比如：都是“问题”，下面的翻译各不相同，几乎是打一枪换一个地方。

共同关心的问题 questions of common interest

解决问题 solve a problem

问题的关键 the heart of the matter

关键问题 a key problem

原则问题 a question/ matter of principle

悬而未决的问题 an outstanding issue

没有什么问题 Without any mishap

摩托车有点问题。 Something is wrong with the motorcycle.

问题不在这里。 That is not the point.

最近揭发出相当严重的贪污、受贿和官僚主义问题。 Serious cases of embezzlement, bribery, and bureaucracy have been brought to light recently.

译者要掌握这种汉英翻译中的“游击战术”，翻译家应是不同“文化王国”边境线上的“游击战略家”。

沙 博里将《水浒传》译为：Outlaws of the Marsh(沼泽地上的亡命之徒)。杨宪益译将屈原的《国殇》译为：For Those Fallen for Their Country，北外出版社将《儒林外史》译为：The Scholars。这些都是译者吃透了原文的原意而译出的佳作。

翻译技巧:汉译英最易翻错的100句（1）

01.    有他这颗扫帚星，什么事情都办不成。

[误] With a comet like him, nothing can be accomplished.
[正] With a jinx like him, nothing can be accomplished.

02.萝卜青菜，各有所爱。

[误] Some prefer radish but others prefer cabbage.
[正] Tastes differ.

03.他一向嘴硬，从不认错。

[误] He has always got a hard mouth and never admit a fault.
[正] He never says uncle.

04.老师很喜欢这个嘴甜的小姑娘。

[误] The teacher likes this sweet-mouthed little girl very much.
[正] The teacher likes this honey-lipped little girl very much.

注：中国人喜欢说“嘴甜”，但 honey-lipped 更符合英美人的语言习惯。

05.同学们都很讨厌他，因为他经常拍老师的马屁。

[误] The student all dislike him because he often pats the teacher's ass.
[正] The students all dislike him because he often licks the teacher's boots.

06.你听说了吗？迈克把他的女朋友给甩了。

[误] Have you ever heard that Mike broke up with his girlfriend.
[正] Have you ever heard that Mike dumped his girlfriend.

07.我们要把祖国建设成为社会主义的现代化强国。

[误] We will build our motherland into a socialist modern powerful country.
[正] We will build our motherland into a modern powerful socialist country.

08.人都是这山望着那山高，对自己的现状没有满意的时候。

[误] Almost all people think that the other mountain is higher than the one he's standing on. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.
[正] Almost all people think that the grass is greener on the other hill. They never feel saisfied with what they've already got.

09.中华人民共和国主席

[误] Chairman of the People's Republic of China
[正] President of the People's Republic of China

10.转战南北

[误] fight south and north
[正] fight north and south

注：在地理方位的表达习惯上，中英文有一定的区别。中国人习惯于先“东西”后“南北”，而且在涉及“南北”时，习惯于先说“南”，再说“北”，如： “南征北战”、“南来北往”等。而英美人与此正好相反，如“江苏在中国的东南部”英文是 Jiangsu is in the south-east of China, 而“新疆在中国的西北部”应译为 Xinjiang is in the north-west of China。

11.这个教授教得很烂。

[误] The professor teaches badly.
[正] The professor is so terrible.

12.北京申奥成功的消息令我们热血沸腾。

[误] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes our blood boil.
[正] Beijing's winning the bid for the Olympics makes us excited.

13.别听他们胡说八道，根本就没那回事。

[误] Don't listen to their babbling. Nothing of the sort.
[正] Don't be fooled by their babbling. Nothing of the sort.

14.我们这儿的人都觉得他有婚外恋。

[误] Pepple around here all feel that he has affairs outside his own marriage.
[正] Pepple around here all feel that he is leading a double life.

15.别看别人不把她当回事，在家里她可是父亲的掌上明珠。

[误] Although other people never take her seriousy, she is the pearl on her father's hand at home.
[正] Although other people never take her seriousy, she is the apple of her father's eye at home.

16.都十点钟了。起床了，懒虫！

[误] It's ten o'clock. Get up, lazy worm!
[正] It's ten o'clock. Get up, lazy bones!

17.我唯一的资本就是勤奋。

[误] My only capital is diligence.
[正] My only means to success is diligence.

18.这家商店开辟了休息处，受到顾客的称赞。

[误] This department store has set up a resting-place, much to the customers' appreciation.
[正] This department store has set up a lounge, much to the customers' appreciation.

19.大家都怀疑汤姆是个间谍。

[误] Everyone doubts that Tom is a spy.
[正] Everyone suspects that Tom is a spy.

20. 我们俩关系最好，他经常来我这儿蹲饭吃。

[误] We are best friends. He always comes here to have meals for free.
[正] We are best friends. He always comes here to bum meals off me.

21.最近的人口统计显示中国人口已超过12亿。

[误] The latest census shows that China's population has surpassed 1.2 billion.
[正] The latest census shows that China's population  exceeds 1.2 billion.

注：surpass 和 exceed 译成中文虽然都是“超过，胜过”的意思，但出现具体数字时要用后者。

22. 我希望你不要拖我的后腿。

[误] I hope that you won't pull my leg.
[正] I hope that you won't hold me back.

注：pull one's leg 是“愚弄某人，开某人的玩笑”的意思，相当于 make fun of sb.。英语中与“拖后腿”相对应的表达是 hold sb. back 或 be a drag on sb. 等。

23. 学校里，那些长得人高马大的家伙常来找我的麻烦。

[误] At school, those big and strong guys always come to find my trouble.
[正] At school, those big and strong guys always come to pick on me.

注：find my trouble 是“发现我的难处”的意思，而英语中“找某人的麻烦”用短语 pick on sb. 它不仅表示“挑剔某人、找某人的碴”，而且还包含 tease（取笑、戏弄）或 bully（威胁、欺侮）的意思。

24. 原来如此。一经你解释我就明白了。

[误] So it is. I understand soon after your explanation.
[正] So that's how it is. I understand soon after your explanation.

