318个中国成语俗语的英文翻译

一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳 

Once bitten, twice shy.

02

一言既出，驷马难追

A word spoken is past recalling.

03

一见钟情

to fall in love at first sight

04

笨鸟先飞

A slow sparrow should make an early start.

05

一寸光阴一寸金

 Time is money.

06

一失足成千古恨

The error committed on impulse 

may turn out to be the sorrow of 

a whole life.

07

一将功名万古枯

What millions died that Caesar might be great.

08

一年之计在于春，一日之计在于晨 

 Plan your year in spring and your day at dawn.

09

一人难称百人意

 You cannot please everyone.

10

一气呵成

Never make two bites of a cherry.

11

一白遮三丑

A white complexion is powerful enough to hide seven faults.

12

一知半解

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

13

一心一意

John is a person who always works with undivided attention.

14

一丘之貉

These people are cut from the same cloth/are tarred with the same brush.

15

一目了然

His words just leapt to the eye. 

Do you need me to explain it?

16

一帆风顺

His business has gone off without a hitch.

17

一刻千金

You have to make good use of time. 

After all, every time counts.

18

一事无成

I am happy to know that 

all have ended in smoke about him.

19

一败涂地

The outcome of the election just bit the dust.

20

一针见血

His comment on the current affairs 

always hits the right nail on the head.

21

一清二楚

The accounts don't seem to be as clear as crystal.

22

一意孤行

That boy is always going her own way.

He won't listen to his parents' advice.

23

一落千丈

My son's schoolwork has gone to pot. 

He really lets me down.

24

一鸣惊人

His performance at school really comes as a bombshell.

25

一诺千金

He never goes back on his word. 

He is as good as his word.

26

一时兴起

Don't always do things by fits and snatches.

27

一蹴可就

make it at one stroke

28

一筹莫展

I really have no idea what to do.

Now I am at my wit's end.

29

一览无遗

If you stand here looking down at the city. 

The wonderful scene will be in full view.

30

一窍不通

What you said is all Greek to me.

31

九死一生

to have a hair-breadth escape

32

九牛一毛 

Compared with mine, his was simply a drop in the bucket.

33

人生如梦

Life is but a dream.

34

人生自古谁无死

Death comes to all men.

35

人生百岁古来稀

It is seldom that a man lives to be a hundred years old.

36

人定胜天

Man can conquer nature.

37

人不可貌相

Appearances are often deceptive.

/ Never judge a look by its cover.

38

人山人海

a sea of faces

39

人之常情

It's human nature for me to help those who need help.

40

人云亦云

Don't echo others' words. Sometimes you've got to find out the truth.

41

人去楼空

Regretful to say, when the master was absent, his mansion was dead.

42

人面兽心

He's really a wolf in sheep's clothing.

43

人言可畏

Opinion rules the world.

44

十年风水轮流转

Every dog has its day.

45

十全十美

The show just leaves nothing to be desired.

46

十拿九稳

We have winning the game in the bag.

47

十万火急 

I am writing in hot haste to let you know that I will be there on time.

48

了无瓜葛

That politician claimed that he had nothing to do with that scandal.

49

力不从心

my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak.

50

力挽狂澜

He tried to stem the tide, but in vain.

51

入乡随俗

Do in Rome as the Romans do.

52

入木三分

It actually gave a vivid picture of cut the quick.

53

七上八下

Don't talk to me now because I am greatly upset now.

54

七窍生烟

 in a great fury 

(fuming with anger; in a great rage; terribly furious) 

55

七零八落

go to rock and ruin.

56

八面玲珑

 dances and sings all weathers

57

三思而后行

Look before you leap.

58

三句不离本行

to talk shop

59

三个臭皮匠胜过一个诸葛亮

Two heads are better than one.

60

三番两次

 time after time.

61

三缄其口

 hold one's peace

62

千钧一发

to hang by a hair thread

63

大智若愚

He who can not play the fool is not a wise man.

64

大海捞针

look for a needle in a haystack

65

冰冻三尺，非一日之寒

Rome was not built in a day.

66

山穷水尽

at the end of one's resources

67

山中无老虎，猴子称大王

Among the blind the one-eyed is king./

When the cat's away, the mice will pay.

68

小题大做

Make a mountain out of a molehill.

69

小洞不补，大来吃苦

A stitch in time saves nine.

70

小不忍则乱大谋

Patience is a virtue.

71

工欲善其事，必先利其器

You cannot make bricks without straw.

72

不要厚此薄彼

Don't make fish of one and flesh of another.

