当我们负责翻译的时候,总是会参加一些饭局。而负责招待的东道主通常会说一些咱们国家用来称赞对方的话,当人买这些话在国外是没有的。遇到这种类型的短语或者俗语,该怎么说呢?我们对这一方面多做一些准备,可以在饭局上不用那么紧张,同时也会给人们留下你知识渊博的印象。
1. 海量 have a hollow leg 
  你想灌醉他?他可是海量,从来没有醉过。 
  Want to drink him under the table? Well…you can never do. He got a hollow leg, you know. 
2. 略胜一筹 be a notch above 
  论油画,张先生比刘先生画得好。但是,谈到水彩画,刘先生可就比张先生略胜一筹了。 
  In oil painting, Mr.Zhang paints better than Mr.Li.But when it comes to water colors,Mr.Liu appears to be a notch above Mr.Zhang. 
3. 有头脑 be a brain 
  他可是个有头脑的人,决不会相信你的那一套。 
  He’s a brain, who wouldn’t be fooled into believing your babbling. 
4. 很能干 to have a lot on the ball 
  我知道李明很能干,但我怀疑他是否真的愿意到我们这儿来工作。 
  I know Li Ming has a lot on the ball. But I’m not sure if he likes to work here. 
5. 有名无实 a poor apology 
  你刚才提到的那个作家不过是个有名无实的人。他的作品太没意思了。 
  The man you’ve just mentioned is but a poor apology for a writer. His writings are tedious. 
6. 绞尽脑汁 to rack one’s brain 
  他已经绞尽脑汁了,可是仍未找到问题的答案。 
  He had racked his brain, but hadn’t been able to work out the answer to the problem. 
7. 没骨气 have no guts. 
  真没想到小高那么没骨气,竟然嫁给了坑害过她父亲的人。 
  I’m surprised to learn that XiaoGao had married the man who had once done her father in. She really has no guts. 
8. 真了不起 really something 
  他真了不起,竟然一个人对付了那么多的对手。 
  He overwhelmed so many of his opponents alone. He’s really something. 
9. 昙花一现 a flash in the pan 
  那个歌星也只是昙花一现,出了几张唱片就销声匿迹了。 
  That singer was only a flash in the pan. He disappeared into the air after having made one or two records. 
10. 寡不敌众 be outnumbered 
  她很勇敢,但终因寡不敌众,被那帮人打晕过去 
  The girl was brave enough, but as being outnumbered, she was finally knocked into the middle of next week by the gang. 
11. 单枪匹马 play a lone hand 
  在投资时,他总喜欢单枪匹马的去干 
  When investing in a business, he always likes to play a lone hand. 
12. 出师不利 get off one the wrong foot 
  他的主意不错,可一开始就出师不利。 
  His idea was good, but he got off on the wrong foot when he started doing it. 
13. 口才 the gift of gab 
  我几乎没见过像莉莉这样有口才的女孩子。 
  Seldom have I met a girl who’s had such a gift of gab like Lee Lee’s. 
14. 还嫩点儿 still wet behind the ears 
  想陷害我?你还嫩点儿 
  Attempt to do me in? You are still wet behind the ears. 
  (be wet behind the ears 的字面意思是“像刚生下来的婴儿一样,耳朵后的根毛还是湿的那”) 
15. 糊涂虫 a nitwit 
  你真是个糊涂虫,怎么能当他的面讲他女朋友的坏话那? 
  You’re a real nitwit. Why should you badmouth his girlfriend in his face? 
16. 饭量小 eat like a bird 
  她的饭量特别小,有一小块面包就足够了。 
  She eats like a bird. A small piece of bread will be enough for her. 
17. 痛失良机 Let something slip through one’s fingers 
  你真蠢!这样一个发大财的机会千载难逢,你怎能眼睁睁的让他跑掉那? 
  You can’t be more stupid! How could you let such a golden opportunity to make big money slip through your fingers? It was an opportunity that comes once in a blue moon. 
18. 抓住机会 jump at the chance 
  这样的好机会,你应该抓住 
  You should have jump at such a good chance. 
19. 嘴硬 never say uncle 
  那个孩子的嘴特别硬,打死他都不肯认错 
  That boy never says uncle. He wouldn’t admit he’s wrong for the life of him. 
20. 有门道 have the means of 
  在挣钱方面,张先生可有门道了 
  Mr.Zhang has always had the means of making money.
      通过以上20的常用短语的英文翻译以及例句,不知道大家有没有学到一些。这种零碎的小知识靠大家平时积累,希望大家可以准备一个笔记本,专门摘抄此类小知识。