注：So it is 的意思是“的确如此”，它是用来表示对对方观点的赞同的。例如：
A: It is a fine day today!
B: So it is.
而在表达恍然大悟时，英文要用 So that's how it is 或 So that explains it, 或更简单地道的说法 Oh, I see.

25. 我没料到这个无耻的女人居然同她好友的丈夫调情。

[误] I had not expected that this shameful woman should flirt with her best friend's husband.
[正] I had not expected that this shameless woman should flirt with her best friend's husband.

注：shameful 通常指某事物是“可耻的，丢脸的”，而 shameless 表示 having or showing no feeling of shame; immodest or impudent,它一般用来指人“不知羞耻的，不要脸的”或“伤风败俗的”。原文也可译为：It's shameful that the woman should flirt with her best friend's husband.

26. 我每天都要在网吧里呆上10个小时，是个不折不扣的网虫。

[误] I spend 10 hours in the net bar every day, and I am indeed a net bug.
[正] I spend 10 hours in the net bar every day, and I am indeed a netter.

注：“网虫”要是直译成 net bug，很容易使人联想到计算机病毒，如：the millennium bug（“千年虫”病毒）。所以，英语中与之相应的说法是 netter/nettle。在《剑桥国际英语词典》里，对 netter/nettle 的解释是：regular user of Internet, perhaps one who spends too much time in this occupation。nethead 和“网虫”的意思差不多，它表示“网痴，网迷”；而 netizen 则可以用来指所有的网民，尤其是互联网的用户，它是由 net（网络）和 citizen（公民）组合而成的。还有一个时髦的词是 netsurfer，即“网上冲浪者”。

27. 东施效颦。

[误] Doingshi imitates Xishi.
[正] The ugly imitates the beautiful in such a distorted way that the ugliness of the ugly becomes worse.

注：把原文按照字面意思直译过来，恐怕只有中国人能够理解。要想让外国人明白这个中国成语，就要对译文进行解释性加工了。同样，“情人眼里出西施” 不是 Xishi is in the eye of the beholder，而是 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder。

28. 你不好好学习，还想去牛津上大学。这可真是个不切实际的幻想哟！

[误] You don't study hard, yet you want to go to Oxford. What an impractical illusion!
[正] You don't study hard, yet you want to go to Oxford. What an illusion!

注：汉语中的修饰语往往用的很多，目的在于加强语气，但这种表达习惯在翻译时必须进行处理。illusion 本身就有 impractical 的含义，而英语中在表意已经很明确的情况下是无需重复的。

29. 想让他答应这样的要求恐怕不大可能。

[误] I'm afraid it is impossible for him to agree to such a request.
[正] I'm afreaid it is unlikely for him to agree to such a request.

注：impossible 表示“完全不可能”，所以与原文有出入。在英语中，probable 表示的可能性最大，其次是 possible，再次是 likely。而常用的句式为 it is probable/possible/likely for sb. to do sth.，或 sb. be likely to do sth.。

30. 一群蚂蚁

[误] a group of ants
[正] a colony of ants

注：表示群体时，group 通常指人或物，而 colony 才指生物群体。

36. 比尔.盖茨平均每天工作15个小时，他简直就是一个工作狂。

[误] Bill Gates works 15 hours a day on average, and he is crazy about his work.
[正] Bill Gates works 15 hours a day on average, and he is a workaholic.

注： crazy 虽然可以作“疯狂的，狂热的”讲，但 be crazy about/on sth. 的意思却是“热衷于...，对...着迷”；be crazy for 也不行，因为它表示“渴望（某物）；迷恋（某人）”。可见，它们都与“工作狂”有一定区别。而 workaholic 是从 alcoholic（嗜酒成癖者）派生出来的，表示像酗酒者离不开酒精一样地离不开工作。现在人们将 -holic 作为一个后缀，表示“对...上瘾，嗜好...成癖”，并构成了许多新词。例如：movie-holic（嗜好电影成癖的人），telehokic（看电 视成癖的人）等。

37. 给这们女士来杯威士忌，记在我的账上。

[误] Whisky for this lady, and put it on my bill.
[正] Whisky for this lady, and put it on my tab.

注： 我们可以说 Could we have the bill, please? （请给我们账单好吗？）或 pay the bill（埋单），但“记在某某的账上”却不用 bill，而要用 put...on one's tab 表示。tab 是“小纸片”的意思，因为过去小店的生意都是靠住在附近的老主顾，赊账时有发生，于是老板们通常把每个人的赊账情况记在各自的小纸片上，也就是 put...on one's tab，以防遗忘。渐渐地，该词组就成了一种习惯用法。

38. 哈罗得挥金如土，没有一点积蓄。

[误] Harold spends money like dirt, and has no savings.
[正] Harold spends money like water, and has no savings.

注： 英国是一个岛国，离不开水；而我们中国的许多地区深处内陆，人们的生活离不开土地。所以，英语中有许多习语与“水”有关，而汉语却常常拿“土”作比。这就 是为什么同样是比喻花钱浪费，大手大脚，英语是 spend money like water，而汉语却是“挥金如土”。此外，英语中还有很多有关船和水的习语，例如：rest on one's oars（暂时歇一歇），keep one's head above water（奋力图存），be all at sea（不知所措）等等。

39. 这只表的价钱很贵。

[误] The price of the watch is dear.
[正] The watch is dear. /The price of the watch is high.

注： 以物品为主语时用 dear 或 cheap，以定价为主语时就说 high 或 low.

40. 昨天晚上我们玩得很愉快。

[误] We played very pleasantly last night.
[正] We enjoyed ourselves very much last night./ We had a good time last night.

注： 玩牌，打球，演戏之类就用 play，汉语这儿说的玩是指度过一个愉快的时候，最好译成 enjoy oneself 或 have a good time.

 41. 嘿，小伙子，千万别灰心。

[误] Hey, lad, don't lose your heart.
[正] Hey, lad, don't lose heart.

注： lose one's heart (to sb.) 是“心被...俘虏去，爱上...”的意思，而 lose heart 才表示“灰心丧气，丧失勇气或信心”。

42. 歌迷们冲进演员休息室，抢着同凯莉.米纳合影。

[误] The fans rushed into the rest room trying to take photos with Kylie Minogue.
[正] The fans rushed into the greenroom trying to take photos with Kylie Minogue.

