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【2025最全成語英文指南】如何掌握200+實用中英成語對照、典故、用法全解析?
如何將中文成語準確翻譯成英文?成語英文翻譯的關鍵在於理解文化內涵與功能對等,而非單純的字面翻譯。一個四字成語往往承載著千年文化智慧,在英語世界中需要找到意義相近、情感共鳴的對應表達。令人驚訝的是,許多中英文化雖然相隔萬里,卻在人生哲理與生活智慧上有著驚人的相似性。
在全球化時代,掌握成語的英文翻譯技巧已成為跨文化溝通的必備能力,無論是IELTS考試、國際商務談判,還是學術交流場合都扮演著關鍵角色。許多學習者誤以為成語翻譯只需要背誦對照表,但實際上這門藝術需要深度理解兩種語言的文化背景、使用語境與表達習慣。當您能夠在恰當時機運用"Kill two birds with one stone"來表達「一舉兩得」,或用"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"來詮釋「入鄉隨俗」時,您的英語表達將展現出令人印象深刻的文化深度。
本文將為您提供最完整的成語英文學習系統,涵蓋200多個實用對照、11大主題分類,以及實戰練習題目。PREPEDU專業團隊精心整理的這份指南,不僅幫助您掌握翻譯技巧,更要讓您在國際溝通中展現卓越的語言魅力與文化素養。

I. 什麼是成語英文?
成語英文指的是將中文成語以功能對等的方式轉換為英文表達,這種轉換不僅涉及語言層面的翻譯,更需要考慮文化內涵與語境適切性。成語作為中華文化的精華,往往蘊含深厚的歷史背景與哲學思想,因此在英譯過程中必須兼顧語言的準確性與文化的傳達效果。
在英文學習與IELTS考試中,掌握成語英文具有多重優勢:首先,它能豐富您的詞彙表達,讓英文寫作更加生動有力;其次,理解idioms的運用方式有助於提升閱讀理解能力,特別是在面對帶有文化色彩的文本時;最後,適當運用英文成語能展現您對英語文化的深度理解,這在口說測驗中尤其能獲得考官青睞。
成語英文的特點在於其表達的簡潔性與寓意的深刻性,一個短短四字的成語往往能傳達複雜的概念或情感,而對應的英文表達則可能是一整個片語或句子。因此,學習成語英文不僅是語言技能的提升,更是思維模式的拓展與文化視野的開闊。
II. 按主題列出的成語英文列表
本章節是文章的核心部分,將提供最實用、分類最清晰的成語列表,旨在讓讀者快速吸收並應用於實際溝通場景中。每個成語都經過精心挑選,確保其在現代英語環境中的實用性與準確性,讓您能夠在最短時間內掌握最有價值的英文成語表達。
1. 與金錢相關的成語
金錢相關的成語英文表達在商務與日常生活中使用頻率極高,這些idioms能幫助您在討論財務、投資或經濟話題時更加精準且具說服力。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Penny-pinching |
極度節儉,一毛不拔 |
His penny-pinching attitude makes him save every cent he earns. (他一毛不拔的態度讓他省下每一分錢。) |
Spend money like water |
揮霍無度,花錢如流水 |
After winning the lottery, he spent money like water and was broke within a year. (中獎後他揮金如土,一年內就破產了。) |
Make ends meet |
收支平衡,勤儉持家 |
Despite their low income, they always manage to make ends meet through careful budgeting. (儘管收入微薄,他們總能透過仔細預算勤儉持家。) |
Live beyond one's means |
入不敷出,超出經濟能力 |
Many young people today live beyond their means due to credit card debt. (現在許多年輕人因信用卡債務而入不敷出。) |
Get more bang for your buck |
物超所值,划算 |
Shopping during sales helps you get more bang for your buck. (特價期間購物能讓你物超所值。) |
Break the bank |
花光所有錢,一擲千金 |
His gambling habit made him break the bank within months. (他的賭博習慣讓他幾個月內一擲千金破產了。) |
Pinch pennies |
省吃儉用,精打細算 |
She had to pinch pennies for years to save for her house deposit. (她必須省吃儉用好幾年才存到房屋頭期款。) |
Lose one's shirt |
血本無歸,損失慘重 |
He lost his shirt investing in that failed startup company. (他投資那家失敗的新創公司血本無歸。) |
Money can't buy happiness |
金錢買不到快樂 |
Despite his wealth, he learned that money can't buy happiness. (儘管很富有,他明白了錢不是萬能,買不到快樂。) |
Money talks |
有錢能使鬼推磨 |
In this corrupt system, money talks louder than justice. (在這個腐敗制度中,有錢能使鬼推磨,比正義更有力。) |
Every penny counts |
積少成多,每分錢都重要 |
When saving for retirement, every penny counts over time. (為退休儲蓄時,積少成多,每分錢都很重要。) |
Spend money like there's no tomorrow |
坐吃山空,揮霍無度 |
If he keeps spending money like there's no tomorrow, he'll be broke soon. (如果他繼續坐吃山空,很快就會破產。) |
Count every penny |
精打細算,計較每分錢 |
During tough times, families need to count every penny carefully. (困難時期,家庭需要精打細算每一分錢。) |
Strike it rich |
一本萬利,發大財 |
His investment in cryptocurrency helped him strike it rich overnight. (他投資加密貨幣讓他一夜之間一本萬利。) |
Rob Peter to pay Paul |
寅吃卯糧,拆東牆補西牆 |
Using credit cards to pay bills is just robbing Peter to pay Paul. (用信用卡付帳單只是寅吃卯糧。) |

2. 身體部位相關成語
身體部位相關的成語英文在描述行為、情感和狀態時特別生動,這類英文成語大全中的表達通常具有強烈的視覺效果與感情色彩。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Wear one's heart on one's sleeve |
心口如一,坦率表達情感 |
She always wears her heart on her sleeve and speaks honestly about her feelings. (她總是心口如一,誠實表達自己的感受。) |
Turn a blind eye |
袖手旁觀,視而不見 |
The manager turned a blind eye to the employee's frequent tardiness. (經理對員工經常遲到袖手旁觀。) |
Make heads or tails of something |
理解,搞清楚 |
I can't make heads or tails of this complicated instruction manual. (我無法理解這本複雜的說明書。) |
Heart to heart |
肝膽相照,推心置腹 |
We had a heart to heart conversation about our future plans. (我們肝膽相照地談論未來計畫。) |
The apple of one's eye |
掌上明珠,心愛的人 |
