Bitter words are medicine; sweet words bring illness.Good advice often jars on the ears; bitter pills have good effects. 这些说法，老外也会 "一知半解", 不如直接一点说成：Honest advice may be distasteful to the recipient. Honest advice is hard to accept. Truth is a hard pill to swallow. 更简单的说就是：Truth hurts.

近墨者黑，近朱者赤

人直译为：one who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black（vermilion 是朱砂或鲜红色的意思。）也有人译成：When you touch black, you become black; when you touch red, you become red. 这种说法，恐怕老外一时无法理解真正含意。不过他们倒有这么说：One takes the behavior of one's company.（一个人的行为，往往受到朋友的影响。） 或 One takes on the attributes of one's associates.（attributes 复数時是指品质、特性；associates 指朋友、同事）简单的说，就是：Watch the company you keep!（小心交朋友！）或者也可以说成：As he who lies with dogs will ride with fleas, how could your son learn anything good by mixing with those people? （你儿子跟那些人混在一起，能学出个好来？）

篇二：历史典故和寓言故事在英语语言文化中的体现

第四节 历史典故和寓言故事在英语语言文化中的体现

一、希腊罗马神话典故在英语语言文化中的体现

Trojan horse 特洛伊木马，比喻暗藏的敌人或危险

between Scylla and Charybdis 进退维谷，左右为难

a Greek gift 危险的礼物、糖衣炮弹

an apple of discord 斗争之源,不和之因,祸根

the heel of Achilles 阿基里斯的脚后跟

the Trojan horse 特洛伊人的木马

Odyssey 奥德赛（漫长而艰难的经历）

He is always buying you expensive clothes，I’m afraid they are Greek gifts for you.

It’s Greek to me．

A Gordian knot （Gordius公元前四世纪小亚细亚地区的一个国王 ） 戈耳迪之结（难解的结,难题 ）

Jean is afraid of everything. How can she cut the Gordian knot in her work?

swan song

All the tickets have been sold for the singer’s performance in London this week--the public clearly believes that this will be her swan song. The Tempest was W. Shakespeare’s swan song in 1612.

under the rose: in secret; privately

The senator told me under the rose that there is to be a chance in the cabinet.

二、源于历史发展的典故在英语语言文化中的体现

（一）、罗马人征服(Roman Britain)对英语语言文化的影响（55BC-410AD）

Do in Rome as the Romans do.

All roads lead to Rome. 条条大路通罗马、殊途同归

Great Caesar! 天哪！

burn one’s boat 破釜沉舟、背水一战

I came, I saw, I conquered. 亲临，目睹，全胜

carry coals to Newcastle 把煤送到纽卡斯尔

（二）、条顿人征服（Teutonic Conquest）对英语语言文化的影响（445-871）

cut someone to the quick 大伤某人的感情

go through fire and water 赴汤蹈火

（三）、诺曼底人征服（the Norman Conquest）对英语语言文化的(来自:WWw.zW2.CN 爱作文网)影响（1066-1381）

take French leave 不辞而别、溜之大吉

take heart 鼓起勇气

return to one’s muttons 言归正传

He laughs best who laughs last. 谁笑到最后，谁得最好。

（四）、北美殖民地的独立对英语语言的影响

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三、源自《圣经》的典故与英语语言文化

bone of the bone and flesh of the flesh

常用来比喻血缘上的亲属关系或思想上的团结一致

The trade union was bone of the bone and flesh of the flesh of the workers. 该工会与工人是血肉相连的。

Adam’s apple

the apple of one’s eye

the salt of the earth 社会中坚；民族精华；优秀份子

An honest, hard-working man is the salt of the earth.

诚实而勤劳的人才是社会的中坚分子。

She read them Shakespeare，but it was casting pearls before swine . Noah‘s ark 诺亚方舟（避难所）

四、源自《伊索寓言》（the Fables of Aesop）

cry wolf , a wolf in sheep’s clothing

sour grapes 吃不到葡萄反说葡萄酸

kill the goose that lays the golden eggs 杀鸡取卵

blow hot and cold 优柔寡断、动摇不定

lion’s share 最大的份额

to meet Waterloo 倒霉，受毁灭性打击，灭顶之灾

Quixote 唐吉可德（充满了幻想的理想主义者）

Gatsby 盖茨比（个人奋斗由穷变富的暴发户）

Many took to gambling and borrowing from Shylocks to pay their

debts.

许多人沉湎于赌博，他们债台高筑，不得不向高利贷者借钱还债。 Smith often Uncle Tommed his boss.

史密斯常对老板阿谀奉承。

汉语成语典故的翻译

1.从古以来，只有“杞人忧天”，就是那个河南人怕天塌下来。（《毛泽东选集》）

From time immemorial no one but "the man of Chi worried lest the sky fall", meaning that only one man from Henan was afraid it might happen.

2.嘴里天天说“唤起民众”，民众起来了又害怕的要死，这和叶公好龙有什么两样。

（《毛泽东选集》）

To talk about "arousing the masses of people" day in and day out and then to be scared to death when the masses do rise---what difference is there between this and Lord Ye's love of dragon?

3. ......嘴上还咯咯地笑着说：“这叫画饼充饥。”（梁斌《红旗谱》） Now he chuckled and commented: "That's called 'Drawing cake to satisfy your hunger'".