注： 伦敦西区的特鲁街剧院是英国最古老的剧院，据说为了让演员们长时间处于舞台强烈灯光照射下的眼睛得到休息，那里的演员休息室被漆成了绿色。后来， greenroom 就逐渐成了“（剧场）演员休息室”的代名词。而 rest room 可不是这个意义上的“休息室”，它其实是“厕所”的一种委婉说法。

43. 我感到很痛。

[误] I am painful.
[正] I feel great pain.

注：“我感到高兴”是 I am happy，“我感到累了”是 I'm tired，但“我感到很痛”却不是 I am painful。因为 painful 表示“使人痛苦的，让人疼痛或讨厌的”，它的主语往往不是人，而是事物或人体的某个部位，如：The foot is painful（脚痛），The lessons are painful（教训是惨痛的）等。所以没有 I am painful 这个说法，如果你非要这样说，别人会以为你全身带电或浑身长刺，别人碰了你就会疼，是你让别人痛苦，而不是你自己痛苦。

44. 亚洲四小龙。

[误] the Four Little Dragons of Asia
[正] the Four Little Tigers of Asia

注： 在我国古代传说中，龙是降雨和惩治妖魔鬼怪的神奇动物，是吉祥和力挽狂澜的象征。很多汉语成语与“龙”有关，如“龙飞凤舞”、“龙凤呈祥”、“藏龙卧虎” 等，而且多为褒义词。但如果把“四小龙”直译成英文却不行，因为西方人对“龙”的联想和看法与中国人完全不同。“龙”（dragon)在西方是贬义词，是 邪恶的免征，西方人不会理解为什么要把亚洲经济的四个强国说成“四个小魔鬼”，所以要用 tiger 进行替换。在西方人眼里，tiger “是朝气蓬勃、坚忍不拔、努力奋斗、充满希望”的免征，所以用 tiger 才能准确表达原文的意思。

45. 百里挑一。

[误] one in a hundred
[正] one in a thousand

注： “百里挑一”常被用来形容“很特别，很出众”或“与众不同”，one in a thousand 也有相同的含义。但值得注意的是，汉语用“百”，而英语则以十倍于百的 thousand 来夸张。同样，汉语的“十分感谢”或“万分感谢”，英语则说 a thousand thanks（千分感谢）或 thanks a million times（百万次的感谢）。可见，英语比汉语要夸张。这也许反映了两个民族不同的思维方式：中国人崇尚中庸之道，凡事避免走极端，即使夸大其词也不太过 火；而英美人追求标新立异和充分考虑表现自我，这在语言中自然也有体现。

46. 周末许多人睡得很晚。

[误] Many people sleep late at weekends.
[正] Many people go to bed very late at weekends.

注： 第一句译文错在没弄懂 sleep 的真正含义。英语动词有短暂动词和持续动词之分，它们分别表示短暂动作和持续的动作或状态。sleep 是典型的持续动词，表示“在睡觉”。而汉语的“睡”既可表示“上床睡觉”的短暂动作，如：我昨天11点才睡；也可以表示“在睡觉”的持续动作和状态，如： 他睡了整整10个小时。原文属于前一种情况，即表示“上床睡觉”的短暂动作，故应该使用 go to bed。

47. 干杯！要一饮而尽。

[误] ---Cheers! Bottom up.
[正] ---Cheers! Bottoms up.

注： bottoms up 虽然只比 bottom up 多一个 s，但是两个词组的意思却相差十万八千里。bottoms up 里的 bottom 是指“（酒杯的）底部”，那么杯朝天就是“一饮而尽”的意思，而且因为干杯时肯定不止一人一饮而尽，所以要用复数；而 bottom up 表示“屁股朝天”。

48. 这个任务很危险，但总得有人去冒险。

[误] The task is really dangerous. But someone has to take the adventure.
[正] The task is really dangerous. But someone has to bell the cat.

注： adventure 指军事历 险、探险旅行等惊险活动或投机活动。而 bell the cat 源自一个故事：一窝老鼠想在猫脖子上套一个铃铛，这样猫一来他们就会听到，并及时逃命。但主意虽好，却苦于没人去套这个铃铛（bell the cat）。后来，bell the cat 被人们反复引用，表示“为大家的事去承担风险”，并成了表示原文意思最贴切的英语习语。

49. 一辆白色轿车前来接新郎新娘去教堂。

[误] A white car turned up to take the groom and the bride to the church.
[正] A white car turned up to take the bride and the groom to the church.

注： 汉英两种语言均有各自固定的词序，因此，在翻译时要根据各自的语言习惯进行适当的调整，此处就是一个很好的例子。之所以将新娘放在前面，也许是西方文化中“女士优先”的又一体现吧！又如：“衣食住行”译成英语是 food, clothing, shelter and transportation; 同样，“左顾右盼”翻译成 look right and left。

50. 你去弄些水来。

[误] Go and bring some water.
[正] Go and fetch some water.

注： bring 虽然表示“带来”，但它是让某人在来的时候将某物带来（但说话时人还没来）；而 fetch 则是让身边的某人“去取某物”，它包括往返的两段路程。

 51.那本书毫无价值可言。

[误] That book is invaluable.
[正] That book is valueless.

注：invaluable 和 valueless 一个是在形容词 valuable（有价值的）之前加上否定形容词前缀 in-；另一个是在名词 value（价值）的后面加上否定形容词 -less，但它们的意思却刚好相反。invaluable 是指“非常贵重的，无价的”（highly valuable, precious），其同义词是 priceless；valueless 的意思却是“毫无价值的”，相当于 worthless。现将这两个词用在同一个句子中，以便区别：The book that he considered valueless proved invaluable to us（他认为毫无价值的那本书对我们来说却是无价之宝）。

52. IBM公司一直处在电脑行业的前沿。

[误] IBM is always in the front line of computer industry.
[正] IBM is always at the cuttting edge of computer insustry.