Her daughter is the apple of her eye, and she would do anything for her. (她女兒是她的掌上明珠,她願意為她做任何事。) |
Give someone the cold shoulder |
冷眼旁觀,冷淡對待 |
After their argument, she gave him the cold shoulder for weeks. (爭吵後,她冷眼旁觀好幾週都不理他。) |
Flesh and blood |
手足之情,血肉關係 |
Despite their differences, they're still flesh and blood and care for each other. (儘管有分歧,他們仍是手足之情,彼此關心。) |
Eyes bigger than one's stomach |
眼高手低,好高騖遠 |
His eyes were bigger than his stomach when planning this ambitious project. (規劃這個雄心勃勃的項目時,他眼高手低。) |
Heart in one's mouth |
心有餘悸,緊張害怕 |
Thinking about that near-accident still makes my heart in my mouth. (想到那次差點發生的意外仍讓我心有餘悸。) |
Speak with a forked tongue |
口蜜腹劍,言不由衷 |
Don't trust him - he speaks with a forked tongue and has hidden motives. (別相信他,他口蜜腹劍,有隱藏動機。) |
Keep one's feet on the ground |
腳踏實地,實事求是 |
Despite his success, he always keeps his feet on the ground. (儘管成功了,他總是腳踏實地。) |
Beam from ear to ear |
眉開眼笑,喜笑顏開 |
When she heard the good news, she was beaming from ear to ear. (聽到好消息時,她眉開眼笑。) |
Have one's head in the clouds |
心不在焉,心猿意馬 |
He's been having his head in the clouds since falling in love. (自從戀愛後,他就心不在焉。) |
Jaw drops |
瞠目結舌,大吃一驚 |
My jaw dropped when I saw the enormous hotel bill. (看到巨額酒店帳單時我瞠目結舌。) |
Close to one's heart |
刻骨銘心,深深感動 |
The memory of their first meeting is close to her heart. (初次見面的回憶對她來說刻骨銘心。) |
3. 食物相關成語
食物相關的成語英文反映了飲食文化與人生智慧的結合,這些表達在英語中同樣豐富多彩,展現了普世的生活體驗。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Pie in the sky |
畫餅充飢,不切實際的承諾 |
His promises of quick wealth are just pie in the sky - unrealistic and impossible. (他承諾快速致富只是畫餅充飢,不切實際且不可能。) |
Wolf down |
狼吞虎嚥,匆忙吃掉 |
He wolfed down his lunch because he was late for the meeting. (他狼吞虎嚥地吃午餐,因為開會要遲到了。) |
Savor every bite |
細嚼慢嚥,品嚐每一口 |
She savored every bite of the gourmet meal, appreciating each flavor. (她細嚼慢嚥地品嚐美食,欣賞每種風味。) |
The sweetest grapes hang highest |
苦盡甘來,最甜的果實最難得 |
After years of struggle, success came to him - the sweetest grapes hang highest. (經過多年奮鬥,成功終於到來,苦盡甘來。) |
Just a taste |
淺嚐即止,適可而止 |
I'll just have a taste of the dessert since I'm on a diet. (我在節食,所以甜點淺嚐即止就好。) |
Fair-weather friends |
酒肉朋友,只能共富貴的朋友 |
When he lost his money, his fair-weather friends all disappeared. (當他失去金錢時,酒肉朋友都消失了。) |
Like chewing cardboard |
食不知味,味同嚼蠟 |
After the bad news, everything tasted like chewing cardboard. (聽到壞消息後,吃什麼都食不知味。) |
Any port in a storm |
饑不擇食,急不擇路 |
When desperate for work, any port in a storm seemed acceptable. (急需工作時,饑不擇食什麼都能接受。) |
Small talk |
茶餘飯後的閒聊 |
Their relationship problems became small talk among neighbors. (他們的關係問題成了鄰居茶餘飯後的閒聊。) |
Remember one's roots |
飲水思源,不忘本 |
Despite his success, he always remembers his roots and helps his hometown. (儘管成功了,他總是飲水思源,幫助家鄉。) |
Simple fare |
粗茶淡飯,簡樸的食物 |
They lived on simple fare but were content with their modest lifestyle. (他們過著粗茶淡飯的生活,但對樸素的生活方式很滿足。) |
A feast fit for a king |
山珍海味,豐盛的盛宴 |
The wedding banquet was a feast fit for a king with every delicacy imaginable. (婚宴是山珍海味,有各種想像得到的美食。) |
Swallow hook, line, and sinker |
囫圇吞棗,全盤接受 |
He swallowed their sales pitch hook, line, and sinker without questioning anything. (他囫圇吞棗地接受了他們的銷售說辭,什麼都不質疑。) |
Go back on one's word |
食言而肥,說話不算數 |
Politicians often go back on their word once elected to office. (政治家一旦當選往往食言而肥。) |
Mouth-watering |
饞涎欲滴,令人垂涎 |
The mouth-watering aroma from the kitchen made everyone hungry. (廚房裡令人饞涎欲滴的香味讓每個人都餓了。) |

4. 數字相關成語
數字相關的成語英文體現了量化思維在語言中的體現,這些idioms在表達程度、比例和精確性時特別有效。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Put all one's eggs in one basket |
一心一意,孤注一擲 |
He put all his eggs in one basket by investing everything in one company. (他把所有投資都放在一家公司,一心一意地投入。) |
In two minds |
三心二意,猶豫不決 |
She's in two minds about accepting the job offer from abroad. (她對是否接受海外工作機會三心二意。) |
A drop in the ocean |
九牛一毛,微不足道 |
His donation, though generous, was just a drop in the ocean compared to what was needed. (他的捐款雖然慷慨,但相比所需的只是九牛一毛。) |
