30 catchy Chinese proverbs fit well in English counterparts

For Chinese learners, Chinese vocabulary are difficult to remember. However, if you try to learn those words with their vivid English translations or counterparts, it is quite easy to master them. It is amazing that people on opposite sides of the world with little to no interaction with each other in the early days, drew the same conclusions about life. Here are 30 examples:

对于中文学习者而言，中文里的有些词汇很难记忆。不过，要是你能把中文及其对应的生动形象的英文翻译放在一起学习的话，这样可以很容易便记住了。生活在世界两端、彼此几乎从不互动的古人，对人生的总结却有着惊人的相似点，真是不可思议！比如下面的这30个例子：

全力以赴 (quán lì yǐ fù)

Fight tooth and nail

(lit. 牙齿和指甲一起拼)

鱼米之乡 (yú mǐ zhī xiāng)

A land flowing with milk and honey

(lit. 遍地牛奶和蜜糖的土地)

老夫少妻 (lǎo fū shào qī)

December and May

(lit. 十二月和五月)

拆东墙补西墙 (chāi dōng qiáng bǔ xī qiáng)

Rob Peter to pay Paul

(lit. 抢了皮特的钱给保罗)

风马牛不相及 (fēng mǎ niú bù xiāng jí)

Apples and oranges

(lit. 苹果和橙子)

九死一生 (jiǔ sǐ yī shēng)

Narrow escape

(lit. 差点儿逃不掉)

有钱能使鬼推磨 (yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuī mò)

Money talks

(lit. 钱会说话)

青梅竹马 (qīng méi zhú mǎ)

Childhood sweetheart

(lit. 童年时的爱人)

隔墙有耳 (gé qiáng yǒu ěr)

Walls have ears

(lit. 墙有耳朵)

班门弄斧 (bān mén nòng fǔ)

Teach fish how to swim

(lit. 教鱼游泳)

智者千虑，必有一失 (zhì zhě qiān lǜ, bì yǒu yī shī)

Homer sometimes nods

(lit. 荷马也有打盹的时候)

新官上任三把火 (xīn guān shàng rèn sān bǎ huǒ)

A new broom sweeps clean

(lit. 新扫把扫得干净)

本末倒置 (běn mò dào zhì)

Put the cart before the horse

(lit. 把货车放到马前面)

歇歇脚 (xiē xiē jiǎo)

Take the weight off your feet

(lit. 给你的脚减负)

王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸 (wáng pó mài guā, zì mài zì kuā)

Every potter praises his pot

(lit. 每个陶艺家都夸自己做的罐子棒)

一心不可二用 (yī xīn bú kě èr yòng)

A man cannot whistle and drink at the same time

(lit. 一个人不能边吹口哨边喝酒)

人靠衣装 (rén kào yī zhuāng)

Fine feathers make fine birds

(lit. 羽毛漂亮鸟才漂亮)

心肝宝贝 (xīn gān bǎo bèi)

Apple of one's eye

(lit. 某人眼中的苹果)

狂欢作乐 (kuáng huān zuò lè)

Paint the town red

(lit. 把整个镇子涂成红色)

有钱就是任性 (yǒu qián jiù shì rèn xìng)

Have money to burn

(lit. 烧钱也不心疼)

视而不见 (shì ér bù jiàn)

Turn a blind eye to something

(lit. 对某些东西闭眼)

拒之门外 (jù zhī mén wài)

Shut the door in somebody's face

(lit. 把门甩在某人脸上)

精通熟练 (jīng tōng shú liàn)

Be able to do something in your sleep

(lit. 睡着了都能做某事)

绞尽脑汁 (jiǎo jìn nǎo zhī)

Rack your brains

(lit. 使劲用脑)

孤立无援 (gū lì wú yuán)

Out on a limb

(lit. 在树枝上)

惹祸上身 (rě huò shàng shēn)

Stick your neck out

(lit. 把脖子伸出去)

改过自新 (gǎi guò zì xīn)

Turn over a new leaf

(lit. 翻开新的一页)

晴天霹雳 (qíng tiān pī lì)/始料不及 (shǐ liào bú jí)

A bolt from the blue

(lit. 湛蓝的天空中划过一记响雷)

杀鸡取卵 (shā jī qǔ luǎn)

Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs

(lit. 杀了会下金蛋的鹅)

三个臭皮匠顶一个诸葛亮 (sān gè chòu pí jiàng dǐng yī gè zhū gě liàng)

Two heads are better than one

(lit. 两个脑瓜总要好过一个)

So? Aren't them easy to bear in mind? If you know any other examples, just share with us!

怎么样？是不是很容易就可以记住了呢？那么你还有其他的例子吗？分享出来吧！

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