注： front line 是“前线，第一线”的意思，常指最危险或最艰苦的地方。例如：Many doctors are in the front line of the fighting against SARS（许多医生战斗在抗击“非典”的第一线）。at the cutting edge 最早出现在20世纪50年代，它最初指“锐器的锋利部位”，现在常隐喻“处在（高科技的）最前沿。

53. 一位有经验的教师曾经说，上课之前他觉得如临大敌，上课时他是如履薄冰，只有上完课后他才会如释重负。

[误] An experienced teacher once said that before class he felt as if faced with a formidable enemy, in class he felt like walking on ice, and only after class would he feel relieved.
[正] An experienced teacher once said that before class he felt as if faced with a formidable enemy, in class he felt like walking on eggs, and only after class would he feel relieved.

注： 中文的“如履薄冰”是比喻一个人“做事十分小心谨慎或战战兢兢”，而英语的类似说法却是 walk on eggs 或 tread on eggs，要注意中英文喻体的不同。

54. 我有一个舒适的家。

[误] I have a cozy family.
[正] I have a cozy home.

注： family 和 home 虽然翻译成汉语时都是“家”，但它们在英语中却不是同义词。family 主要指家庭成员；而 home 主要指居住地，即“住宅”。原文中用“舒适的”来修饰“家”，显然是指“舒适的房子”。如果原文是“我有一个和睦的家”，就应该翻译成 I have a harmonious family 了。

55. 每节课老是都会点名。

[误] The teacher will call our names in every period of class.
[正] The teacher will call the roll in every period of class.

注： 英语的“点名”是 call the roll，而 call one's name(s)的意思是“谩骂某人”。rool 有“名册”的意思，又如：remove sb.'s name from the rool（把某人除名）。

56. 我的学习很忙。

[误] My study is very busy.
[正] I am very busy with my study.

注：第一句译文完全套用汉语的结构和语序，却犯了英文的句法错误。因为在英语中，study（学习）是一个行为，并不懂得忙不忙，感到忙的应是进行 这一行为的人。所以，be busy with sth. 或 be busy (in) doing sth. 才是地道的英语表达。

57. 给他当二把手我看也值得。他太能干了。

[误] I feel it worth being a second hand to him. He is so capable.
[正] I feel it worth playing second fiddle to him. He is so capable.

注：英语的 second hand 作名词指“中间人”、“旧货”或“助手工人”，而汉语的“二把手”是“副手”，即“第二负责人”的意思，所以二者不是一回事。play second fiddle 则源于管弦乐队中第一提琴手（first violin）不在的时候由第二提琴手负责，并被人们引申为“当主要领导人的副手”，也就是我们所说的“当第二把手”。由此，不难猜出“当一把手”译成英 语应该是 paly first fiddle了。

58. 电车上十分拥挤，几乎没有立足之地。

[误] The tram was so crowded that there was hardly sufficient room for you.
[正] The tram was so crowded that there was scarcely sufficient room for you.

注：副词 hardly 和 scarcely 虽然都含有“几乎不”等否定含义，有些时候也可以互换，如：I could hardly/scarcely recognize her（我几乎认不出她来了），但仍有细微的差异。如在强调数量“不足”时只能用 scarcely，这时它常与 enough、sufficient等词连用。

59. 他被戴上了绿帽子。

[误] He is made to wear a green hat.
[正] He is a cuckold.

注：中文的“戴绿帽子”是指某人之妻与他人私通，但直译成英文西方人只会按字面意思理解为“某人头上被戴了顶绿色的帽子”，无论如何也不会理解汉语 的喻义。而英语的 cuckold 是指“奸妇的丈夫”（a man whose wife deceives him by having a sexual relationship with another man），所以用 be a cuckold 才能正确表达原文的意思。

60. 我在新闻片里看到你站在总裁的身旁。

[误] I saw you stand by the president in the newsreel.
[正] I saw you stand beside the president in the newsreel.

注：stand by someone 的意思是“支持某人”（to support someone）；to stand beside someone 才是“立于某人旁边”（to stand by the side of someone）。但是，如果 stand by 后面的宾语不是人，那倒是可以与 stand beside 互换，表示“在...之旁”，例如：Their house stands by a forest（他们的房子在森林旁边）。除此之外，stand by 还有“袖手旁观”之意，例如：How can you stand by and watch while your allies are attacked？（当你们的盟友受到攻击时，你们怎能袖手旁观呢？）

61. 车来了。您先请。

[误] Here comes the car. You go first, please.
[正] Here comes the car. After you.

注：第一句译文虽然把“请”翻译出来了，但还是带有命令的口吻。地道的说法应该是 After you。另外，不少人以为汉语的“请”等同于英语的 please，其实并非如此。例如，在餐桌上请人吃菜或喝酒就不用 please，地道的说法是 Help yourself。

62. 房间里有一张床、两张桌子和五把椅子。

[误] There are one bed, two desks and five chairs in the room.
[正] There is one bed, two desks and five chairs in the room.

注：there be 句型中，be 动词的单复数取决于离它最近的那个词。原文虽然一共列举了八件家具，但是根据英语的谓语就近原则，one bed 决定了应该使用 is。

63. 我不想听他那些空话。

[误] I don't want to hear his empty words.
[正] I don't want to hear his hollow words.

注：虽然 empty 和 hollow 都有“空洞的”之意，但表达“空话”时，英语习惯用 hollow words 或 empty talk。

64. 他是我们的死敌。

[误] He is our dead enemy.
[正] He is our deadly enemy.

注：dead 作形容词时表示“死的，无感觉的”，而 deadly 才表示“致命的，不共戴天的”。

65. 奥斯本名义上是个医生，但他整天都呆在股票交易所里。

[误] Osborne is a doctor by name only, but he stays in the stock exchange all day long.
[正] Osborne is a doctor in name only, but he stays in the stock exchange all day long.

注：by name 和 in name 虽然形似，但涵义却有区别。by name 相当于 by the name of，常放在专有名词之后，表示所说的人或事物的确实名称。例如：There was a great poet in China, Qu Yuan by name（中国有个伟大的诗人，名叫屈原）。而 in name 是贬义词，表示“名义上的”或“徒有虚名”。

66. 我们是不信上帝的。

[误] We do not believe God.
[正] We do not believe in God.

