成语中英文对照文档格式.docx

1、re getting on/along like a house on fire.一文不值 not worth a damn His promise isnt worth a damn.一针见血；一语中的 hit the nail on the head He hit he nail on the head when he mentioned casual sex as being the cause of her coming down with AIDS.一言以蔽之 in a nutshell Theres a lot I could say about my bosss speech b

2、ut to put it in a nutshell, it was terrible.一命呜呼 turn up ones toes I hope to take a trip to the United States before I turn up my toes.一丝不苟 dot ones/the is and cross ones/the ts Youd better make sure you dot your is and cross your ts if you want to work at that company. Theyre very keen on details.一

3、丝不挂 in a state of nature; in the altogether; in the buff; not have a stitch on （or without a stitch on） I had just got out of the bath and still was in the buff （or in the altogether/in a state of nature） when the maid walked in without knocking.I had just got out of the bath when he knocked at the

4、door and I didnt have a stitch on.一模一样 as like as two peas （in a pod） If two brothers or two sisters are very much alike, you can say they are as like as two peas in a pod.一鸣惊人；一举成名；不同凡响 set the Thames on fire （英） / set the world on fire （美） Mary may set the Thames on fire with her piano playing.His

5、 great invention set the world on fire.一筹莫展 up the creek （without a paddle） He was really up the creek when his wife left him.一丘之貉；物以类聚 birds of a feather （flock together）; be tarred with the same brush We all thought that he and his girlfriend were birds of a feather.I dislike politicians of all pa

6、rties because theyre all tarred with the same brush.一箭之遥；近在咫尺 a stones throw My house is only a stones throw from the school.一意孤行；我行我素；独断独行 go/take ones own way I warned him not to marry that girl, but he was determined to go his own way.一知半解 a little knowledge A little knowledge is a dangerous thin

7、g. （这一句是颇有名的谚语，意为一知半解最危险；半瓶子醋害死人）一见钟情 fall in love （with someone） at first sight; love at first sight （这里 love 为名词） They fell in love with each other at first sight.They fell in love at once; it was love at first sight.一清二楚 （as） clear as crystal; （as） clear as a bell I dont know why you cant underst

8、and the instructions; theyre as clear as crystal to me.The whole thing was as clear as a bell to me. I knew what to do.一窍不通 be all Greek to someone He tried to explain how the computer worked, but it was all Greek to me.一白遮三丑 A white complexion is powerful enough to hide seven faults. A white comple

9、xion is powerful enough to hide seven faults.一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳；上一次当，学一次乖 once bitten, twice shy He has cheated and deceived me on one occasion, so I dont trust him. Once bitten, twice shy.九牛一毛；沧海一粟；杯水车薪 a drop in the ocean/bucket The money we collected for the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster

10、is really just a drop in the ocean.入不敷出 live beyond ones means My father always told me not to live beyond my means.入乡随俗 when in Rome, do as the Romans do A lot of people often say when in Rome, do as the Romans do.十之八九 nine times out of ten When my wife comes home from work, nine times out of ten s

11、he buys me an evening newspaper.十拿九稳；稳操胜券 be in the bag Were sure to win. The match is in the bag.力不从心；心余力绌；心有余而力不足 the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak （这两句的上半句 the spirit is willing 和下半句 the flesh is weak 常被分开单独使用） When I asked him for help yesterday, he said my spirit is willing, but my f

12、lesh is weak.人面兽心；口蜜腹剑；笑里藏刀 （披着羊皮的狼） a wolf in sheeps clothing Mary trusted Jack until one day she was cheated by him, and realized thathe was a wolf in sheeps clothing.人不可貌相 appearances are often deceptive Appearances are often deceptive is a commonly used idiom, meaning things are not always what

13、they seem to be.三心两意 in two minds My wife thinks we should go to South Korea for our holiday, but Im still in two minds about it.三番两次 again and again; over and over （again）; time and （time） again; time after time Ive told my son again and again not to run a red light. （to run a red light：闯红灯）三缄其口 ho

14、ld ones peace/tongue In spite of the fact that he made provocative remarks, I held my peace/tongue.三思而后行 look before you leap Look before you leap when doing business on the Web.三句不离本行；说行话；谈论工作上的事情 （这成语通常带有贬义，暗示这些关于工作的言谈让人觉得很无聊） （to） talk shop They did nothing but talked shop, and I came home early

