雅思口语：中文俗语用英文怎么说

　　雅思口语：中文俗语用英文怎么说

　　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 a long movie line.」

　　不过在诗词用语 里，老外也有使用：「a 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.

　　Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.

　　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.

　　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.

　　或者说：

　　Every family has its own source of shame.

　　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.

　　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.

　　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.

　　对学生也可以说：

　　If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming.

　　5. 挂羊头，卖狗肉：有人照字直译为：He advertises mutton, but sells dogs flesh. 或 He hangs up a sheeps 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 tactics in business.　　

　　This store uses bait and switch policy.

　　或者简单的说：

　　Let the buyer be aware! ; 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.

　　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. ; 或 The less said the better.

　　甚至也可以说：

　　Shut the mouth and open the eyes.