73

不畏艰难

Take the bull by the horns.

74

不要不自量力

Don't put a quarter into a pint pot.

75

己所不欲勿施于人

Do unto others as you would be done.

76

仁者无敌

The benevolent have no enemy

77

亡羊补牢

Better late than never./ 

It's never too late to mend.

78

上气不接下气

I got out of breath when I climbed those stairs.

79

不辞而别

to take French leave

80

不要不自量力

Don't put a quarter into a pint pot.

81

不要厚此薄彼

Don't make fish of one and flesh of another.

82

不畏艰难

Take the bull by the horns.

83

不战而屈人之兵

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

84

不入虎穴焉得虎子

 How can one obtain tiger-cubs without entering the tiger's lair.

85

少年老成

to have an old head on young shoulders

86

不经一事，不长一智

Experience is the mother of wisdom.

87

不舍昼夜(24小时)

Some convenience stores offer around the clock service.

88

不胜其烦

Your little brother is a pain in the neck.

89

夜以继日

day and night

90

少不更事

Although she is 20, she was still wet behind the ears in some ways.

91

天无绝人之路 

God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.

92

天下乌鸦一般黑

Crows are black all over the world.

93

天助自助者

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

94

天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福

It is the unexpected that always happens.

95

毛遂自荐

to recommend one's own person

96

心正不怕雷打

A good conscience is a soft pillow.

97

心满意足

The little boy sat there smiling, as happy as a clam.

98

化干戈为玉帛

Bury the to mahwak(hatchet).

99

美中不足

a fly in the ointment

100

今日事今日毕

Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today.

101

文胜于武

The pen is mightier than the sword.

102

以身作则

to practice what one practices

103

以毒攻毒

to set a thief to catch a thief

104

以怨报德

to bite the hand that feeds one

105

以逸待劳

To wait at ease till the enemy is exhausted.

106

以寡敌众

to fight against longer odds

107

以德报怨

to render good for evil

108

以其人之道还治其人之身

Set a thief to catch a thief.

109

以子之矛，攻子之盾

to turn a person's battery against himself

110

四大皆空

All is vanity.

111

四海之内皆兄弟

All are brothers within the four seas.

112

未雨绸缪

Keep some extra money for a rainy day.

113

目不识丁

not know A from B

114

失败为成功之母

Failure is the mother of success.

115

失之毫厘，差之千里

A miss is as good as a mile.

116

水滴石穿

 Little strokes fell great oaks.

117

毛遂自荐

to recommend one's own person

118

打落水狗

to hit a person when he's down

119

打铁趁热

Strike while the iron is hot.

120

犯错是人之常情，宽恕是超凡的.

To err is human; to forgive divine.

121

白费唇舌

 to waste your breath on him

122

改过自新

to turn over a new leaf

123

生于忧患，死于安乐 

Adversity spurs vitality, while comfort breeds sloth .

124

任劳任怨

to bear hardship without complaint

125

自作自受

As you make your bed so you must lie on it.

126

自讨苦吃

to make a rod for one's own back

127

自力更生

to shift for oneself

128

自扫门前雪 

After us the deluge.

129

回头浪子

the return of a prodigal

130

先下手为强

Offence is the best defence.

131

同甘共苦

to share one's joys and sorrows

132

因地制宜

act according to circumstances

133

有勇无谋

more brave than wise

134

有备无患

Good watch prevents misfortune.

135

有志者事竟成

Where there is a will, there is a way.

136

有钱能使鬼推磨

Money makes the world go around. /Money talks.

137

有其父必有其子

Like father, like son.

138

江山易改本性难移

The child is father of the man.

139

百无一失

Not a single miss in a hundred times.

140

百依百顺

She expects us to jump through hoops for her.

141

百闻不如一见

 To see is to believe.

142

吃得苦中苦，方为人上人

 If you wish to be the best man, you must be prepared to suffer the  bitterest of the bitter./

No gain without pain.

143

每人一生中皆有得意之日 

Every dog has his day.

144

色是假，美是空

Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty.

145

吉人自有天相

The good are protected by Heaven. / 

All's well that ends well.

146

如愿以偿

The mayor finally got his way with the city council.

147

如人饮水冷暖自知

 Only the wearer knows where the shoes pain.

148

英雄所见略同

Great minds think alike.

149

早起的鸟儿有虫吃

The early bird catches the worm.