注：believe 和 believe in 虽然都有“相信”的意思，但表示“信仰”的时候只能用后者。

67. 你做这样的事难道不感到羞耻吗？
[误] Aren't you ashamed for doing such a thing?
[正] Aren't you ashamed of doing such a thing?

注：be ashamed for 一般是指“对他人的行为或外在事物感到羞耻”，而 be ashamed of 则是“由于自己的所作所为而感到羞耻”。

68. 车祸发生在十字路口。

[误] The accident took place at a crossroad.
[正] The accident took place at a crossroads.

注：crossroad 是“交叉路，横马路”的意思，而 crossroads 才是“十字路”或“十字路口”，它前面也可以用 a，但 -s 绝不能丢掉。

69. 要学好英语，大量的练习是必要的。

[误] To learn English well, a great deal of practice is necessary.
[正] To learn English well, one needs to have a great deal of practice.

注：英语中非谓语动词的逻辑主语要与句子的主语一致，本例句中不定式 to learn English well 的逻辑主语应该是“人”，而句子的主语却是 practice，两者不相一致，违背了英语习惯，所以必须将句子的主语改为 one，并做其它相应的调整。

70. ---谢谢你带我们到办公室来。
---不用谢，这是我们应该做的。

[误] ---Thank you for guiding us to the office.
---Not at all, it's my duty.

[正] ---Thank you for guiding us to the office.
---Not at all, it's a pleasure. /I'm glad to be of help.

注：汉语的回答实际上是句客套话，如果把它直译为 It's my duty，就会让西方人误以为你并不想帮他，只是因为职责才不得已而为之，这与汉语的愿意有很大出入。所以，恰当的回答应该是 I'm glad to be of help 或 It's a pleasure，其意思是“我很乐意为您效劳”。

71. 未经允许，任何人不得入内。

[误] Anybody can not come in without permission.
[正] Nobody can come in without permission.

注：“任何......都不”是汉语中常用字的否定句式，而在英语中，any 构成的合成词及其所修饰的词语作主语时，谓语动词是不能用否定形式的。因此，any ... not 的用法不符合英语的表达习惯，须用“否定形式的主语+肯定形式的谓语”替换。但是，any 构成的合成词及其所修饰的词语作主语时，如果带有后置定语，那么其谓语也可以用否定形式。如：Anyone who does that isn't honest（干那种事的人都是不诚实的）。

72. 布衣蔬食。

[误] cotton clothes and vegetables
[正] coarse clothes and simple fare

注：“布衣蔬食”是形容一个人生活俭朴，但直译成英文却会令人难以理解。因为现在的英、美等国，cotton clothes and vegetables（棉布衣服和青菜）已没有“生活俭朴”的任何联想了，它们早已成了富翁们的最爱，而且价格也比其他产品贵，没钱人还享用不起呢！而第 二句译文不仅忠实于原文，而且 fare 一词作“食物”讲还略带古色，恰好反映出了原文的风格。

73. 你真是红光满面。

[误] Your face is all red.
[正] You are in ruddy health.

注：“红光满面”是说一个人身体很好，而 You face is all red 则指对方满脸通红，似乎“不好意思”或“牌窘境”，皮肤过敏也未可知，总之与原句不符。a ruddy complexion 虽然有“面色红润”的意思，但没能充分表达出汉语“身体健康，精力充沛”的意思。当然，除了第二句译文，还可以用 You look so healthy and full of pep 或 You look the very picture of health and energy 来表达。

74. 你该吃晚饭了。

[误] It's time to eat your dinner.
[正] It's time to have your dinner.

注：不是所有的“吃”字都能翻译为英语 eat 的，英语中有许多固定搭配，如：take one's medicines（吃药）；lead an idle life（吃闲饭）；be very popular（吃香）；I hd some meat for lunch（午餐我吃了些肉）等。

75. 我们一起跟着音乐跳舞吧！

[误] Let's dance with the music.
[正] Let's dance to the music.

注：英语一般说 dance with sb.，即“跟某人一起跳舞”，“音乐”是无生命的东西，怎么能跟它 dance 呢？这里正确的说法是用介词 to。又如：sing to the piano 等。

76. 他的病情好多了。

[误] His sick condition is much better.
[正] His condition is much better.

注：在英美人看来，sick 只是一种无意义的重复，因为去掉它以后意思一亲清楚，而且还更地道。我们甚至可以更简单地翻译为 He is much better。

77. 经常给我写信。

[误] Write letters to me often.
[正] Write to me often.

注： 中文动宾结构的宾语在翻译成英文时常常省略，因为这些英语动词本身已经包含了中文宾语的意思，不言自明，除非需要强调，否则可以省略，不省略反而与英语习 惯不符。上面的例句就是个很好的例子。又如：“你会唱歌吗”（Can you sing）；“我会付钱给你”（I'll pay you）；“他花很多时间读书”（He spends a lot of time reading）等。

78. 挑战者以0比4的比分输了与冠军队的那场比赛。

[误] The challengers lost the game by zero to four to the champion.
[正] The challengers lost the game by nil to four to the champion.

注：zero 和 nil 虽然都可以表示“零”，但 zero 多用于电话号码或邮政编码，而 nil 则特指比赛的比分。同样，0比0就应该翻译成 nil to nil。

79. 在一次具有历史意义的表决中，北京羸得了申办奥运会的机会。

[误] In a historical vote, Beijing won the bid for the Olympics.
[正] In a historic vote, Beijing won the bid for the Olympics.

注：historic 表示“历史上著名的，有历史意义的”，而 historical 则表示“有关历史的，历史学的”。

80. 你读没读过菲尔丁的经典长篇小说《汤姆.琼斯》？

[误] Have you ever read Fielding's classical novel Tom Jones?
[正] Have you ever read Fielding's classic novel Tom Jones?

注：classic 即可作形容词，表示“经典的，第一流的”，又可作可数名词，表示“经典作品”；而 classical 却是一个没有比较级和最高级的形容词，常指“（建筑，文学，音乐等方面）古典的，传统的”。

81. 由于街道的扩建，道路两旁矮小的房屋全部被拆除了。

[误] The short and small houses on both sides of the road have been demolished due to its widening.
[正] The low and small houses on both sides of the road have been demolished due to its widening.

