中国惯用语、俗语英译

Toyger

G

改革措施必须符合中国国情：Reform measures shall adapt to China's reality.
改革力度：intensity of reform
敢于碰硬：not be afraid to tackle any situation no metter who is involved
感到有点不妙：have a hunch that something is to pay
感情投资：make an effort to promote good relations/invest in better human relations
感情用事：carried away by one's emotions/allow one's feelings to affect one's judgment
赶时髦：go by what is trendy / follow the fashion
钢铁长城：powerful bulwark
岗位培训：on-job training
高精尖技术：state-of-the-art technology
搞不出名堂：unable to produce any meaningful results
搞定：That's settled.
搞活：invigorate / revitalize
搞小动作：get up to little tricks
格调高：high-principled
各打五十大板：put the blame on the two parties equally
公费旅游：junket tour
公开选拔人才：competitive selection of competent people
功在当今，利在千秋：in the interest of the current and future generations
恭敬不如从命：The best way to show respect is obey.
恭喜发财：May you be prosperous! / Wish you all the best!
共叙旧谊：renew friendship

Toyger

够朋友：worthy friend
鼓劲：boost morale
挂靠：under a temporary subsidiary / be subsudinate to
挂职：on secondment
关系户：one's back-scratcher
归口管理：subject to control by competent authorities
贵人出门招风雨：A dignitary can invite rain whenever he/she goes out.
贵族学校：exclusive school(US) / select school(UK)
国宝：national treasure
国别政策：country specific policy
国产化率：rate of localization
国粹：quintessence of a nation's culture
国计民生：national welfare and the people's livelihood
国家长治久安：enduring law and order of the country
国家大、底子薄、人口多、耕地少：vest scale of the country, its weak foundation,massive population and low ratio of arable land
国家的统一，民族的振兴：national reunification and rejuvenation
国民经济信息化：develop information-based economy
过紧日子：tighten one's belt
过上温饱生活：better off
过上小康生活：enjoy a fairly comfortable life
过硬本领：be able to stand severe tests in one's professinal skills

Toyger

H


海量：have a hollow leg
海内存知己，天涯若比邻：If you have a friend afar who knows your heart,distance cannot keep you two apart.
喊冤叫屈：complain about injustice
汗马功劳：explooits
行行出状元：Every profession produces its own leading authority.
豪赌：unrestrained gambling
好处（甜头）：sweeteners
好钢用在刀刃上：use resources where they are most needed
好汉做事好汉当：A brave man must be as good as his word.
和某人作对：pick on somebody
和气生财：A fair face is half the fortune.
和为贵：Peace is the best option.
黑店：gangster inn
黑孩子：off-the-book baby
黑户：unregistered household / an illegal business
横生枝节：create side-issues
横向联合：cross-regional partership
轰动全世界：set the world on fire
轰动一时：a big hit of the season
红白喜事：weddings or funerals
红包：red paper packet of cash as a gift / bribe / kickback
弘扬民族优秀文化：advance and enrich the fine cultural heritage of the nation
弘扬主旋律：give full scope to the themes of our times

Toyger

后发优势：advantage of newcomers
后顾之忧：troubles back home
后劲：sustaining power / ability to make further advances
厚古薄今：praise the past and downgrade the present
胡闹：play the goat
胡子工程：long drawn-out projects
互补：complement each other
互补互利：mutually complementary and beneficial
互谅互让：mutual understanding and accommodation
互通有无：each supplies what the other needs
互相扯皮：pass the buck
护身法宝：amulet
花天酒地：go on the loose
华表：ornamenal column
华盖：canopy
华侨：overseas Chinese / Chinese nationals residing abroad
（美国）华侨：Chinese residents in the U.S.
华人：ethnic Chinese / foreign citizents of Chinese origin
（美籍）华人：Chinese American / American-born-Chinese
话不投机半句多：In a disagreeable conversation one word more is too many.
画龙点睛：bring out the crucial point
怀柔政策：policy of mollification
欢聚一堂：happy gettogether / happy reunion
灰色收入：income from moonlighting
活词典：a walking dictionary

Toyger

J


机构臃肿：overstaffed organization
积德：perform good deeds without let-up
吉兆：good omen
急功近利：go for quick gains
急人所用：share will and woe with others
棘手的问题：ticklish question
集思广益：draw on others' wisdom and accept useful ideas
集体婚礼：group wedding ceremony
集体企业：collectively owned enterprises
集中力量搞好：concentrate resources on
挤提存款：run on banks
挤占挪用资金：unauthorized diversion of fund
计划单列市：city with separate development plan
计划生育责任制：responsibility system of family planning
技术下乡：disseminate technologies to farmers
既往不咎：let bygones be bygones
加快发展：step up the growth of
加强舆论监督：ensure that the correct orientation is maintained in public opinion
家家有本难念的经：Each family has a skeleton in the closet.
家庭美德：family virtues
家长制作风：high-handed way of dealing with people
甲天下：the finest under heaven

