一些成语（俗语）的中英文对照参考

A
爱不释手fondle admiringly
爱财如命skin a flea for its hide
爱屋及乌love me,love my dog
安居乐业live and work in peace and contentment
按部就班 Learn to walk before you run.
 
B
白手起家build up from nothing
百里挑一one in hundred
百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing.
百折不挠be indomitable
半途而废give up halfway leave sth. Unfinished
包罗万象all-embracing all-inclusive
饱经风霜weather-beaten
饱食终日无所事事 to eat the bread of idleness
卑躬屈膝bow and scrape cringe
笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start.
悲欢离合vicissitudes of life
背道而驰run counter to run in the opposite direction
笨鸟先飞A slow sparrow should make an early start. the slow need to start early
本末倒置put the cart before the horse
必由之路the only way
比上不足比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst。　　
闭关自守close the country to international intercourse
鞭长莫及 beyond one's grasp
变本加厉be further intensified
变化无常chop and change fantasticality
变化无常chop and change fantasticality
别开生面having sth. New
别有用心have ulterior motives
彬彬有礼refined and courteous urbane
兵不厌诈in war nothing is too deceitful
病从口入祸从口出 Illness comes in by mouth and comes out by it.
博古通今erudite and informed
不眠之夜white night
不遗余力spare no effort; go all out   
不打不成交"No discord, no concord.  
不寒而栗 Shivering All Over Though Not Cold
不败之地incincible position
不耻下问feel not ashamed to learn from one's subordinates
不可救药be past praying for beyond redemption
不劳而获reap where one has not sown
不屈不挠fortitude indefatigability perseverance persevere tenacity
不速之客crasher uninvited guest
不同凡响outstanding
不言而喻speak for itself tell its own story tell its own tale went without saying
不以为然not approve object to
不义之财filthy lucre filthy pelf the mammon of unrighteousness
不远千里go to the trouble of travelling a long distance
不约而同happen to coincide
不择手段by any kind of means by hook or crook play hard by fair means or foul
不知所措be at a loss be all adrift lose one's head out of one's wits
八仙过海，各显神通like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea,each showing his or her special prowes.
拔苗助长try to help the shoots to grow by pulling them upward/spoil things by excessive enthusiasm.
不以物喜，不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses
 
C
才疏学浅have little talent and learning
惨绝人寰extremely cruel
沧海桑田time brings a great change to the worlds
沧海一粟/九牛一毛a drop in the bucket
草木皆兵a state of extreme nervousness
层出不穷emerge in endlessly
层峦迭嶂peaks over peaks
差之毫厘失之千里 A miss is as good as a mile
察言观色carefully watch what sb. is doing and saying
姹紫嫣红very beautiful flowers
畅行无阻checkless
车水马龙heavy traffic
沉默寡言taciturnity
称心如意well-content
趁热打铁strike while iron is hot Hold a wolf the iron is hot
趁火打劫 to fish in troubled waters
成群结队gang horde
诚惶诚恐with reverence and awe
诚心诚意sincere desire
承上启下a connecting link between the preceding and the following
吃苦耐劳tough
吃里扒外live on sb. while helping others secretly
痴心妄想 胡思乱想wishful thinking
持之以恒preserve
叱咤风云ride the whirlwind
愁眉苦脸pull a long face snoot
臭名远扬，臭名昭著flagrancy， notorious
出口成章have an outstanding eloquence
出类拔萃，鹤立鸡群fill the bill supereminence
出谋划策give counsel suggest
出奇制胜defeat sb. by a surprise action
出生入死go through fire and water
触类旁通comprehend by analogy
垂头丧气，无精打采 down in the mouth lose one's spirits with the tail between the legs
垂头丧气的blue about the gills crestfallen downhearted
绰绰有余more than sufficient
初出茅庐 at the beginning of one’s career
拆东墙补西墙rob Peter to pay Paul
此起彼伏as one falls,another rises
辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new
聪明反被聪明误 to suffer for one's wisdom
从容不迫go easy take one's time
粗枝大叶careless slapdash sloppy
错综复杂 扑朔迷离 anfractuosity
措手不及unaware unprepared