Second to none |
十全十美,無與倫比 |
Her performance in the competition was second to none - absolutely perfect. (她在比賽中的表現十全十美,絕對完美。) |
Hit the bull's eye every time |
百發百中,每次都命中目標 |
As an experienced marketer, she hits the bull's eye every time with her campaigns. (作為經驗豐富的行銷人員,她的活動總是百發百中。) |
Kill two birds with one stone |
一石二鳥,一舉兩得 |
Taking the bus to work kills two birds with one stone - saving money and exercising. (搭巴士上班一石二鳥,既省錢又運動。) |
At sixes and sevens |
七上八下,混亂不安 |
Her emotions were at sixes and sevens before the important interview. (重要面試前她的情緒七上八下。) |
By the skin of one's teeth |
千鈞一髮,險險通過 |
He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth with exactly the minimum score. (他以最低分數千鈞一髮地通過考試。) |
Safe as houses |
萬無一失,絕對安全 |
The security system is safe as houses - absolutely foolproof. (這個安全系統萬無一失,絕對可靠。) |
Come out of nowhere |
一鳴驚人,突然出現 |
The young athlete came out of nowhere to win the championship. (那位年輕運動員一鳴驚人贏得冠軍。) |
Flash in the pan |
三分鐘熱度,曇花一現 |
His interest in learning guitar was just a flash in the pan. (他學吉他的興趣只是三分鐘熱度。) |
Fighting a losing battle |
四面楚歌,面臨困境 |
With competitors on all sides, the company was fighting a losing battle. (面對四面的競爭者,公司四面楚歌。) |
The four corners of the earth |
五湖四海,世界各地 |
Students come from the four corners of the earth to study at this university. (學生從五湖四海來到這所大學求學。) |
Many ways to skin a cat |
八仙過海,各有妙法 |
There are many ways to skin a cat when solving this problem. (解決這個問題有八仙過海各顯神通的方法。) |
A sure thing |
十拿九穩,穩操勝券 |
With his experience, getting the job is a sure thing. (以他的經驗,得到這份工作十拿九穩。) |
5. 顏色相關成語
顏色相關的成語英文為語言增添了豐富的視覺效果和情感層次,這些表達在描述心情、狀態和情境時特別生動。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Paint the town red |
紅紅火火,盛大慶祝 |
They decided to paint the town red to celebrate their graduation. (他們決定大肆慶祝畢業,過得紅紅火火。) |
Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea |
青黃不接,進退兩難 |
With his old job ending and new one not starting yet, he's caught between the devil and the deep blue sea financially. (舊工作結束新工作還沒開始,他在財務上青黃不接。) |
Start from scratch |
白手起家,從零開始 |
She built her business empire starting from scratch with just a small loan. (她從小額貸款白手起家,建立了商業帝國。) |
See things in black and white |
黑白分明,非黑即白 |
He tends to see things in black and white, never considering the gray areas. (他傾向於黑白分明地看事情,從不考慮灰色地帶。) |
All that glitters is not gold |
金碧輝煌未必真金,外表光鮮未必美好 |
The luxurious hotel looked impressive, but remember that all that glitters is not gold. (豪華酒店看起來金碧輝煌,但記住不是所有閃光的都是金子。) |
Red in the face |
面紅耳赤,尷尬羞愧 |
He was red in the face with embarrassment after making the mistake. (犯錯後他尷尬得面紅耳赤。) |
Outshine one's teacher |
青出於藍,超越師父 |
The student's performance outshone his teacher's expectations. (學生的表現青出於藍,超越了老師的期望。) |
Castle in the air |
白日做夢,不切實際的幻想 |
His plan to become a millionaire overnight is just a castle in the air. (他一夜致富的計劃只是白日做夢。) |
Turn things upside down |
黑白顛倒,顛覆秩序 |
The new manager turned things upside down with his radical changes. (新經理用激進的改變把一切黑白顛倒。) |
Golden opportunity |
紫氣東來,絕佳機會 |
This partnership represents a golden opportunity for both companies. (這次合作對雙方公司都是紫氣東來的好機會。) |
Feel blue |
灰心喪志,情緒低落 |
After failing the exam, she felt blue for several days. (考試失敗後,她灰心喪志好幾天。) |
Paint a rosy picture |
花團錦簇,描繪美好前景 |
The marketing team painted a rosy picture of the product's future sales. (行銷團隊對產品未來銷售花團錦簇地描繪。) |
Robin Hood |
綠林好漢,劫富濟貧的英雄 |
He saw himself as a modern Robin Hood, helping the poor. (他認為自己是現代綠林好漢,幫助窮人。) |
Autumn colors |
橙黃橘綠,秋天的色彩 |
The park was beautiful with all its autumn colors in full display. (公園橙黃橘綠,秋色盡顯,美不勝收。) |
Without a blemish |
白璧無瑕,完美無缺 |
Her reputation in the industry is without a blemish. (她在業界的聲譽白璧無瑕。) |

6. 動物相關成語
動物相關的成語英文是最具普遍性的表達類型,不同文化背景下都有豐富的動物比喻,這些idioms在英語溝通中使用頻率極高。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Lion's share |
