常见中文俗语英译技巧

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2023年12月19日发(作者：)

常见中文俗语英译技巧

许多中国人爱用俗语、成语、俚语。由于中美两国文化、风俗、思想、习惯的差异，如果照字直译，或把单字「堆在一起」，老外听了，也许就会「满头雾水」、「迷迷糊糊」，成了他们所说的「只有你们中国人听得懂」的「中国英文」（Chinese English）。

在此，把一些常见的中文俗语与一般老外的说法相对比较，或许可供有兴趣的读者参考。

1. 人山人海：有人直译为：People mountain people sea.

这就是「中国英文」，老外很难理解。他们指「人多」时，通常只说：「There

is a large crowd of people.」如果看到电影院门前大排长龙，也只说：「There is

(was) a long movie line.」

不过在诗词用语 (poetic expression) 里，老外也有使用：「a (the) sea of faces」，颇有咱们「人山人海」的味道。例如：

Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.（望着一片人山人海的听众， A先生发表一篇动人的演说。）

Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.（柯林顿总统站在讲台上看到人山人海的人群挥手向他致意。）

可见，说话者通常要在台上或高处，才有「人海」的感觉。因此，可以说：I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中，就不说：「I saw the sea of faces.」也不说：「There is a sea of faces.」只说：「I saw a large

crowd of people.」

2. 家家有本难念的经：有人译成：Every family cooking － pot has a black

spot. (意思是：每个家庭的锅子都有黑色的污点)

这样说法，老外恐怕不能充分了解。不过老外最常的说法是：

Many families have skeletons in the closet. (许多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸) (骨骸就是指家丑)

或者说：

Every family has its own source of shame. (每个家庭都有自己的丑事)

说白些，就是：

Every family has its own problem.

3. 天下无不散的宴席：有人直译为：There are no feasts in the world which do

not break up at last.

老外听后，也许很难体会其中意义。如果按照美语说法，也许更易理解：

All good things come to an end. (意思是：所有好的事情，总有结束的一天。)

假如是指好友最后也有分别的一天，那么可以说：

Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart. (bosom friend 是指知心的好友)

4. 平时不烧香，临时抱佛脚：有人照字直译为：When times are easy, we do not

burn the incense,but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha.

这种说法，老外也会「一知半解」。美语里一般说法是：

Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity. (要每天敬拜神，不是只在困难时。)

对学生也可以说：

If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming. (如果你每天用功，考试就不会形成压力。)

5. 挂羊头，卖狗肉：有人照字直译为：He advertises mutton, but sells dog's flesh.

或 He hangs up a sheep's head at the shopfront and sells dog meat.

这两种译法，恐怕老外都难理解，尤其谈到「狗肉」，他们更会「反感」，因为狗是他们最爱的宠物，不过老外倒有相近的说法： He applied

bait-and-switch factics in business. (他经商的策略是先引诱顾客来，再改变货物的品质。)

(Bait-and- switch 当名词用) (也可不用连字号)

This store uses bait and switch policy.

或者简单的说：

Let the buyer be aware! (让消费者提高警觉) ; 或

Say one thing and do another.

6. 一言既出，驷马难追：有人译成：One word lets slip and four horses will fail

to catch it. 或 A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping

horses.

这两种说法，中文味道嫌重，老外未必理解。不过他们倒有类似的说法：

A word once let go cannot be recalled.

或者说：

You can not take back what you have said. (你说出的话，就不能再收回来。)

7. 祸从口出，言多必失：有人译为：The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil.

老外听了，恐怕不能完全理解。最好说成：

Careless talk leads to trouble. (不小心说话，会带来麻烦); 或

The less said the better. (说的愈少愈好)

甚至也可以说：

Shut the mouth and open the eyes. (闭嘴少说，张眼多看。)

关于[缘]的表达

● 缘分 predestined relationship

● 缘 reason; cause; sake, relationship, edge; fringe, climb

● 无缘无故地 for no reason at all

● 世上没有无缘无故的爱，也没有无缘无故的恨。 There is

absolutely no such thing as love or hatred without any reason or

cause.

