Translation from Chinese to English 汉英翻译 Translation from Chinese to English

The Translation of Proverbs Proverbs come from people’s everyday life and are in turn quite popularly-used by people. The characteristics of both English and Chinese proverbs are: vividness, being deep in meaning , being colloquial and conciseness; if it is a simple sentence, it usually has rhythms; if it is composed of two sentences, it is antithetic. It is very easy to remember them.

How to translate Chinese proverbs into English? 1.Literal translation: e.g.明枪易躲，暗箭难防。It is easy to dodge a spear in the open， but hard to guard against an arrow shot from hiding. 城门失火，殃及池鱼。A fire on the city wall brings disaster to the fish in the moat.

初生牛犊不怕虎。New-born calves make little of tigers. 路遥知马力，日久见人心。As a long road tests a horse’s strength, so a long task proves a person’s heart. 初生牛犊不怕虎。New-born calves make little of tigers.

Culture & different structures lead to free translation e.g.失之东隅，收之桑榆。What one lose on the swings one gets back on the roundabouts.( compare: Lose where the sun rises and gain where the sun sets.) 塞翁失马，安知非福？A loss may turn out to be a gain. (compare: When the old man on the frontier lost his mare, who could have guessed it was a blessing in disguise?)

庆父不死，鲁难未已。There will always be trouble until the trouble-maker is removed. (compare: Until Qing Fu is down away with, the crisis in the state of Lu will never be over.) 此地无银三百两。A guilty person gives himself away by conspicuously protesting his innocence. (compare: No 300 taels of silver buried here.)

3.Finding equivalent in English proverbs for easy understanding 一次被火烧，二次避火苗。A burnt child dreads the fire. (literal: A burnt man always evades fire) 半瓶醋，出事故。A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. (literal: A little learning gives rise to accidents.) 少见多怪。Wonder is the daughter of ignorance. (literal: Seeing little is the cause of amazement.)

龙生龙，凤生凤。Like begets like 龙生龙，凤生凤。Like begets like.（Literal: Dragon gives birth to dragon and phoenix to phoenix .) 三思而后行 。Look before you leap. (Literal: Think thrice and then do it.) 玩火者必自焚。He that sows the wind will reap the whirlwind. (Literal: He who plays with fire will burn himself .)

e.g.大伯笑呵呵地对我说：“我们北方人都喜欢睡炕，你也将就点吧。俗话说：‘入乡随俗’嘛。” Do not use the names of English people and places to translate Chinese proverbs. e.g.大伯笑呵呵地对我说：“我们北方人都喜欢睡炕，你也将就点吧。俗话说：‘入乡随俗’嘛。” Uncle said to me smilingly , “We northerners like to sleep on our kangs. You’ll have to put up with it. As the proverb goes, ‘Do as the Romans do.’” (?) ( Do as the local people do.)

The translation of phrases Phrases are usually more flexible than idioms and more vivid and ironic than written works. They are colloquial and often used in everyday speaking of people and sometimes in prose and argumentation. 1.Literal translation: 连根拔 tear up by the roots 走后门 get in by the back door 捋虎须 stroke a tiger’s whiskers

走下坡路 go downhill 一窝蜂 like a swarm of bees 及时雨 timely rain 九牛二虎之力 the strength of nine bulls and two tigers 病急乱投医 turn to any doctor one can find when critically ill

2.Partly literal translation + meaning e.g.卷铺盖 pack up and quit 饱眼福 feast one’s eyes on sth. 单打一 concentrate on one thing only 咬耳朵 whisper in sb’s ear 扇阴风，点鬼火 fan the winds of evil and spread the fires of turmoil

3.Free translation 门外汉 a layman /the uninitiated ( a man outside the gate ??) 小广播 spreading of hearsay information /bush telegraph (a small broadcast station ??) 风凉话 irresponsible and sarcastic remarks (cold words ??)

扣帽子 put a label on sb. (put a cap on sb.) 寻短见 commit suicide / take one’s own life ( look for a short view ??) 炒冷饭 dish up the same old stuff ( fry the cold rice ??)

Those with Chinese cultural Characteristics Free translation: 赔了夫人又折兵 suffer a double loss instead of making a gain ( give one’s wife and lose one’s soldiers as well ?? history) 跑了和尚跑不了庙 A fugitive must belong to some place that can provide clues. (The monk may run away, but the temple can’t run with him. ? religion )

不到黄河心不死 not stop until one reaches one’s goal (not stop until one reaches the Yellow River ?? Name of Chinese places) 说曹操曹操就到 talk of the devil and he will appear ( mention Cao Cao and there he is ?? Name of Chinese ancient people)

4.Finding an equivalent in English e.g.煞风景 be a wet blanket 拍马屁 lick sb‘s boots 放空炮 talk big / spout hot air 绕圈子 beat about the bush 摆架子put on airs 灌米汤 butter sb. up 露马脚 let the cat out of the bag 戴高帽子 lay it on thick

Some complete equivalents 开绿灯 give the green light 泼冷水 pour cold water on 唱反调 sing a different tune 挖空心思 rack one’s brain 试金石 touchstone

The differences in idioms and phrases Idioms are formal and phrases are colloquial : e.g.敲诈勒索（成语）blackmail and impose exactions upon 敲竹杠（惯用语）overcharge; fleece; soak

趋炎附势（成语）hurry to the glorious and hang on to the influential 抱粗腿（惯用语）latch on to the rich and powerful 一扫而空（成语）sweep clean at one attempt 连锅端 （惯用语）get rid of the whole lot

狼狈为奸（成语）act in collusion with each other 穿连裆裤（惯用语）work hand in glove with 针锋相对（成语）stand in diametrical opposition to 唱对台戏（惯用语）put on rival show