狐假虎威,最大份額 |
The CEO took the lion's share of credit for the team's success. (執行長搶佔了團隊成功的大部分功勞,狐假虎威。) |
Like a bull in a china shop |
雞飛狗跳,行事粗魯 |
When he tried to help in the kitchen, he was like a bull in a china shop, breaking everything. (他想在廚房幫忙時就像公牛闖進瓷器店,搞得雞飛狗跳。) |
Wild horses couldn't drag me away |
龍騰虎躍,無法阻擋的熱情 |
Wild horses couldn't drag me away from this exciting project. (再大的困難也阻止不了我對這個令人興奮項目的投入,龍騰虎躍。) |
Like a hawk |
虎視眈眈,密切注視 |
The competitor has been watching our moves like a hawk, waiting for an opportunity. (競爭對手一直虎視眈眈地觀察我們的行動,等待機會。) |
The early bird catches the worm |
早起的鳥兒有蟲吃 |
She always gets the best opportunities because the early bird catches the worm. (她總是得到最好的機會,因為早起的鳥兒有蟲吃。) |
A wolf in sheep's clothing |
狼心狗肺,偽裝的惡人 |
Don't trust him - he's a wolf in sheep's clothing with hidden motives. (別相信他,他是狼心狗肺,有隱藏動機。) |
Get straight from the horse's mouth |
馬到成功,從可靠來源得知 |
I got the news straight from the horse's mouth - it's definitely true. (我從最可靠的消息來源得到這個消息,馬到成功絕對是真的。) |
Birds of a feather flock together |
豬朋狗友,物以類聚 |
His troublemaker friends are all birds of a feather that flock together. (他那些搗蛋的豬朋狗友都是一丘之貉。) |
Eat like a horse |
蠶食鯨吞,胃口很大 |
During his growth spurt, the teenager ate like a horse. (在成長期間,這個青少年蠶食鯨吞般地吃。) |
Stand out like a sore thumb |
鶴立雞群,非常顯眼 |
With his bright red jacket, he stood out like a sore thumb in the crowd. (穿著鮮紅夾克,他在人群中鶴立雞群。) |
Count one's chickens before they hatch |
守株待兔,過早樂觀 |
Don't count your chickens before they hatch - wait until the deal is confirmed. (別守株待兔,等交易確認後再說。) |
Cast pearls before swine |
對牛彈琴,白費口舌 |
Explaining quantum physics to him is like casting pearls before swine. (向他解釋量子物理就像對牛彈琴。) |
Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs |
殺雞取卵,破壞利益來源 |
Overworking their best employee would be killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. (過度使用他們最好的員工就是殺雞取卵。) |
Red herring |
魚目混珠,轉移注意力 |
That argument is just a red herring to distract from the real issue. (那個論點只是魚目混珠,轉移對真正問題的注意。) |
There's always a bigger fish |
螳螂捕蟬,總有更強者 |
He thought he was smart, but there's always a bigger fish in the corporate world. (他以為自己很聰明,但商業世界螳螂捕蟬,黃雀在後。) |

7. 學校相關成語
學校相關的成語英文反映了教育文化中的智慧與經驗,這些表達在談論學習、成長和知識傳承時特別適用。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Practice makes perfect |
學而時習之,熟能生巧 |
She believes that practice makes perfect, so she reviews her notes daily. (她相信學而時習之,所以每天複習筆記。) |
Connect the dots |
舉一反三,融會貫通 |
Good students can connect the dots between different concepts and apply them creatively. (優秀學生能舉一反三,創造性地應用不同概念。) |
Learn something new every day |
溫故知新,持續學習 |
Teachers encourage students to learn something new every day while reviewing old materials. (老師鼓勵學生在複習舊材料的同時溫故知新。) |
No question is too small |
不恥下問,勇於提問 |
In our classroom, no question is too small - we encourage students to ask anything. (在我們教室裡,不恥下問,我們鼓勵學生問任何問題。) |
The student surpasses the teacher |
青出於藍,學生超越老師 |
It's gratifying when the student surpasses the teacher in knowledge and skill. (當學生在知識技能上青出於藍時,這是令人欣慰的。) |
No pain, no gain |
書山有路勤為徑,苦盡甘來 |
Academic success requires dedication - no pain, no gain in education. (學業成功需要奉獻精神,書山有路勤為徑。) |
Practice makes perfect |
熟能生巧,反覆練習 |
Through constant repetition, practice makes perfect in language learning. (通過不斷重複,語言學習中熟能生巧。) |
You can lead a horse to water |
師父領進門,修行在個人 |
Teachers can provide guidance, but you can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink. (老師可以提供指導,但師父領進門,修行在個人。) |
Two heads are better than one |
三人行必有我師,合作學習 |
In group projects, two heads are better than one for solving problems. (在小組項目中,三人行必有我師,合作解決問題更好。) |
Live and learn |
學無止境,終身學習 |
Even after graduation, we should live and learn throughout our lives. (即使畢業後,我們也應該活到老學到老,學無止境。) |
Give up halfway |
半途而廢,中途放棄 |
