汉语四字格的英译
四字成语的翻译
每种语言都有自己的词语搭配习惯，汉语中的四字词组便是一种常见的语言现象。四字词组由四个词素构成，通常分为前后两部分。按语法关系可以分为主谓词组、动宾词组、偏正词组和联合词组。从结构上看，四字词组可分为自由词组和固定词组。汉语四字词组富于音韵美和意境美且易懂易记，除传递信息功能外还有美感功能和表情功能，简洁地向读者展现其要表达的内容。所以，四字词组能够直译应尽直译，但如果直译不通或是有损于原文风格时，可舍弃原文的形式，从内容入手。 我认为汉语四字词组的翻译方法大约有如下几种
（一）直译法
英语和汉语两种语言中都有许多“形”同“意”合的成语。这时就可使用直译法。直译是在不违背译文语言规范以及不引起译文读者错误理解的情况下，在译文中保留原文四字词语的形象、修辞手段和民族特。
1. 成语直译的例子：
（1）人固有一死，有的重于泰山，有的轻于鸿毛。
Everyone must die. But one’s death might be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a goose feather.
（2）旁边一人鼓掌大笑道：“此事易如反掌，何必多议！”（《三国演义》）
Then one of those about him suddenly clapped his hands , crying ,” It’s a easy as turning over one’s hand! Why so much talk!(Tr.C.H.Brewitt-Tayler)
（3）于是金荣忍气吞声，不多一会儿，也自睡去了。（〈红楼梦〉）
Chin Jung had to swallow his anger and hold his tongue , and very soon he turned in.(Tr.Yang Xianyi and Glagys Yang)
（4）但世人一见了功名，便舍得性命去求它，乃至到手之后，味同嚼蜡。（《儒林外史》）
Men will risk their lives in search for rank and frame ,yet once they have them within their grasp ,the taste is no better than chewed tallow.
（5）他这一去如石沉大海，再无消息。
He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
金石印章metal and stone seals
字画卷轴scroll of calligraphy and painting
护理安全文房四宝 a four stationery treasures of the Chinese study including a writing brush, an ink stick ,an ink stone and paper
保存完好well--preserved
工艺精湛exquisite workmanship
独具匠心original / ingenious design
湖光山landscape of lakes and hills
景如画picturesque views
诱人景inviting views
湖石假山lakeside rocks and rockeries
青山绿水green hills and clear waters
园林建筑garden architecture
佛教名山famous Buddhist mountain
典雅古朴elegant with classic simplicity
求同存异seeking common ground while putting aside difference
终极人类
教学相长to teach is to learn
浑水摸鱼fish in troubled waters
公事公办business is business
文如其人the style is the man
祸不单行misfortunes never come alone水化硅酸钙
时不待我/岁月无情time and tide wait for no man
祸从口出/言多必失the tongue cuts the throat
蓬头垢面with disheveled hair and dirty face
扑朔迷离complicated and confusing
朴实无华simple and unadorned
遣词造句choice of words and building of sentences
能者多劳the abler a man , the busier he gets
自力更生regeneration through one’s own efforts
画饼充饥draw cakes to allay hunger
顺水推舟push the boat with current
欺软怕硬bully the weak and fear the strong
扭亏增盈make up deficits and increase surpluses
汉英语言与文化的共通之处，使得汉语翻译成英语时，借用同义英语习语成为可能。借用同义习语有以下几种情况： 1. 汉英习语含义相同，形象一致时，汉译英时可借用英语习语。如：
（1）只有大胆地破釜沉舟地跟他们拼，还许有翻身的一天。
All you can do is to burn your boats and fight them in the hope that one day you’ll come out on top.“破釜沉舟”与to burn one’s boat 不仅形象一致，含义相同，而且历史背景也极其相似（2）你该趁热打铁，把刚学会的几首试背过。
You should strike while the iron is hot , just try to memorize the poems that have been newly taught to you .
血浓于水blood is thicker than water
静水流深still water runs deep
隔墙有耳walls have ears
火上浇油pour oil on the fire
一帆风顺plain sailing
袖手旁观look on with folded arms
晴天霹雳 a bolt from the blue
22.汉英习语形象不一致但内涵相同时，也可借用不具浓厚民族彩的同义英语习语。例如：突飞猛进by leaps and bounds
彻头彻尾pure and simple(out and out)
公平合理fair and square
活蹦乱跳alive and kicking
患难与共to share weal and woe
空洞无物null and void
少年老成to have an old head on young shoulders
结核菌抗体
无稽之谈cock-and-bull story
物以类聚birds of a feather flock together
软硬兼施to use both stick and carrot
近墨者黑he that lies down with dogs must rise with fleas
臭味相投two of the same kind
守口如瓶dumb as an oyster
蠢得像猪as stupid as a goose
对牛弹琴to cast pearls before a swine
beat the dog before the lion
班门弄斧teach fish to swim
胸有成竹have a card up one’s sleeve
本末倒置put the card before the horse
得陇望蜀/得寸进尺much will have more
喧宾夺主the sauce is better than the fish
滴水石穿/只要工夫深，铁杵磨成针little strokes fell great oaks
mh370写给2014年的一封信殊途同归all roads lead to Rome//All rivers run into the sea
口蜜腹剑peace on the forehead and war in the mind
2. 有些汉语习语直译后冗长拖沓。辞不达意或因辞害义。为避免这些弊病，可借用比喻形象与之大相径庭的同义英语习语来翻译。例如：
（1）你不能因噎废食，从此出门只靠步行了啊！
You could not cut off your nose to spite your face and forever travel on foot hereafter.
“因噎废食”可直译成to stop eating for fear of choking .但cut off your nose to spite your face 一目了然。
（2）那家合资企业由于经营不善，已经到了山穷水尽的地步。
Due to poor management , the joint venture is now at the end of its tether.
（3）凤笑道：“你倒会拉长线儿！”
“You do look ahead ,don’t you?” she chuckled
女外阴
“拉长线儿”是谚语“放长线，钓大鱼”的变体，若按字面翻译成throw along line to catch a big fish ，一则读者不能一眼看出其寓意，二则与原文的口语体不相符合。
树大招风names are debts
入乡随俗do in Rome as the Romans do
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