中国成语的英文表达形式

笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow shouldmake an early start.
　　不眠之夜 white night
　　不遗余力 spare no effort; go all out;do one’s best
　　功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits.
　　既往不咎 let bygones be bygones
　　金无足赤，人无完人 Gold can’t be pure and man can’t be perfect.
　　礼尚往来 Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧 Where there is life, there is hope.
　　马到成功 achieve immediate victory;win instant success
　　茅塞顿开 be suddenly enlightened
　　弄巧成拙 be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself.
　　瑞雪兆丰年 A timely snow promises a good harvest.
　　世上无难事，只要肯登攀 Where there is a will,there is a way.
　　世外桃源 a fictitious land of peace away fromthe turmoil of the world.
　　塞翁失马，焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing.
　　望子成龙 hold high hopes for one’s child
　　文韬武略 military expertise; military strategy
　　无源之水，无本之木 water without a source, and a tree without roots
　　喜忧参半 mingled hope and fear
　　循序渐进 step by step
　　有勇无谋 use brawn rather than brain
　　因材施教 teach students according to their aptitude
　　欲速则不达 Haste does not bring success.
　　优胜劣汰 survival of the fittest
　　一言既出，驷马难追 A real man never goes back on his words.
　　众矢之的 target of public criticism
　　纸上谈兵 be an armchair strategist
　　（向英摘自《青年科学》2005年第9期）
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