Don't give up halfway through your studies - persistence pays off. (不要在學習中半途而廢,堅持會有回報。) |
Cram for an exam |
臨時抱佛腳,急功近利 |
Cramming for an exam at the last minute is never as effective as steady studying. (臨時抱佛腳考試從來不如穩定學習有效。) |
Good teachers produce good students |
名師出高徒 |
The success of this school shows that good teachers produce good students. (這所學校的成功表明名師出高徒。) |
The early bird catches the worm |
笨鳥先飛,勤能補拙 |
Students who struggle often succeed by following the early bird catches the worm principle. (學習困難的學生往往通過笨鳥先飛的原則獲得成功。) |
Put knowledge into practice |
學以致用,應用知識 |
The best education helps students put knowledge into practice in real situations. (最好的教育幫助學生在實際情況中學以致用。) |
8. 旅行相關成語
旅行相關的成語英文體現了移動與探索中的人生哲理,這些表達在描述冒險、發現和人生旅程時特別貼切。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step |
千里之行始於足下 |
Planning your dream vacation starts small - a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. (規劃夢想假期要從小處開始,千里之行始於足下。) |
All roads lead to Rome |
殊途同歸,條條大路通羅馬 |
Though we took different flights, all roads lead to Rome - we'll meet at the destination. (雖然我們搭不同航班,但殊途同歸,會在目的地會合。) |
Scratch the surface |
走馬觀花,浮光掠影 |
Their three-day tour only scratched the surface of what the country has to offer. (他們三天的旅遊只是走馬觀花,無法深入了解這個國家。) |
Safe as houses |
路不拾遺,非常安全 |
The hotel neighborhood is safe as houses - you can walk around at any time. (酒店附近路不拾遺,任何時候都可以安全散步。) |
Travel-worn |
風塵僕僕,旅途勞累 |
After the long international flight, the passengers looked travel-worn but excited. (長途國際航班後,乘客們看起來風塵僕僕但興奮不已。) |
When in Rome, do as the Romans do |
入鄉隨俗,適應當地習俗 |
When visiting temples in Asia, when in Rome, do as the Romans do and remove your shoes. (在亞洲參觀寺廟時,入鄉隨俗要脫鞋。) |
Fish out of water |
水土不服,格格不入 |
He felt like a fish out of water during his first week in the foreign country. (他在外國的第一週感到水土不服。) |
Far from home |
背井離鄉,遠離家園 |
Working abroad means being far from home and missing family gatherings. (在國外工作意味著背井離鄉,錯過家庭聚會。) |
Plain sailing |
一帆風順,順利無阻 |
After the initial delays, the rest of the trip was plain sailing. (最初的延誤後,旅程的其餘部分一帆風順。) |
Get back on track |
迷途知返,重回正軌 |
He realized he was lost but managed to get back on track using GPS. (他意識到迷路了,但用GPS設法迷途知返。) |
Cross the seven seas |
漂洋過海,遠渡重洋 |
She crossed the seven seas to pursue her education in America. (她漂洋過海到美國求學。) |
The ends of the earth |
天涯海角,世界盡頭 |
He promised to follow her to the ends of the earth. (他承諾跟隨她到天涯海角。) |
Road weary |
舟車勞頓,旅途疲憊 |
After hours of driving, they were road weary and needed rest. (開車幾個小時後,他們舟車勞頓需要休息。) |
A familiar face in an unfamiliar place |
他鄉遇故知,異地見熟人 |
Meeting his college friend in Paris was like seeing a familiar face in an unfamiliar place. (在巴黎遇到大學朋友就像他鄉遇故知。) |
Ships passing in the night |
萍水相逢,短暫相遇 |
Their brief encounter was like ships passing in the night - meaningful but fleeting. (他們的短暫相遇就像萍水相逢,有意義但轉瞬即逝。) |

9. 工作相關成語
工作相關的成語英文在職場溝通中發揮關鍵作用,這些英文成語能幫助您在專業環境中展現語言的精準性與文化深度。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Work smarter, not harder |
事半功倍,提高效率 |
Using automation tools helps the team work smarter, not harder. (使用自動化工具幫助團隊事半功倍。) |
Go the extra mile |
精益求精,加倍努力 |
Our company's reputation comes from always going the extra mile for clients. (我們公司的聲譽來自於總是為客戶精益求精。) |
Burn the midnight oil |
臨陣磨槍,挑燈夜戰 |
She had to burn the midnight oil to finish the presentation before the deadline. (她必須臨陣磨槍熬夜完成截止日前的簡報。) |
Give one's all |
鞠躬盡瘁,全力以赴 |
He gave his all to the company for twenty years before retiring. (他在退休前為公司鞠躬盡瘁工作了二十年。) |
Many hands make light work |
分工合作,眾志成城 |
The project finished ahead of schedule because many hands make light work. (項目提前完成是因為分工合作,眾志成城。) |
Have one's work cut out |
任重道遠,工作艱難 |
With the new regulations, the compliance team has their work cut out for them. (面對新法規,合規團隊任重道遠。) |
Keep one's feet on the ground |
腳踏實地,務實穩重 |
Despite early success, she kept her feet on the ground and continued working hard. (儘管早期成功,她仍腳踏實地繼續努力工作。) |