● 不识庐山真面目，只缘身在此山中。 I can't tell the true

shape of Lu Shan because I myself am on the mountain.

● 花径不曾缘客扫。 The garden path has never been cleared

for the visit of a guest.

● 血缘 blood relationship

● 人缘 relations with people

● 姻缘 predestined marriage

● 前世因缘 predestination

● 天赐良缘 a godsent marriage; a good marriage arranged in

Heaven

● 天缘巧合 a luck coincidence

● 投缘的街坊们 congenial neighbors

● 化缘 beg for alms

● 有人缘 enjoy great popularity

● 喜结良缘 tie the nuptial knot

● 缔结姻缘 form marital tie

● 聊得投缘 talk congenially

● 有缘结识某人 be lucky to get acquainted with sb.

● 无缘结识某人 have no opportunity to get acquainted with

sb.

● 与某人有一面之缘 happen to have met sb. once

● 婚姻是缘分。 A couple's conjugal fate is prearranged.

● 他们的结合是美满的姻缘。 Their wedlock is a happy

marriage.

● 有缘终相逢。 Fate brings together people who are far apart.

● 无缘不相逢。 There is no meeting without predestination.

● 我与烟酒无缘。 Smoking and drinking don't appeal to me.

● 好事似乎与他无缘。 Good luck seemed to be wholly denied

to him.

● 千里姻缘一线牵。 Two beings destined to marry each other,

though thousands of miles apart, are tied together with an

invisible red thread by an old man under the moonlight.

● 他们俩有情无缘。 The are attracted to each other but are not

fated to be conjugally tied.

● 机缘凑巧，我找到一份工作。 As luck would have it, I found

a job.

● [有缘千里来相会，无缘对面不相逢。] As decreed by

providence you have met him; otherwise you might have failed

although you traveled a long way.

● 我发现班里有几个同学和我挺投缘。 I found quite a few

classmates congenial to me.

● 我在班里有人缘。 I am popular with my classmates.

● 真遗憾,我们一直无缘相见。 It is a pity that we have no

opportunity to meet each other.

● 兄弟及表兄弟有血缘关系联系着。

“三个代表”的表叙方式

摘自：世博英语

在“三个代表”即将载入党章的历史性时刻，我们来学习一下它的英语表达。

先看下面一段话(摘自CRI news)

"Three Represents", namely that the Party must always represent the

development trend of China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of

China's advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming

majority of the Chinese people, is the crystallization of the Party's collective

wisdom and a guiding ideology the Party must follow for a long time to come,

Jiang said in his report.

【世博精解】

“三个代表”就是“three represents”.