150

弄巧成拙 

Overreach oneself

151

忍无可忍

to be at the end of one's patience

152

忍一时之气免百日之忧

patience for a moment; comfort for many years

153

忘恩负义

to kick down the ladder

154

走马看花

a flying visit

155

防患于未然

 to nip a thing in the bud

156

佛要金装，人要衣装

Fine feathers make fine birds.

157

兵精不必多

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

158

身在福中不知福

The worth of a thing is best known by the want of it.

159

你敬我一尺，我回你一丈

You scratch my back, and I will scratch yours.

160

别狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心

Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

161

志在千里

Hitch your wagon to a star.

162

初出茅庐/一窍不通

He was a babe in the woods

163

否极泰来 

After a storm comes a calm.

164

奇装异服 

a fantastic garb

165

忠言逆耳

Honest advice is unpleasant to the ear

166

明辨是非

to distinguish right from wrong

167

知足常乐

Happy is he who is content

168

知足者富

He who feels contented is rich

169

知人知面不知心

It's easy to know men's faces, but not their hearts.

170

知己知彼百战百胜

Know your enemy and know yourself.

171

空中楼阁

castles in the air

172

金科玉律

the gold rule

173

奇装异服

a fantastic garb

174

明辨事非

to distinguish right from wrong

175

雨后春笋

like bamboo shoots after a spring shower

176

雨过天青

After a storm comes a calm.

177

秀才不出门能知天下事

A scholar does not step outside his gate, 

yet he knows the happenings under the sun.

178

事实胜于雄辩

Facts are most convincing.

179

来得容易去得快

 Easy come, easy go.

180

金玉其外败絮其中

All that glitters is not gold.

181

兔子不吃窝边草

The fox preys farthest from his hole.

182

若要人不知除非己莫为

 If you would not be known to do anything, never do it.

183

没有笑脸不出门

A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.

185

往者不可谏，来者犹可追

A mill cannot grind with the water that is past.

186

见异思迁

Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

187

适者生存

 Survival of the fittest.

188

物以类聚

Birds of a feather flock together.

189

于事无补

Complaining is of little(no) avail. 

190

姻缘天注定

Marriages are made in heaven.

191

逆来顺受

 to make the best of a bad bargain

192

流芳百世

a niche in the temple of fame

193

为虎作伥

to act as guide to a tiger

194

孤注一掷 

to put all one's egg in one basket

195

勇者不惧

A brave man will not shrink from dangers.

196

背道而驰

to run counter

197

赴汤蹈火

to go through fire and water

198

风烛残年

to have one foot in the grave

199

风声鹤唳，草木皆兵 

to apprehend danger in every sound

200

活到老学到老

It's never too late to learn./

Live and learn.

201

前事不忘后事之师

 Remember the past and it will guide your future.

202

星星之火可以燎原 

 A single spark can start a prairie fire.

203

待人宽容如待己

Live and let live.

204

按部就班

Learn to walk before you run.

205

南辕北辙 

 at cross purposes with 

207

病从口入，祸从口出 

Illness comes in by mouth and comes out by it.

208

笑里藏刀

a smile to hide one's hate

209

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧

Where there's life, there's hope

210

海底捞月

 to fish in the air

212

既往不咎 

  Let the dead bury their dead.

213

杀身成仁

to sacrifice one's life to preserve one's virtue complete

214

杀鸡焉用牛刀

Take not a musket to kill a butterfly.

215

饥不择食

A good appetite is a good sauce.

216

害群之马

 black sheep

217

家丑不可外扬

Don't wash your dirty linen in public.

218

恩威并济

alternate weakness with severity

219

旁观者清

The outside sees the best of the game.

220

时运不济

to have a bad time

221

殊途同归

All roads lead to Rome.

222

疾风知劲草

 Adversity reveals genius.

223

旁观者清，当局者迷

Lookers-on see most of the game.

224

莫惹是非

 Let sleeping dogs lie

225

得意忘形  

to leap out of one's skin

226

捷足先登

 The early bird catches the worm.

227

欲速则不达

Haste makes waste/

More haste, less speed.

228

欲加之罪，何患无辞

Give a dog a bad/an ill name and hang him.

229

混水摸鱼

to fish in troubled waters

230

贪小失大

penny-wise and pound foolish

231

习惯成自然

 once a use forever a custom

232

挂羊头卖狗肉

cry up wine and sell vinegar

233

贫无立锥之地

as poor as a church mouse

234

患难见真情

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

235

异想天开

 to give loose to one's fancy

236

得过且过 

to live from hand to mouth

237

情人眼里出西施

Love is blind.