第四章

地域文化与翻译

第一节 方位及其相应物的翻译

从南到北from north to south北屋a room with a southern exposure南北朝the Nothern and Southern Dynasties南北对话North-south dialogue

第二节 “东风”、“西风”翻译的争论

第三节 动物的文化意义

一、中国龙文化与西方的dragonWe were real frightened of the math teacher, She was a real dragon.我们的确害怕数学老师，她真是一个凶狠的脾气很坏的老太婆。

“龙”的英译

1.直译+注释龙飞凤舞like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing--lively and vigorous flourishes in calligraphy龙潭虎穴a dragon's pool and a tiger's den--a dangerous spot

2.意译或转换喻体望子成龙to hopre that one's son will become somebody老态龙钟senile; doddering

二、凤凰与 phoenix

“凤凰”与phoenix的不同文化含义：凤凰是中国古代传说中的鸟王，是高贵的象征；在西方文化中，phoenix是“长生不死”的象征。三、龟与turtle

篇三：12个英语俚语形容各类型的人

12个英语俚语形容各类型的人

形形色色的，什么样的人都有，12个英语俚语，帮你形容各类型的人，你是哪个类型呢？

1. a wise guy 骄傲自大的人。

这里的wise并不表示“聪明”，相反它含有讽刺的意味。 Alic’s all right, I guess, but sometimes he’s such a wise guy. 据我看，亚历克这个人还不赖，不过有时候太狂妄自大了。有时候本词组还用于朋友之间的调侃。 Who’s the wise guy that took my lunch box? 是哪位机灵的大爷拿走了我的饭盒？

2. a shrinking violet 畏首畏尾的人。

原意为“正在发蔫的紫罗兰”。紫罗兰在背阴的地方悄悄地开花，所以violet是谦虚的象征，代表“腼腆的人”，但加上shrinking意思就有了变化。 George has a very good mind. He would rise fast in the world if he weren’t such a shrinking violet. 乔治很聪明。如果他不是一个畏首畏尾的人，在社会上早就出人头地了。

3. a backseat driver 不在权限范围内而指手划脚的人。

在美国开车出门是许多人生活的一部分。开车的技术当然每个人都不一样，一般来说，开车的人都不太愿意被别人指指点点。所以我们把那些老是喜欢在后面给开车的人提出不必要的指导和建议的人叫做backseat driver。 One place where you find lots of backseat drivers is in politics. 要说指手画脚的人，在政界你可以找到好多。

4. a wet blanket 令人扫兴的人。

这一表达的来源是：当发生火灾的时候，为了扑火，把湿毛毯盖到火上。后用来指在社交场合泼冷水、令人扫兴的人。 I’m sorry to be such a wet blanket, but I’m afraid I have to go home now. 我让大家扫兴，实在太对不起了。不过，我现在必须回家啦。

5. a late bloomer 大器晚成的人。

原意是“迟开的花”，与人大器晚成相似。 Paul was such a slow worker at first that we almost fired him, but he proved to be a late bloomer. 保罗初来时工作非常迟钝，我们几乎要开除他，但最终证实他是一个有潜力的人。

6. an apple polisher 拍马屁者。

过去美国学生为了讨好老师，把擦得光光亮亮的苹果递给老师，本词组源于此。 You should take much care of him, and he’s a real apple polisher. 你可得多留心那小子，他可是个货真价实的马屁精。

7. an ugly customer 粗暴的人。

Ugly是ugly behavior（行为丑恶）的意思，指使用暴力，威胁他人。Customer原意为“顾客”，转用于表示“一沾上边就会有麻烦的人”。 When he starts drinking, he can become an ugly customer. 他一喝上酒就会大吵大闹，令人真是没办法。

8. a visiting fireman 远方的客人。

原指从地方前来的团体客人。他们从地方前来参加大会，感到一身轻松，吃喝玩乐，挥金如土。现多指重要的商业伙伴或高级官员或公司老板，是需要殷勤招待的客人。 I’m behind in my work because our office had three groups of visiting firemen this week. 本周我们公司有三批远方来客，因此我耽搁了工作。

9. an Indian giver 送东西给人而日后往回要的人。

这一表达法的起源是：在过去，某些印第安部落有送礼必须还礼的习俗。因此，有不少印第安人为了得到新奇的礼物而向白人送礼。后来就把一般给人送礼而指望别人还礼的人都称为“印第安送礼者”。 Toby may have given you these books, but don’t start celebrating yet. He’s famous for being a Indian giver. 托比可能送给你这几本书了，但是不要高兴的太早。他送东西又往回要，是出了名的。

10. a name-dropper 以?a href="http://www.zw2.cn/zhuanti/guanyuluzuowen/" target="_blank" class="keylink">路鸷苁煜さ目谖翘傅街?a href="http://www.zw2.cn/zhuanti/guanyurenzuowen/" target="_blank" class="keylink">人物的人。

Drop是“若无其事地说”。本词语指由于虚荣心作怪，到处胡乱提及著名人士的名字以提高自己身价的人。 Most social climbers are name-droppers. 绝大部分削尖脑袋往上流社会钻营的人，大多喜欢提著名人士的名字。

11. an eager beaver 工作卖力的人。

Beaver海狸是一种哺乳动物，前肢比后肢短，趾有爪，擅长挖掘，忙于筑坝。所以用eager beaver来喻指“干劲十足的人，积极、努力又热心的人”。 He seems never to know what tiredness is, and he’s really an eager beaver. 他似乎从不知什么叫累，真是个用功的人。

12. mall rat 喜欢逛购物中心的年轻人。

Mall是购物中心，有的规模小，有的规模大。一到周末各地的购物中心都

有买东西的人，有的人不见得买什么，只是在里面像老鼠一样钻来钻去。 I used to be a typical mall rat hanging around watching the crowds, especially the girls. But now I join the football club, and I have no time. 我过去是个典型的逛购物中心迷，在那里看人，特别是女孩子。但是现在我加入了足球俱乐部，就没有时间了。