那么“三个代表”究竟代表着什么呢？我们来看下面：

(1)代表中国先进社会生产力的发展要求

represent the development trend of China's advanced productive forces

development，发展。

Developed country，发达国家；

developing country，发展中国家；

Less-developed country(LDC)，欠(不)发达国家。

Trend，倾向，趋势。

Advanced，先进的，高级的。

Productive force，生产力。

(2)代表中国先进文化的前进方向

the orientation of China's advanced culture

orientation，方向,方位,定位。

(3)代表中国最广大人民的根本利益

the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese

people

fundamental，基础的，基本的。

overwhelming majority，压倒的多数。

常见职务，职位英文译名

A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T

Accounting Assistant 会计助理

Accounting Clerk 记帐员

Accounting Manager 会计部经理

Accounting Stall 会计部职员

Accounting Supervisor 会计主管

Administration Manager 行政经理

Administration Staff 行政人员

Administrative Assistant 行政助理

Administrative Clerk 行政办事员

Advertising Staff 广告工作人员

Airlines Sales Representative 航空公司定座员

Airlines Staff 航空公司职员

Application Engineer 应用工程师

Assistant Manager 副经理

Bond Analyst 证券分析员

Bond Trader 证券交易员

Business Controller 业务主任

Business Manager 业务经理

Buyer 采购员

Cashier 出纳员

Chemical Engineer 化学工程师

Civil Engineer 土木工程师

Clerk/Receptionist 职员/接待员

Clerk Typist & Secretary 文书打字兼秘书

Computer Data Input Operator 计算机资料输入员

Computer Engineer 计算机工程师

Computer Processing Operator 计算机处理操作员

Computer System Manager计算机系统部经理

Copywriter广告文字撰稿人

Deputy General Manager副总经理

Economic Research Assistant经济助究助理

Electrical Engineer电气工程师

Engineering Technician工程技术员

English Instructor/Teacher英语教师

Export Sales Manager外销部经理

Export Sales Staff外销部职员

Financial Controller财务主任

Financial Reporter财务报告人

F.X. (Foreign Exchange)Clerk外汇部职员

F.X. Settlement Clerk外汇部核算员

Fund Manager财务经理

General Auditor审计长

General Manager/ President总经理

General Manager Assistant总经理助理

General Manager's Secretary 总经理秘书

Hardware Engineer (计算机)硬件工程师

Import Liaison Staff 进口联络员

Import Manager 进口部经理

Insurance Actuary 保险公司理赔员

International Sales Staff 国际销售员

Interpreter 口语翻译

Legal Adviser 法律顾问

Line Supervisor 生产线主管

Maintenance Engineer 维修工程师

Management Consultant 管理顾问

Manager经理

Manager for Public Relations公关部经理

Manufacturing Engineer 制造工程师

Manufacturing Worker 生产员工

Market Analyst市场分析员

Market Development Manager 市场开发部经理

Marketing Manager 市场销售部经理

Marketing Staff 市场销售员

Marketing Assistant 销售助理

Marketing Executive 销售主管

Marketing Representative 销售代表

Marketing Representative Manager 市场调研部经理

Mechanical Engineer 机械工程师

Mining Engineer 采矿工程师

Music Teacher 音乐教师

Naval Architect 造船工程师

Office Assistant 办公室助理

Office Clerk 职员

Operational Manager 业务经理

Package Designer 包装设计师

Passenger Reservation Staff 乘客票位预订员

Personnel Clerk 人事部职员

Personnel Manager 人事部经理

Plant/ Factory Manager 厂长

Postal Clerk 邮政人员

Private Secretary 私人秘书

Product Manager 生产部经理

Production Engineer 产品工程师

Professional Staff 专业人员

Programmer 电脑程序设计师

Project Staff (项目)策划人员

Promotional Manager 推售部经理

Proof-reader 校对员

Purchasing Agent 采购(进货)员

Quality Control Engineer 质量管理工程师

Real Estate Staff 房地产职员

Recruitment Co-ordinator 招聘协调人

Regional Manger 地区经理

Research＆.Development Engineer 研究开发工程师

Restaurant Manager 饭店经理

Sales and Planning Staff 销售计划员

Sales Assistant 销售助理

Sales Clerk 店员、售货员

Sales Coordinator 销售协调人

Sales Engineer 销售工程师

Sales Executive 销售主管

Sales Manager 销售部经理

Salesperson 销售员

Seller Representative 销售代表

Sales Supervisor 销售监管

School Registrar 学校注册主任

Secretarial Assistant 秘书助理

Secretary 秘书

Securities Custody Clerk 保安人员

Security Officer 安全人员

Senior Accountant 高级会计

Senior Consultant/Adviser 高级顾问

Senior Employee 高级雇员

Senior Secretary 高级秘书

Service Manager 服务部经理

Simultaneous Interpreter 同声传译员

Software Engineer (计算机)软件工程师

Supervisor 监管员

Systems Adviser 系统顾问

Systems Engineer 系统工程师

Systems Operator 系统操作员

Technical Editor 技术编辑

Technical Translator 技术翻译

Technical Worker 技术工人

Telecommunication Executive 电讯(电信)员

Telephonist / Operator 电话接线员、话务员

Tourist Guide 导游

Trade Finance Executive 贸易财务主管

Trainee Manager 培训部经理

Translation Checker 翻译核对员

Translator 翻译员

Trust Banking Executive 银行高级职员

Typist 打字员

Wordprocessor Operator文字处理操作员

本文标签： 经理工程师老外无缘计算机