D
大开眼界open one"s eyes; broaden one"s horizon; be an eye-opener
打草惊蛇to wake a sleeping dog
大张旗鼓 on a large and spectacular scale
大材小用waste one's talent on a petty job
大海捞针look for a needle in a bottle of hay
大惑不解be extremely puzzled
大惊小怪a storm in a teacup foofaraw fuss like a hen with one chicken
大快人心affording general satisfaction
大名鼎鼎famous well known
大器晚成great minds mature slowly
大千世界the boundless universe
大失所望greatly disappointed
大事化小，小事化了 try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to reduce it to
大同小异largely identical but with minor differences
大显身手 大显神通strut one's stuff
大言不惭 夸夸其谈fanfaronade rodomontade
大义凛然inspiring awe by upholding justice
大义灭亲place righteousness above family loyalty
大智若愚Still waters run deep. An empty vessel makes the most sound Still water runs deep
呆若木鸡dumbstruck transfixed
待人接物the ways one gets along with others
殚思极虑rack one's brains
胆小如鼠cannot say boh to a goose
淡泊明志not seek fame and wealth
道貌岸然be sanctimonious
道高一尺，魔高一丈as virtue rises one foot,vice rises ten\the more illumination,the more temptation
得过且过drift along muddle along
得心应手handy with facility
得意洋洋elated elation exaltation jauntiness
得意扬扬ride high
德才兼备have both ability and moral integrity
德高望重sainted saintlike
登峰造极reach the limit reach the peak of perfection
地大物博vast territory and abundant resources
颠倒黑白 颠倒是非 混淆是非call white black swear black is white
颠三倒四confused disorderly
雕虫小技insignificant skill
调兵遣将move forces
调虎离山lure the enemy away from his base
掉以轻心treat sth. Lightly
喋喋不休blat cackle chackle harp harp on jaw-jaw rattle twitter wag
顶天立地of indomitable spirit
东施效颦blind imitation with ludicrous effection
东山再起bob up like a cork
独具匠心show originality
独树一帜develop a school of one's own
独一无二in a class by oneself
度日如年one day seems like a year
断章取义garble quote out of context
对牛弹琴whistle jigs to a milestone Cast pearls before swine
对症下药suit the remedy to the case
多才多艺versatility
多才多艺的accomplished all-round allround miscellaneous versatile
多愁善感sensitivity sentimentality
多此一举bring owls to Athens hold a candle to the sun

E
阿谀奉承 趋炎附势greasiness
恶事传千里 Bad news travels quickly.
恶有恶报 He that does evil shall find evil.
恩将仇报 以怨报德 忘恩负义 bite the hand that feeds one
恩威并济 alternate weakness with severity
尔虞我诈each trying to cheat the other

F
发人深省set people thinking
发扬光大carry forward
翻山越岭tramp over hill and dale
翻天覆地world-shaking
繁荣昌盛thriving and prosperous
泛滥成灾overrun
飞黄腾达 青云直上come into one's kingdom rise in the world strike oil
飞禽走兽birds and beasts
废寝忘食forget food and sleep
分道扬镳part company,each going his own way
分化瓦解disintegrate divide and demoralize
分门别类classify
纷至沓来come in a continuous stream
纷至沓来的thick as hail
奋不顾身dash ahead regardless of one's safety
愤愤不平be indignant
丰富多彩rich and colorful
丰衣足食have ample food and clothing
风花雪月sentimental writings of the exploiting classes
风马牛不相及be totally unrelated
风靡一时be the rage
风起云涌like a rising wind and scudding clouds
风雨同舟stand together regardless of situation
风雨无阻in all weathers
风烛残年 to have one foot in the grave
风雨飘摇 (of a situation)being unstable
风声鹤唳，草木皆兵 to apprehend danger in every sound
锋芒毕露make a showy display of one's abilities
逢场作戏join in the fun on occasion
逢凶化吉trun ill luck into good
敷衍了事make short shrift of palter scuffle
釜底抽薪take a drastic measure to deal with a situation
赴汤蹈火 出生入死go through fire and water
覆水难收spilt water cannot be gathered up again It is no use crying over spilt milk
富贵在天 Riches and honors come from heaven.
 
G
盖棺论定 Judge none blessed before his death.
隔墙有耳 Pitchers have ears; walls have ears.
功夫不负有心人Everything comes to him who waits.
孤注一掷 to put all one's egg in one basket
关公门前耍大刀 There's no need to teach a fish to swim.
寡不击众 There is no contending against odds.
挂羊头卖狗肉 cry up wine and sell vinegar
国泰民安The country flourishes and people live in peace
过犹不及beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little

H
害群之马 black sheep
海底捞针 to look for a needle in a bundle of hay
海底捞月 to fish in the air
好了伤疤忘了疼once on shore, one prays no more
好事不出门，恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.
和气生财Harmony brings wealth
虎父无虎子 Like father, like son.
画蛇添足\add feet to a snake\gild the lily
缓兵之计 a fabian policy
浑水摸鱼 to fish in the troubled water
火上加油 to pour oil on the flame
活到老，学到老 One is never too old to learn.
祸不单行 Misfortunes never come single.
 