Strike while the iron is hot |
當機立斷,把握時機 |
The market opportunity appeared, so we need to strike while the iron is hot. (市場機會出現了,我們需要當機立斷。) |
The icing on the cake |
錦上添花,完美點綴 |
The client's positive feedback was the icing on the cake for our successful project. (客戶的正面回饋為我們成功的項目錦上添花。) |
Pull together |
眾志成城,團結協作 |
When facing the crisis, the entire team pulled together to find solutions. (面對危機時,整個團隊眾志成城尋找解決方案。) |
Cross one's t's and dot one's i's |
未雨綢繆,注意細節 |
Good project management means crossing your t's and dotting your i's. (良好的項目管理意味著未雨綢繆,注意細節。) |
Put the finishing touches |
畫龍點睛,完善細節 |
The creative director put the finishing touches on the advertising campaign. (創意總監為廣告活動畫龍點睛。) |
Throw in the towel |
半途而廢,放棄努力 |
Don't throw in the towel just because the project seems challenging. (不要因為項目看起來有挑戰性就半途而廢。) |
Overqualified for the position |
大材小用,資歷過高 |
With her PhD, she seemed overqualified for the entry-level position. (憑她的博士學位,這個入門職位似乎大材小用。) |
Step up to the plate |
臨危受命,承擔責任 |
When the CEO resigned suddenly, the CFO stepped up to the plate. (當執行長突然辭職時,財務長臨危受命。) |
10. 購物相關成語
購物相關的成語英文反映了現代消費文化中的實用智慧,這些表達在討論消費行為、價值判斷時特別有用。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Shop around |
貨比三家,多方比較 |
Before making a major purchase, it's wise to shop around for the best deal. (大宗採購前,貨比三家尋找最好的交易是明智的。) |
Get the best bang for your buck |
物美價廉,最划算的選擇 |
This store offers quality products that give you the best bang for your buck. (這家店提供物美價廉的優質產品。) |
You get what you pay for |
一分錢一分貨 |
The cheap shoes fell apart quickly - you get what you pay for. (便宜鞋子很快就壞了,一分錢一分貨。) |
Penny wise and pound foolish |
精打細算卻因小失大 |
Don't be penny wise and pound foolish - invest in quality items that last longer. (別精打細算到捨本逐末,投資持久耐用的優質商品。) |
Buy on impulse |
衝動購物,一時衝動 |
She tends to buy on impulse whenever she sees a sale sign. (她看到特價標誌時往往衝動購物。) |
Worth every penny |
物有所值,值得每分錢 |
This expensive handbag is worth every penny due to its excellent quality. (這個昂貴手提包品質優秀,物有所值。) |
Haggle over prices |
討價還價,價格談判 |
In the traditional market, customers often haggle over prices with vendors. (在傳統市場,顧客經常與攤販討價還價。) |
Corner the market |
奇貨可居,壟斷市場 |
The company tried to corner the market on rare earth minerals. (該公司試圖在稀土礦物方面奇貨可居。) |
Sell like hotcakes |
搶購一空,熱銷商品 |
The new smartphone model sold like hotcakes on its release day. (新智慧型手機在發布當天搶購一空。) |
Get one's money's worth |
物盡其用,物有所值 |
By using the gym facilities daily, she definitely gets her money's worth from the membership. (每天使用健身房設施,她的會員費物盡其用。) |
Cut corners |
便宜行事,偷工減料 |
To reduce costs, the manufacturer cut corners on material quality. (為了降低成本,製造商在材料品質上便宜行事。) |
Spend money like water |
一擲千金,揮霍無度 |
After winning the lottery, he spent money like water on luxury items. (中獎後,他在奢侈品上一擲千金。) |
Champagne taste on a beer budget |
眼高手低,品味高但預算低 |
She has champagne taste on a beer budget and always wants expensive things. (她眼高手低,總是想要昂貴的東西。) |
Return to sender |
物歸原主,退回原處 |
The defective product was returned to sender for a full refund. (有缺陷的產品物歸原主,獲得全額退款。) |
Strike gold |
一本萬利,獲得暴利 |
Investing in that startup company early helped him strike gold. (早期投資那家新創公司讓他一本萬利。) |
11. 其他常用成語
這個分類匯集了其他重要且常用的成語英文表達,涵蓋了生活中各種情境,是完善您英語表達能力的重要補充。
成語英文 |
意思 |
例句 |
Kill two birds with one stone |
一舉兩得,雙重效益 |
By cycling to work, I kill two birds with one stone - exercising and saving money. (騎車上班讓我一舉兩得,既運動又省錢。) |
Burn one's bridges |
破釜沉舟,斷絕退路 |
After quitting his job to start a business, he really burned his bridges. (辭職創業後,他真的破釜沉舟了。) |
Better late than never |
亡羊補牢,遲做總比不做好 |
He started learning English at 40 - better late than never. (他40歲才開始學英語,亡羊補牢總比沒有好。) |
Practice makes perfect |
熟能生巧,反覆練習達到完美 |
She wasn't good at cooking initially, but practice makes perfect. (她起初不會做菜,但熟能生巧。) |
When in Rome, do as the Romans do |
入鄉隨俗,適應當地習慣 |