注：英语中，形容人或树等的高矮要用形容词 tall 和 short；但是指山峦、房屋或其它建筑物的高矮，我们通常用 high 和 low。

82. 听到这个消息，没有一个人不感到兴奋。

[误] Having heard the news, nobody did not feel excited.
[正] Having heard the news, everybody felt excited.

注：汉语中把主、谓语同时否定以表示肯定，但这不符合英语习惯，所以 nobody...not 的结构在英语中是不正确的。翻译这类句子时，可像上面正确的译文那样，把主语和谓语都改成肯定形式；也可用“there be + 否定的主语 + 否定形式的定语从句”来表达，即：There was nobody who did not feel excited 或者 There was nobody but felt excited.

83. 我是一个中国人。

[误] I am a Chinese.
[正] I am Chinese.

注：第一句译文是不地道的，正确的说法应该去掉不定冠词，或者说 I am a Chinese man。同样，He is an English 也没有 He is English 或 He is an Englishman 好。

84. 母狼为了保护幼崽同猎豹展开了殊死的搏斗。

[误] The female wolf fights against the leopard so as to protect her whelps.
[正] The she wolf fights against the leopard so as to protect her whelps.

注：汉语一般用“公”、“母”或“雌”、“雄”来区分动物的性别，而英语中，有一部分动物是雌雄各有其名，例如：cock（公鸡）和 hen（母鸡），stag（雄鹿）和 doe（雌鹿）等；而另一部分则是用 male 和 female 加以区分，如：male leopard（公豹），female panda（母熊猫）等；当然，也有例外的情况，如：bull elephant（公象）和 cow elephant（母象），he wolf（公狼）和 she wolf（母狼）等。

85. 使我高兴的是，我儿子对意大利语也略知一二。

[误] To my joy, my son know a thing or two about Italian.
[正] To my joy, my son knows something about Italian.

注：有些英语词语在字面上同汉语十分相似，但实则貌合神离，如果不求甚解很容易出错。例如，know a thing or two 就不表示“略知一二”，而是“很有经验，精明强干”的意思。

86. 你希望什么时候成家呢？

[误] When do you want to start a family?
[正] When do you want to get married?

注：中文的“成家”是“结婚”的意思，而英文 start a family 的含义却是“生第一个孩子”，二者完全不是一回事。

87. 宁做鸡头，不做凤尾。

[误] Better be the head of a cock than the tail of a phoenix.
[正] Better be the head of a dog than the tail of a lion.

注：每种语言中都有许多约定俗成的表达，没有什么道理好讲，但使用时则需遵照各自的语言习惯。中文是“鸡头”和“凤尾”比，而英语中却要用“狗头”和“狮尾”。

88. 海伦就像一只骄傲的公鸡，从来不爱搭理别人。

[误] Helen is proud as a cock, and she never talks to others.
[正] Helen is proud as a peacock, and she never talks to others.

注：“孔雀”在中国人眼里是美丽和吉祥的象征，而公鸡因为常把头昂得高高地，尾巴翘到了天上，摆出一副盛气凌人的架子，因此成了“骄傲”的化身。但西方文化不注重孔雀美丽的一面，认为它们很骄傲，所以英美人在形容一个人骄傲、狂妄和爱慕虚荣时，就把他（她）比作 peacock。

89. 因为没有吃的，那个索马里的小男孩瘦得像猴子。

[误] That Somali boy is as thin as a monkey because of the lack of food.
[正] That Somali boy is as thin as a shadow because of the lack of food.

注： 同一事物，在不同的文化里可能引起不同的联想，具有不同的内涵。所以，在一种语言中用这种事物作比喻，而在另一种语言中很可能会有不同的表达。这样的例子 中英文还有很多，例如：as timid as a hare（胆小如鼠），as strong as a horse（力大如牛），as poor as a church mouse（一贫如洗）等。

90. 索菲娅望子成龙心切，给儿子报名参加了许多补习班。

[误] Sophia hopes to see her son become a dragon, therefore she enters his name for many classes of supplementary schooling.
[正] Sophia hopes that her son will have a bright future, therefore she enters his name for many classes of supplementary schooling.

注：“龙”在中国人心目中象征着神圣和万能，但在西方人的印象中却是可怕的，《圣经》里就把“龙”描述成了罪恶的象征。所以在翻译“望子成龙”时需

91. 正如中国的一句俗话：“笨鸟先飞”。

[误] As an old Chinese saying goes, "Stupid birds have to start flying early."
[正] As an old Chinese saying goes,"Clumsy birds have to start flying early."

注：“笨鸟先飞”常用来比喻那些能力差的人，因为做事怕落后，所以就提前行动。这里的“笨”并非 stupid（智力低下的，愚蠢的）的意思，而用 clumsy（笨拙的，不灵巧的）更恰当。

92. 爸爸总爱发脾气。

[误] Dad always likes losing his temper.
[正] Dad is apt to lose his temper.

注：like doing something 表示“喜欢干某事”，一般用来说明某人的兴趣爱好；而 be apt to do sth.则表示“常常发生某种行为”或“容易发生某种变化”。根据原文的意思显然应该用后者。

93. 欧文按捺不住激动的心情，大声喊道：“我中奖了！”

[误] Owen couldn't hold back his exciting feeling, and he shouted, "I've got the winning number in the bond!"
[正] Owen couldn't hold back his excitement, and he shouted, "I've got the winning number in the bond!"

注：exciting feeling 这种搭配很不地道，虽然“振奋人心的消息”是 exciting news，“有趣的故事”是 interesting story，但“激动的心情”却要用名词形式 excitement 来表达。

94. 丹尼斯自己不努力，还老是眼红别人的成就。

[误] Denis himself doesn't work hard, however, he is always red-eyed of other people's achievements.
[正] Denis himself doesn't work hard, however, he is always green-eyed of other people's achievements.