J
机不可失 Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
积少成多 Every little makes a mickle.
饥不择食 A good appetite is a good sauce.
既往不咎let bygones be bygones  
集思广义 Two heads are better than one.
疾风知劲草 Adversity reveals genius.
家丑不可外扬 Don't wash your dirty linen in public.
骄者必败 Pride goes before a fall
脚踏实地be down-to-earth
脚踩两只船sit on the fence
捷足先登 The early bird catches the worm.
金玉满堂Treasures fill the home
金无足赤,人无完人 Gold cant be pure and man cant be perfect.
金玉其外败絮其中 All that glitters is not gold.
精神旺盛to be full of beans
旧调重谈 to harp on the same string
鞠躬尽瘁 to give the last measure of devotion
君子之交淡如水 the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green
 
K
慷他人之慨 to be free with other's money
空中楼阁 castle in the air
脍炙人口 in everyone's mouth
 
L
老生常谈，陈词滥调cut and dried
乐极生悲 After joy comes sadness.
礼多必诈 full of courtesy, full of craft
礼尚往来Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
量入为出 to cut one's coat according to one's cloth/ make both ends meet
路遥知马力日久见人心 A distant journey tests the strength of a horse and a long task proves the character of a man.
留得青山在，不怕没柴烧"Where there is life, there is hope."
流芳百世 a niche in the temple of fame
落井下石 to hit a person when he's down
 
M
马到成功achieve immediate victory; win instant success
名利双收gain in both fame and wealth
满招损，谦受益 Haughtiness invites ruin; humility receives benefits.
茅塞顿开be suddenly enlightened
毛遂自荐 to volunteer one’s service
没有规矩不成方圆 Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.
每逢佳节倍思亲 On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.
It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.
美中不足 a fly in the ointment
没有笑脸不出门 A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.
谋事在人，成事在天 "The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. / Man proposes, God disposes. "
莫在太岁头上动土 Let sleeping dogs lie.
 
N
弄巧成拙be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself.
拿手好戏masterpiece
逆来顺受 to make the best of a bad bargain

P
旁观者清，当局者迷 Lookers-on see most of the game.
抛砖引玉 a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale
跑了和尚跑不了庙 The monk may run away, but the temple can't run with him.
赔了夫人又折兵throw good money after bad
破釜沉舟 cut off all means of retreat； burn one‘s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end
 
Q
抢得先机take the preemptive opportunities
强强联手win-win co-operation
抢得先机 take the preemptive opportunities
巧妇难为无米之炊 If you have no hand you can't make a fist./ One can't make bricks without straw.
千里之行始于足下a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
前事不忘,后事之师 Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.
前人栽树,后人乘凉 One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests.One sows and another reaps.
前怕狼,后怕虎 fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind/ hesitate in doing something
强龙难压地头蛇 Even a dragon (from the outside) finds it hard to control a snake in its old haunt-Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.
晴天霹雳 like a bolt from the blue
轻如鸿毛 as light as a feather
情人眼里出西施 Love is blind.
穷寇莫追 A cornered animal is a dangerous foe.
 
R
瑞雪兆丰年A timely snow promises a good harvest.
人之初,性本善Man"s nature at birth is good.
人逢喜事精神爽Joy puts heart into a man.
人海战术huge-crowd strategy
如履薄冰 to be on the thin ice
若要人不知除非己莫为 If you would not be known to do anything, never do it.
 
S
塞翁失马，焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing.
三十而立 "A man should be independent at the age of thirty. At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself."
三顾茅庐make three calls at the thatched cottage\ repeatedly request someone to take up a responsible post.
杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel
杀身成仁 to sacrifice one's life to preserve one's virtue complete
山不在高，有仙则名 "No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy; "
上有天堂，下有苏杭 "Just as there is paradise in heaven, ther are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth.
升级换代updating and upgrading (of products)
声东击西 to look one way and row another
胜不骄败不馁 to be not elated by success nor disturbed by failure
时运不济 to have a bad time
实事求是 seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.
势不两立be mutually exclusive
世上无难事，只要肯攀登"Where there is a will, there is a way. "
事实胜于雄辩 Facts are most convincing.
世外桃源a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;
时不我待Time and tide wait for no man.
守株待兔stand by a stump waiting for hares to come and dash themselves against it/trust to chance and windfalls/waiting for gains without pains.
守口如瓶 as dumb as an oyster; as silent as the graves;
寿终正寝 to die a natural death (to die in one's bed)
熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect.
殊途同归 All roads lead to Rome .
谁言寸草心，报得三春晖 "Such kindness of warm sun, can't be repaid by grass. "
水涨船高When the river rises, the boat floats high.
说曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.
死而后已until my heart stops beating
四十不惑Life begins at forty.
四面楚歌hear the sounds of the Chu all around\be besieged on all sides/be utterly isolated/be in desperate straits
岁岁平安Peace all year round "
岁月不饶人 Time and tide wait for no man.
损人利己 to enrich oneself at others expense
 
T
贪小失大 penny-wise and poundfoolish
糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets
螳臂挡车 to kick against the pricks
韬光养晦 hide one's capacities and bide one's time
天有不测风云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue
铁石心肠 a heart of steel
听天由命 to be guided by destiny
团结就是力量Unity is strength.
脱胎换骨thoroughly remould oneself
跳进黄河洗不清 "eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean--there's nothing one can do to clear one's name "
兔子不吃窝边草 The fox preys farthest from his hole.
 