When visiting Japan, when in Rome, do as the Romans do and bow when greeting. (造訪日本時,入鄉隨俗,問候時要鞠躬。) |
Time flies |
時光飛逝,時間過得很快 |
Time flies when you're having fun - the vacation ended too quickly. (快樂時時光飛逝,假期結束得太快了。) |
Keep one's lips sealed |
守口如瓶,保守秘密 |
She promised to keep her lips sealed about the surprise party. (她承諾對驚喜派對守口如瓶。) |
Every cloud has a silver lining |
苦盡甘來,黑暗中總有光明 |
After losing his job, every cloud has a silver lining - he found a better position. (失業後苦盡甘來,他找到了更好的職位。) |
A friend in need is a friend indeed |
雪中送炭,患難見真情 |
When I was hospitalized, she visited daily - a friend in need is a friend indeed. (我住院時她每天探望,真是雪中送炭。) |
Everything falls into place |
水到渠成,一切順利就位 |
After months of preparation, everything fell into place for the wedding. (經過幾個月的準備,婚禮一切水到渠成。) |
Keep up with the times |
與時俱進,跟上時代步伐 |
To stay competitive, businesses must keep up with the times and embrace technology. (為了保持競爭力,企業必須與時俱進,擁抱科技。) |
Read the writing on the wall |
見微知著,察看趨勢預兆 |
Experienced investors can read the writing on the wall and predict market changes. (有經驗的投資者能見微知著,預測市場變化。) |
Make a mountain out of a molehill |
無中生有,小題大做 |
She tends to make a mountain out of a molehill with minor problems. (她往往在小問題上無中生有。) |
A blessing in disguise |
因禍得福,壞事變好事 |
Losing that job was a blessing in disguise - it led to a better career path. (失去那份工作因禍得福,帶來了更好的職業道路。) |
Gild the lily |
畫蛇添足,多餘的裝飾 |
Adding more decorations to the perfect cake would just be gilding the lily. (在完美的蛋糕上增加更多裝飾只是畫蛇添足。) |
III. 成語英文實戰練習
經過前面章節的系統學習,現在是時候透過實際練習來檢驗並鞏固您對成語英文翻譯的理解與掌握。以下練習題涵蓋了不同難度層次與應用情境,幫助您從被動學習轉向主動運用,真正將這些idioms融入日常英語溝通中。
1. 練習一
選出每題最正確的答案 — 片語以粗體標示:
1. After failing the driving test twice, John decided to throw in the towel.
-
A. Try again
-
B. Give up
-
C. Cry loudly
-
D. Apologize
2. I tried to study, but my little brother kept getting on my nerves.
-
A. Encouraging me
-
B. Supporting me
-
C. Annoying me
-
D. Cheering me up
3. When I told him the bad news, he just sat there as cool as a cucumber.
-
A. Laughing out loud
-
B. Totally calm
-
C. Very confused
-
D. Extremely sad
4. We were completely in the dark about the surprise party.
-
A. Informed about
-
B. Unaware of
-
C. Excited about
-
D. Scared of
5. That horror movie scared me out of my wits!
-
A. Made me sleepy
-
B. Confused me
-
C. Frightened me a lot
-
D. Bored me
6. Mary spilled the beans about Anna’s secret birthday party.
-
A. Prepared the food
-
B. Kept a secret
-
C. Revealed a secret
-
D. Cleaned the room
7. I couldn’t attend the meeting because I was feeling under the weather.
-
A. Confused
-
B. Hesitant
-
C. Busy
-
D. Sick
8. They finally decided to face the music and take responsibility for the damage.
-
A. Run away
-
B. Accept the punishment
-
C. Go dancing
-
D. Blame others
9. Jane and her sister don’t see eye to eye on politics.
-
A. Agree
-
B. Argue often
-
C. Avoid talking
-
D. Understand
10. Getting this job is a piece of cake for her.
-
A. Difficult
-
B. Very easy
-
C. Disappointing
-
D. Exciting
2. 練習二
選出正確的片語來完成句子:
-
Today is your job interview, right? __________!
-
Break a leg
-
Hit the books
-
Under the weather
-
-
I love this dress, but I won’t buy it. It __________.
-
Costs an arm and a leg
-
Gets cold feet
-
Spills the beans
-
-
Jenny was so tired during class, she could hardly __________.
-
Keep her chin up
-
Keep her eyes open
-
Break the ice
-
-
I can’t believe you forgot his birthday again — you really __________.
-
Put your foot in your mouth
-
Got under his skin
-
Broke the bank
-
-
When I asked about the problem, she just __________.
-
Beat around the bush
-
Hit the sack
-
Gave me a hand
-
-
I was so embarrassed that I wished the ground would __________.
-
Cost an arm and a leg
-
Catch me red-handed
-
Swallow me up
-
-
If you want to finish your assignment on time, you should __________.