15、because it was so boring.三个臭皮匠顶个诸葛亮 two heads are better than one Two heads are better than one.大同小异；半斤八两 （very） much of a muchness The two articles are very much of a muchness.大相径庭 poles apart They are poles apart in their political attitudes.千方百计 by hook or by crook; leave no stone unturned （or no

16、 stone be left unturned） I know this work looks difficult, but Ill finish it by hook or by crook.The police left no stone unturned to catch Taiwans most wanted fugitive Chang Hsi-ming （张锡铭） and they succeeded.He promised no stone would be left unturned to get his wife back.千载难逢 once in a blue moon M

17、y wife and I rarely, if ever, eat out. So, when I told her last night lets eat out and go to see a movie, she was very surprised and said thats really once in a blue moon.寸步不离 at ones elbow His wife was always at his elbow whenever an important decision had to be taken.大海捞针 （like） looking/searching

18、for a needle in a haystack Trying to find a book we want in so many books is just like looking for a needle in a haystack.口是心非；言不由衷 with ones tongue in ones cheek （adv.）; tongue in cheek （adv.）; tongue-in-check （adj.） He described me as an excellent teacher, but he said it tongue in cheek/with his t

19、ongue in his cheek.Thats a tongue-in-cheek remark/reply.大惊小怪；小题大作 make a mountain out of a molehill Dont make a mountain out of a molehill when you know I look about ten years younger than I really am. （I look about ten years younger than I really am. 我看起来比实际年龄年轻大约10岁）小题大作；杀鸡用牛刀 break a butterfly on

20、 a/the wheel （小题大作亦可用 make a meal out of 和 make a mountain out of a molehill 来表示） I know what Ive done is wrong, but theres no need to break a butterfly on a wheel/to make a meal out of it.大发雷霆 do ones nut When I told him what she had said about him, he did his nut.大获全胜；所向披靡 sweep the board; carry （

21、or sweep） all/everything before one I swept the board at the casino last night.Although I hadnt done well at high school, I carried all before me at university.亡羊补牢 lock the stable door after the horse has bolted It is never too late to lock the stable door after the horse has bolted.小洞不补，大洞吃苦 a sti

22、tch in time saves nine （经常略为 a stitch in time） You should try and repair your car before it becomes worse. Remember, a stitch in time saves nine.井井有条；井然有序 in apple-pie order My wife likes to keep everything in apple-pie order.少年老成；老成持重 have an old head on young shoulders Michael has an old head on y

23、oung shoulders and handles his business very well.手足无措 not know where to put oneself/ones face When I told Linda almost everyone at her department had seen the photo of her hugging and kissing her boyfriend affectionately in the street, she was so embarrassed she didnt know where to put herself/her

24、face.日复一日 （或一连数天） day after day; day in day out （这亦可写成 day in, day outIt went on raining day after day.If we do the same things day in day out, it isnt surprising we get bored.附注：关于 day after day，其他表示时间的词也可以这样用，如 year after year，month after monthnight after night；至于 day in day out，其他表示时间的词，尤其是表示较长时间

25、的词，也可以这样用，如 year in year out （这亦可写成 year in, year out，以下亦同），month in month outweek in week outnight in night out，但 hours, minutes 和 seconds 则不可以这样用。日以继夜；夜以继日 day and night; night and day He thought of her wife day and night when she went on business trip abroad last year.日薄西山 （或好景不长） someones days a

26、re numbered Now he knows his days are numbered.五十步笑百步 the pot calling the kettle black She was criticizing me for not looking for a new job but that is like the pot calling the kettle black. She isnt looking for a new job either.太岁头上动土 beard the lion in his den （这里 beard 为动词） My bosss in his office,

27、 so lets beard the lion in his den and ask for a pay raise.中饱私囊 line ones （own） pocket/purse （with + money/profits） The presidents lack of oversight has allowed some of the Cabinet members to line their pockets with hundreds of millions of dollars.心不在焉 here/there in body, but not in spirit; someones heart is not in I didnt understand very clearly what you said, because I was here in body, but not in spirit at the time.John should try to find another job because his heart is always not in his work at al