238

情有独钟

have eyes only for 

239

冤家宜解不宜结

Better remove enmity than contract it.

240

眼不见为净

 Out of sight, out of mind.

241

脱口而出 

a slip of the tongue 

242

设身处地

in someone's shoes.

243

智者千虑，必有一失

Homer sometimes nods.

244

胜不骄败不馁

to be not elated by success nor disturbed by failure

245

富贵在天

Riches and honors come from heaven.

246

智者不惑

A wise man is free from perplexities.

247

无风不起浪

There is no smoke without fire. /

Where there is smoke, there is fire.

248

画蛇添足

 to paint the lily

249

趁火打劫

 to fish in troubled waters

250

量入为出

to cut one's coat according to one's cloth/

 make both ends meet

251

阳奉阴违 

ostensible obedience

252

跑了和尚跑不了庙

The monk may run away, but the temple can't run with him.

253

万物之灵

the lords of creation

254

万事开头难

Everything is difficult at the start

255

万无一失

not a single miss in a thousand times.

256

落井下石 

to hit a person when he's down

257

隔墙有耳

Pitchers have ears/

walls have ears.

258

挑灯夜战

Burn the midnight oil.

259

开诚布公

 open one's heart to

260

盗亦有道

Dog does not eat dog.

261

善有善报

One kindness is the price of another.

262

损人利己

 to enrich oneself at others expense

263

置之死地而后生 

 Put the troops in death ground and they will live.

264

道高一尺，魔高一丈

While the priest climbs a foot, the devil climbs ten.

265

预防胜于治疗

Prevention is better than cure.

266

新官上任三把火

New brooms sweep clean.

267

塞翁失马，焉知非福

Misfortune might be a blessing in disguise.

268

路遥知马力，日久见人心

A distant journey tests the strength of a horse and 

a long task proves the character of a man.

269

沧海一粟

a drop in the bucket

270

盖棺论定

Judge none blessed before his death.

271

岁月不饶人

Time and tide wait for no man.

272

经验即良师

Experience is the teacher.

273

勤能补拙 

Diligence can make up for lack of intelligence.

274

寿终正寝

 to die a natural death (to die in one's bed)

275

寡不敌众

There is no contending against odds.

276

对牛弹琴

 to cast pearls before swine

277

祸不单行

Misfortunes never come single.

278

饱食终日无所事事

to eat the bread of idleness

279

慷他人之慨

 to be free with other's money

280

远亲不如近邻

Distant kinsmen mean less than close neighbors. 

281

种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆 

You must reap what you have sown.

282

乐极生悲 

After joy comes sadness.

283

说曹操到曹操就到

Talk of the devil and the devil comes.

284

团结就是力量

Union is strength.

285

需要为发明之母

Necessity is the mother of invention.

286

满招损，谦受益 

Haughtiness invites ruin; humility receives benefits.

287

恶有恶报

He that does evil shall find evil.

288

恶事传千里

Bad news travels quickly.

289

熟能生巧

Practice makes perfect.

290

缓兵之计

 a fabian policy

291

缘木求鱼

to get water from a flint

292

适者生存

the survival of the fittest

293

穷寇莫追

 A cornered animal is a dangerous foe.

294

积少成多

Every little makes a mickle.

295

钱可通神

Money can move even the gods.

296

谋事在人成事在天

Man proposes and God disposes.

297

学问无捷径

 There is no royal road/shortcut to learning.

298

机不可失 

 Opportunity seldom knocks twice.

299

优胜劣败

The weakest goes to the wall.

300

声东击西

to look one way and row another

301

南辕北辙 

at cross purposes

302

脍炙人口

in everyone's mouth

303

螳臂挡车

to kick against the pricks

304

鞠躬尽瘁 

to give the last measure of devotion

305

聪明反被聪明误

to suffer for one's wisdom

306

老调重谈

to harp on the same string

307

礼尚往来

Courtesy on one side cannot last long..

308

礼多必诈   

full of courtesy, full of craft

309

声嘶力竭

He was talking at the top of his voice.

310

覆水难收

What's done cannot be undone./

There is no use crying over spilt milk.

311

转石不生苔

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

312

转败为胜

to convert defeat into victory

313

鞭长莫及

beyond one's grasp

314

关公门前耍大刀

There's no need to teach a fish to swim.

315

严以责己宽以待人

to be severe with oneself and lenient with others

316

铁石心肠

a heart of steel

317

听天由命

to be guided by destiny

318

骄兵必败

 Pride goes before a fall.