W
歪风邪气unhealthy practices and evil phenomena
物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.
望子成龙hold high hopes for one"s child
屋漏又逢连阴雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.
文韬武略military expertise; military strategy
唯利是图draw water to one"s mill
为虎作伥 to act as guide to a tiger
无源之水,无本之木water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots
无中生有make/create something out of nothing
无孔不入 to take advantage of every weakness
万事开头难 Everything is difficult at the start
万事俱备，只欠东风everything is ready,all that's needed is an east wind/all is ready except what is crucial.
万无一失 not a single miss in a thousand times.
围魏救赵besiege Wei to rescue Zhao/relieve the besieged by besieging the base of the besiegers.
完璧归赵return the jade intact to the State of Zhao/return sth.to its owner in perfect condition.
往者不可谏，来者犹可追 A mill cannot grind with the water that is past.
往事如风 "The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is past."
徇私枉法 bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends
无源之水,无本之木 water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots
无风不起浪 There are no waves without wind. There's no smoke without fire.
 
X
新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean
蓄势而发accumulate strength for a take-off
洗心革面 to turn over a new leaf
心想事成May all your wish come true
心照不宣 have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding
先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched.
先下手为强catch the ball before the bound
像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan
现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example
息事宁人pour oil on troubled waters
喜忧参半mingled hope and fear
习惯成自然 once a use forever a custom
星星之火可以燎原 A single spark can start a prairie fire.
笑里藏刀 a smile to hide one's hate
秀才不出门能知天下事 A scholor does not step outside his gate, yet he knows the happenings under the sun.
循序渐进step by step
徇私枉法 bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends  
虚心使人进步,骄傲使人落后 Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.
蓄势而发 accumulate strength for a take-off
雪中送炭 to help a lame dog over a stile
血流如注 to bleed like a pig
雪中送炭真君子/患难见真情 A friend in need is a friend indeed.
小菜一碟 a piece of cake
 
Y
眼不见为净 Out of sight, out of mind.
严以律己,宽以待人 be strict with oneself and lenient towards others
掩耳盗铃Hide the ears and stole the bell
扬眉吐气 to feel proud and elated
阳奉阴违 ostensible obedience
一言既出，驷马难追A real man never goes back on his words.
一箭双雕 to kill two birds with one stone
一唱一和one sings,the other harmonizes——sing the same tune/echo each other.
一毛不拔as close as wax
一贫如洗 as poor as a Church mouse
异曲同工different tunes sung with equal skill/different approaches but equally satisfactory results.
一路平安，一路顺风 speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest
以人为本 people oriented; people foremost
易如反掌as easy as falling off a log  
异想天开 to give loose to one's fancy
因材施教teach students according to their aptitude
姻缘天注定 Marriages are made in heaven.
英雄所见略同Great minds think alike。
勇者不惧 A brave man will not shrink from dangers.
有情人终成眷属 "Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well."
有钱能使鬼推磨 Money makes the mare go. Money talks.
有识之士 people of vision
有勇无谋 use brawn rather than brain
有缘千里来相会 Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.
优胜劣汰 survival of the fittest
鱼米之乡a land of milk and honey
与时俱进 advance with times
欲速则不达Haste does not bring success.
欲穷千里目，更上一层楼 "to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend
冤家宜解不宜结Better make friends than make enemies.
further, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight."
冤假错案 "cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases"
远亲不如近邻 Distant kinsmen mean less than close neighbors. / A near neighbor is better than a distant cousin.
缘木求鱼 to get water from a flint
 
Z
招财进宝Money and treasures will be plentiful
债台高筑become debt-ridden
致命要害Achilles" heel
众矢之的target of public criticism
纸上谈兵be an armchair strategist
纸包不住火Truth will come to light sooner or later
知己知彼,百战不殆 Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.
置之死地而后生 Put the troops in death ground and they will live.
智者不惑 A wise man is free from perplexities.
众志成城/团结就是力量 Union is strenth.
种瓜得瓜种豆得豆 You must reap what you have sown. / As you sow, so shall you reap.
转败为胜 to convert defeat into victory
转石不生苔 A rolling stone gathers no moss.
左右为难 between the devil and the deep blue sea; between the rock and the hard place