-
Hit the books
-
Let the cat out of the bag
-
Jump on the bandwagon
-
-
The rumor isn’t true — don’t believe it until you hear it __________.
-
From the horse’s mouth
-
Like pulling teeth
-
In black and white
-
-
You can trust Anna. Your secret is __________.
-
In hot water
-
Safe with her
-
Over the moon
-
-
My little brother really __________ sometimes, but I still love him.
-
Gets on my nerves
-
Hits the sack
-
Gives me a break
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3. 答案
練習一 |
練習二 |
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V. 成語英譯延伸問答 (FAQ)
經過前面章節的系統學習,相信您已經對成語英文翻譯有了深入的理解與實用的技能,接下來將解答一些進階或常見的疑惑,以鞏固學習效果並拓展您的知識視野。這些問答涵蓋了學習者在實際應用中最常遇到的挑戰與困惑,希望能為您的持續學習提供有價值的指導。
1. 中文的「成語」、「俗語」、「諺語」在英譯的策略上有何根本不同?
中文的「成語」、「俗語」、「諺語」雖然都是固定詞組,但在語言性質、使用場合與翻譯策略上存在顯著差異。成語通常具有書面語色彩,多源於古代典籍與歷史典故,表達較為正式莊重,在英譯時往往需要尋找同等正式程度的英語表達或進行解釋性翻譯。俗語則更偏向口語化表達,常見於日常對話中,翻譯時應選擇相對通俗的英語idioms或片語。諺語承載生活智慧與人生哲理,通常具有教育意義,英譯時需要保持其說理性與哲理色彩,往往對應英語中的proverbs或sayings。
2. 是否所有中文成語都能在英文中找到對應的諺語?
答案是否定的,這種對應關係的缺失源於不同文化的歷史背景、思維方式與表達習慣的根本差異。中華文化五千年的歷史積澱產生了獨特的成語體系,許多成語承載的文化內涵與價值觀念在西方文化中沒有完全對應的表達。例如,「臥薪嚐膽」、「四面楚歌」等典故性成語,在英語文化中難以找到功能完全對等的表達。這時候,解釋性翻譯就顯得尤為重要,它能夠完整傳達原文的文化內涵,雖然可能犧牲表達的簡潔性,但能夠實現深度的文化交流與理解。
3. 在現代溝通中,有哪些成語是最高頻被使用、哪些又是最容易被誤解的?
高頻使用的成語通常包括「一舉兩得」(kill two birds with one stone)、「名副其實」(live up to one's reputation)、「熟能生巧」(practice makes perfect)等,這些表達概念相對簡單明確,在各種語境中都有廣泛的適用性。容易被誤解的成語則包括「差強人意」(常被誤解為不滿意,實際表示還算滿意)、「無微不至」(在某些語境下可能帶有過度關注的負面含義)、「見仁見智」(不是表示智慧,而是表示觀點不同)等。這些誤解往往源於現代語言使用習慣的變化或對原始語義的理解偏差,在進行成語英文翻譯時需要特別注意。
4. 成語的英譯與唐詩宋詞的翻譯,在難度與技巧上有何比較?
成語英譯與詩詞翻譯在難度層次上各有側重,兩者都面臨「形、音、義」三個層面的翻譯挑戰。成語翻譯主要集中在「義」的對等上,重點是傳達核心概念與文化內涵,相對而言技術難度較低但文化要求較高。詩詞翻譯則需要兼顧「形」(格律、結構)與「音」(韻律、節奏),同時還要保持「義」的準確性,技術難度明顯更高。然而,成語翻譯在文化傳達方面的挑戰不容小覷,因為成語往往濃縮了豐富的歷史典故與哲學思想,需要譯者具備深厚的雙語文化素養。總體而言,詩詞翻譯在技巧層面更具挑戰性,而成語翻譯在文化理解與傳達方面要求更高。
結語:避開三大常見陷阱,讓成語真正成為你的語言資產
掌握成語英文翻譯的藝術需要避開三個常見陷阱:首先是過分依賴字面翻譯而忽略文化功能對等,這會導致翻譯僵硬且缺乏感染力;其次是盲目追求表達簡潔而犧牲意義準確性,有時候適當的解釋性翻譯比生硬的對應更有效;最後是忽視語境適切性而濫用成語,再好的idioms在不適當的場合使用都會產生反效果。
真正的成語英文高手不僅要掌握豐富的詞彙對照,更要培養敏銳的文化感知力與靈活的語境判斷能力。當您能夠在恰當的時機選用精準的英文成語,既保持原文的文化韻味又符合目標語言的表達習慣時,這些成語就真正成為了您珍貴的語言資產,為您的跨文化交流增添無限魅力與深度。
PREP 提供結合獨家 AI 技術的智慧線上英語學習方法。您可以在家自主學習,高效準備 IELTS、TOEIC等各類考試,同時提升英語溝通能力。Teacher Bee AI 將全程支援您,協助解答各種疑問,使學習過程更加輕鬆與迅速。
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你好!我叫秋贤,目前在網站 prepedu.com 的部落格擔任產品內容經理。
憑藉超過5年自學英語、漢語等外語以及準備一些雅思和托業考試的經驗,我積累了豐富的經驗,為數千名在學習外語方面遇到困難的人提供支持。希望以上分享能對大家在家有效自學的過程有幫助!
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