Toyger

假唱：lip-synch
减负：alleviate burdens on somebody
减员增效：downsize and cut payroll to improve efficiency
剪彩：cut the ribbon
简化手续：cut red tape / simplify procedures
简直不像话：just impossible / outrageous
见不得人的勾当：under-the-table deal
见仁见智：Different people, different views.
健谈：be chatty and merry
将心比心：put one into somebody's shoe / be empathic
将一军：put somebody on the spot / drive at the crucial point
姜太公钓鱼，愿者上钩：a willing victim letting himself be caught
讲诚信，反欺诈：honor credibility and oppose cheating
讲义气：remain faithful to friends
交待：account for somthing / justify oneself
交底：put all one's cards on the table
交钥匙工程：turn-key project
脚踩两只船：sit on the fence
脚踏实地：be down-to-earth
阶段性成果：successes by stages
解放思想：emancipate one's mind
戒毒所：drug rehabilitation center
紧箍咒：inhibiting magic phrase
紧密型企业集团：tightly-knit groups of enterprises

Toyger

锦上添花：make what is good still better
进取精神：initiative / enterprising spirit
进一步安排好人们生活：better meet people's needs
进一步扩大对外开放：open up wider to the outside world
经济法制化：manage economic affairs according to law
经济头脑：commercially-minded people
精明不聪敏：penny wise, pound foolish
精品：choicest goods / master works
精品店：up-market shop / garment boutique
精神生活：cultural life
精神文明：high cultural and moral standards / moral revival
精神支柱：moral support
竞聘上岗：competition for a job / a post
敬而远之：give a wide berth to
敬老爱幼：show respect for the aged and love for the young
敬老院：senior citizens home(US) / nursing home(UK)
敬业精神：professional dedication
久闻大名：have long heard of one's great name
酒逢知己千杯少：For a congenial friend a thousand toasts are yet enough.
旧情人：old flame
具有中国特色的：with Chinese characteristics
捐弃前嫌：bury the hatchet / let bygones be bygones
军令状：make a pledge
君子之交淡如水：The friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal. / A hedge between keeps friendship green.

Toyger

K


开阔眼界：stretch one's mind / broaden one's horizons
开门红：start off with a bang
开门见山：straight on the point
开拓进取：make pioneering efforts / blaze new trails and forge ahead
开小灶：give special favor to somebody
侃大山：shoot the breeze / have rap sessions
看菜吃饭：act according actual circumstances
看风使舵：jump on tne bandwagon
看家本领：unique skills
看破红尘：see through the vanity of this life
科技兴贸战略：strategy of revitalizing reade through science and technology
科教兴国：rejuvenate the country through science and technology and education
可望不可即：within sight but not within reach
可遇不可求：may come by chance but not by diligent search
客随主便：A guest should follow the arrangements by the host.
空话连篇：indulge in empty talks and rhetoric
空头支票：bad check / lip service
口惠而实不至：pay lip service only
口径：the line ( of expression ) / basis
扣除物价因素：put an unwarranted label on / to lable
苦穷：complain about being hard up
跨越式发展：leap-frog development

Toyger

L


拉动经济增长：fuel economic growth
拉关系：try to curry favor with
来而不往非礼也：It is impolite not to reciprocate.
来龙去脉：ins and outs of the matter / put in perspective
烂尾楼：long-drawn-out and uncompleted building project
老少边穷地区：former revolutionary base regions,regions inhabited by ethnic minorities, border regions and poverty-stricken regions
老字号：old brandname
乐天派：good-time Charlie
雷声大，雨点小：much said but little done
离谱：senseless at all
礼轻情意重：The gift may be small but the goodwill is profound.
礼尚往来：Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
力度：intensity / momentum
廉洁奉公：be honest in performing official duties
廉政：clean government
廉政建设：keep government clean
练摊：be a vendor / do business
两不误：neither...nor...is to suffer
两个文明一起抓：place equal emphasis on material and moral revival
两手抓，两手都要硬：give equal importance to both economic development and cultural and moral standards
两者不可兼得：You can't eat your cake and have it.
量入为出：proportion expenses to the income
了不起：incredible / really something
了结心事：take a load off one's mind
临时抱佛脚：seek help at the last moment
灵丹妙药：panacea / miraculous cure
留有余地：leave some leeway / leave room for flexibility
柳暗花明又一村：Every cloud has a silver lining. / That's a way out.
隆重庆祝：grand celebration
路遥之马力，日久见人心：Time will tell.
乱收费、乱摊派、乱罚款：arbitraary charges, fund-raising and fines
乱弹琴：talk wet / nonsense
略胜一筹：be a notch above
落实政策：implement a policy / rectify a wrong case

Toyger

M


马到成功：wish one good luck
买空卖空：bulls and bears
买一送一：two-for-one offer / buy one get one free
满口脏话，骂骂咧咧：has a foul mouth / swear like a trooper
盲流人员：jobless migrants
盲目发展：pell-mell development
每逢佳节倍思亲：On festive occasions one thinks more than ever of one's loved ones far away.
没办法：have no choice / can't be helped
没道理：unjustified / senseless / there's no point in
没良心：ungrateful
没那回事儿：Nothing of the sort!
没什么了不起：It's nothing terrible.
门前三包：be responsible for general cleaning,green covering and keeping good social order in a designated area in front of the building
门外汉：layman
面向未来：be oriented to the future
苗头：a straw in the wind / sign
民工潮:farmers's frenzied hunt for job in cities
民间办学：manage private schools
民间团体：people-to-people organizations
民以食为天：Food is the first necessity of subsistence.
民营企业：privately-run businesses
名不虚传：deserve one's reputation
名流：celebrities
名牌：brandnames
明明白白消费：transparent consumption
命好：lead a charmed life
摸着石头过河：grope forward by feeling for stones to cross a river / explore one's way through practice
磨洋工：dawdle along
谋事在人，成事在天：Man proposes,God disposes.