注： 中国人说一个人嫉妒用“眼红”，但英美人则用“眼绿”来形容。英语的 green 除了表示颜色之外还有“嫉妒”的意思，又如：I was absolutely green (with envy) when I saw his splendid new car（我看到他那辆漂亮的新车非常眼红）。其实，英语中许多表示色彩的词汇都有特殊的含义，不能照字面去理解。再比如：He gave me a black look（他恶狠狠地蹬了我一眼）；She visits us once in a blue moon（她难得来看我们一次）等。

95. 夏天要多喝白开水。

[误] You should drink more white boiled water in summer.
[正] You should drink more plain boiled water in summer.

注：“白开水”不是指“水的颜色是白色”，而是指“水中没有添加其他的东西”。而 plain 正是指“没掺杂其他东西的，单纯的”，所以能确切表达原文的含义。

96. 对不起，我把课本忘在家里了。

[误] Sorry, I forgot my textbook at home.
[正] Sorry, I left my textbook at home.

注：原文中的“忘”是指“落在家里”的意思，不能翻译成英文的 forget，而应用表示“把...留在某地，丢下，落下”等的意思的 leave。

97. 中国足球队击败了日本队，从而取得了参加半决赛的资格。

[误] The Chinese football team beat the Japanese team, and is qualified to play in the half-finals.
[正] The Chinese football team beat the Japanese team, and is qualified to play in the semifinals.

注：semi- 是英语里的一个前缀，表示“半”，例如：automatic 是“自动的”，那么 semiautomatic 就表示“半自动的”；diameter 指“直径”，那么 semi-diameter 就指“半径”；monthly 指“月刊”，那么 semi-monthly 就表示“半月刊”。以上这些都跟 semifinal（半决赛）一样，是约定俗成的。

98. 在自然灾害期间，绝大多数人都过着半饥半饱的生活。

[误] During the natural calamity, most people were half hungry, half full.
[正] During the natural calamity, most people were underfed.

注：under- 是一个英语前缀，表示“......不足的”，如：underdeveloped（经济发展不充分的），underage（未到法定年龄的）等。所以， underfeed 表示“未喂饱的，食物不足的”。汉语中“半......半......”的结构可以翻译成 half...half...，例如：As for this matter, I am half-believing, half-doubting（对于这件事我是半信半疑的）；This composition is half literary, half vernacular（这篇文章写得半文不白的）。

99. 汉语是我们的母语。

[误] Chinese is our mother language.
[正] Chinese is our mother tongue.

注：tongue 除了指“舌头”，还可以用来指“语言，方言”，如 the Spanish tongue 并非指“西班牙舌头”，而是指“西班牙语”。我们常说的有“语言天赋”，英语里相应的表达是 the gift of tongues。“母语”在英语中用 mother tongue 表达，还可以说 parent language 或 linguistic parent，但 mother language 的说法却是不地道的。

100. 我爷爷是奔75的人了。

[误] My grandpa is running for seventy-five.
[正] My grandpa is getting on for seventy-five.

注：run for 有“竞赛，竞选”之意，如：run for Congress（竞选国会议员），run for the presidency（竞选总统）等。而 get on for 才表示“接近”，它通常用进行时态，后面一般跟年龄或者时间，如：It's getting on for midnight（快到半夜了）等。要意译。

中高级口译谚语精选(1)

　　A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. 一着不慎,满盘皆输.

　　All is not gold that glitters. 闪光的未必都是金子。

　　A child is better unborn than untaught. 养不教，父之过。

　　Art is long, life is short. 生命短暂，艺术长存。

　　A friend is best found in adversity. 患难见真情。

　　Although the sun shine, leave not your cloak at home. 未雨绸缪。

　　A light heart live long. 心情开朗寿命长。不恼不愁，活到白头。

　　An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 日吃苹果一只，身体健康不求医。

　　All covet, all lose. 样样垂涎，样样失落。贪多嚼不烂。

　　A good winter brings a good summer. 瑞雪兆丰年。

　　All rivers run into the sea. 殊途同归。

　　A small leak will sink a great ship. 千里之堤溃于蚁穴。

　　All time is no time when it is past. 机不可失，时不再来。

　　A baker's wife may bite of a bun, a brewer's wife may bite of a tun.近水楼台先得月。

　　A short cut is often a wrong cut.欲速则不达。

　　A staff is quickly found to beat a dog with.欲加之罪，何患无辞。

　　A prophet is not without honor save in his own country. 远来的和尚好念经。

　　All feet tread not in one shoe. 众口难调。

　　A uncut gem does not sparkle. 玉不琢，不成器。

　　A young idler, an old beggar. 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。

