成语的直译与意译(选自上海翻译).docVIP

A 矮子里拔将军 直：pick a general from among the dwarfs 意：select someone for lack of a better one; select from among the mediocre/ run-of-mill B 八字还没一撇 直：Not even the first stroke of the character “八” has happened. 意：Nothing tangible is in sight. Things aren’t even starting to take place yet. There is no sign of anything happening yet. Things are still up in the air. 班门弄斧 直：Wield the axe before Lu Ban (the ancient master carpenter). 意：display one’s learning or parade one’s skill in the presence of an expert; teach one’s grannie how to suck egges; bring coal to Newcastle 杯弓蛇影 直：mistake the shadow of a bow in the cup for a snake 意：self-created suspicion; imaginary fears; be extremely nervous and suspicious 杯水车薪 直：try to put out a carload of burnig firewood with a cup of water 意：a useless attempt; a drop in the bucket; utterly inadequate measure 背水一战 直：fight with one’s back to the river or wall 意：fight to win or die; fight a last-ditch battle; put up a desperate fight 冰冻三尺， 直：It takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice. 非一日之寒 意：The trouble is deep-rooted; Rome was not built in a day. 兵来将挡， 直：stop an advancing army with troops and onrushing water with earth 水来土掩 意：counter move for move; counter measure for measure 不以规矩， 直：You cannot draw squares and circles without the campass and square. 不成方圆 意：Nothing can be accomplished without norms and standards. C 草木皆兵 直：take every grass and tree as an enemy soldier 意：a state of extreme nervousness, as if surrounded by enemies 沧海桑田 直：Seas change into mulbe