　　A crow is never the whiter for washing herself often.江山易改，本性难移。

　　A little spark may kindle a great fire.星星之火，可以燎原。

　　Ｂ

　　Beauty is but skin-deep. 美丽只是外表罢了

　　Brevity is the soul of wit. 言以简洁为贵

　　Bread is the staff of life. 民以食为天。

　　A uncut gem does not sparkle. 玉不琢，不成器。

　　Behind the mountains there are people to be found.天外有天，山外有山。

　　Better die standing than live kneeling 宁愿站着死，也不跪着生。

　　Better be envied than pitied. 宁被人妒，不受人怜。

　　Ｃ

　　Cats hide their claws.知人知面不知心。

　　Cast an anchor to windward.未雨绸缪。

　　Care and diligence bring luck. 谨慎和勤奋，带来好运气

　　Deliberate slowly, execute promptly. 慎于思而敏于行。

　　Diamonds cut diamonds. 棋逢对手，将遇良才。

　　Danger past, God forgotten. 飞鸟尽，良弓藏。

　　Dreams are lies. 梦不足信。

　　Do not teach fish to swim. 不要班门弄斧。

　　Do not have too many irons in the fire. 贪多嚼不烂。

　　Do unto others as you would be done by. 己所不欲，勿失于人。

　　Ｅ

　　Experience is the best teacher. 实践出真知。

　　Every man is the architect （or artificer） of his own fortune. 自己幸福自己创。

　　Evening red and morning grey are the sign of a fine day. 晚霞行千里。

　　Every bean has its black. 金无足赤，人无完人。

　　Even woods have ears.隔墙有耳。

　　Enough is better than too much. 过犹不及。

　　Every tub must stand on its own bottom. 人贵自立。

　　Experience teaches. 吃一堑，长一智。

　　Ｆ

　　Full vessels sound least. 大智若愚。

　　First impressions are half the battle. 先入为主。

　　Faith moves mountains. 精诚所至，金石为开。

　　Fact is stranger than fiction. 大千世界，无奇不有。

　　Fire proves gold, adversity proves man. 烈火识真金，逆境识英雄。

　　Fire and water are good servants, but bad masters.水能载舟，亦能覆舟。

　　Ｇ

　　Give everyone his due. 一视同仁。

　　Good （or Great） wits jump. 英雄所见略同。

　　Go while the going is good. 三十六计，走为上计。

　　Great weights hang on small wires.千钧一发。

　　Good wine needs no bush 酒香不怕巷子深。

　　Greatest genius often lies concealed.大智若愚。

　　Grasp all, lose all.贪多必失。

　　Go to the sea, if you would fish well.不入虎穴，焉得虎子。

中高级口译谚语精选(2)

　　Ｈ

　　Honour to whom honour is due.论功行赏。

　　He travels the fastest who travels alone. 曲高和寡。

　　Heaven helps those who help themselves. 求人不如求己。

　　He sits no sure that sits too high. 高处不胜寒。

　　He who would hang his dog gives out first that it is mad. 欲加之罪，何患无词。

　　He who laughs at crooked men should need walk very straight. 正人先正己。

　　He who would climb the ladder must begin at the bottom. 千里之行，始于足下

　　He that respects not is not respected. 欲受人敬，要先敬人。

　　It is a silly fish that is caught twice with the same bait. 智者不上两次当

　　Humility often gains more than pride.满招损，谦受益。

　　He is eloquent enough for whom truth speaks.事实胜于雄辩。

　　He that promises too much means nothing. 轻诺者寡信。

　　He who would hang his dog gives out first that it is mad. 欲加之罪，何患无词。

　　Hard words break no bones. 忠言逆耳利于行。

　　Haste makes waste. 忙乱易错。欲速则不达。

　　He that runs fastest gets the ring. 捷足先登。

　　It is six of one and half a dozen of the other. 彼此彼此。

　　If one sheep leaps over the ditch, all the rest will follow. 榜样的力量是无穷的。

　　It is a poor mouse that has only one hole. 狡兔三窟。

　　Ill news never comes too late. 好事不出门，坏事传千里。

　　It is the first step that is troublesome. 万事开头难。

　　Ｊ

　　Justice has long arms. 天网恢恢，疏而不漏。

　　Ｋ

　　Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is key to it. 实践得真知。

　　Keeping is harder than winning. 创业不易，守业更难。

　　Knowledge is no burden. 艺不压身。

　　Kiss and be friends. 握手言和。

　　Kill two birds with one stone. 一箭双雕

　　Ｌ

　　Let's cross the bridge when we come to it.既来之，则安之。

　　Love is blind. 情人眼里出西施。

　　Little chips light great fires. 星星之火，可以燎原。

　　Like knows like. 惺惺相惜。

　　Live and learn. 学无止境。

　　Ｍ

　　Merry meet, merry part. 好聚好散。

　　Mind acts upon mind. 心有灵犀一点通。

　　Ｎ

　　Nothing comes wrong to a hungry man.饥不择食

　　No cross, no crown.不吃苦中苦，难为人上人。

　　Nothing is easier than fault-finding. 站着说话不腰痛。

　　No weal without woe. 福兮祸所伏, 祸兮福所倚。

　　No work, no money. 不劳无获。

　　Never too late （or old） to learn. 活到老，学到老。

　　Never judge by appearances. 切莫以貌取人。

　　No fire without smoke. 无风不起浪。

　　Ｏ

　　One cloud is enough to eclipse all the sun.一叶障目，不见泰山。

　　One swallow does not make a summer.一花独放不是春。

　　One can not be in two places at once. 一心不可二用。

　　Obedience is the first duty of a soldier. 服从是军人的天职。

　　One lark does not make a spring. 一花独放不是春。

　　Ｐ

　　Practice is better than precept. 身教重于言教。

　　Poverty is stranger to industry. 勤劳之人不受穷。

　　Ｒ

　　Riches have wings. 富贵无常。

　　Ｓ

　　Score twice before you cut once. 三思而后行。

　　Sense comes with age. 老马识途。

　　So the world wags. 这就是人生。

　　So said, so done. 说到做到。言出必行。

　　Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings. 要成大业，自信第一。

　　Ｔ

　　Talk of the devil and he will appear. 说曹操，曹操就到。

　　Tall trees catch much wind. 树大招风 .

　　The reasons of the poor weight not. 人微言轻。

　　The shortest way round is the longest way home.欲速则不达。

　　Those are in the same boat should row together.同舟共济。

　　Too much pudding will choke a dog.布丁太多噎死狗。

　　The heart's letter is read in the eyes.眼睛是心灵的窗户。

　　The deed proves the man.观其行而知其人。

　　True gold fears not the fire.真金不怕火炼。

　　Take time while time is, for time will away.机不可失，时不在来。

　　The battle is to the strong.两强相遇勇者胜。

　　The heart is seen in wine. 酒后吐真言。

　　The best of friends must part. 天下没有不散的宴席。

　　Time is money. 时间就是金钱

　　Through obedience learn to command. 先当学生，后当先生。

　　Time tries all things. 时间检验一切。

　　There is no fire without smoke. 无风不起浪。

　　Ｕ

　　Unpleasant advice is a good medicine. 忠言逆耳利于行。

　　Ｗ

　　Wealth is nothing without health. 健康胜于财富。

　　We begun is half done. 良好的开端等于成功的一半。

　　Work makes the workman.熟能生巧。

　　Ｙ

　　You cannot have your cake and eat it. 有得就有失。事难两全其美。

　　Youth's a stuff will not endure. 青春易逝。

　　You are never too old to learn. 活到老学到老。

　　You never know till you have tired.事非经过不知难。

　　Ｚ

　　Zeal without knowledge is fire without light. 热情而无知，犹如无光之火

　　Zeal without kowledge is the sister of folly. 无知的热情近乎愚蠢

。