Common English Idioms and Their Meanings 諺語 格言
- Owen Nash
- Jan 7
- 3 min read
Proverbs encapsulate profound wisdom, blending advice and humor into succinct phrases—akin to the ancient art of tweeting!
From Serious to Seriously Hilarious
"Where there's a will, there's a way" is motivational, until your willpower is devoted to consuming an entire pizza—then it transforms into a mere blueprint for a food-induced slumber!
"You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs" prompts a deeper inquiry: why must breakfast be so ruthlessly chaotic?
Proverbs That Leave You Pondering
Some proverbs can indeed provoke confusion. Consider these curious examples:
"A penny saved is a penny earned." — Unless it mysteriously vanishes into the abyss of your couch cushions!
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch." — Particularly when breakfast plans are on the line!
"The early bird gets the worm." — Yet the second mouse enjoys the cheese!
Explore these sayings that highlight humor as the most effective approach to navigate life's proverbial obstacles!
Challenge yourself and find out how many you can identify.
English Idiom: Actions speak louder than words.
Meaning: What you do is more important than what you say.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 行动胜于言语
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 行动比言语更有说服力。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 行動勝於言語
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 行動比言語更有說服力。
English Idiom: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Meaning: Don’t risk everything on a single plan or idea.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 不要把所有鸡蛋放在一个篮子里
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 不要将所有的风险集中在一个计划上。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 不要把所有雞蛋放在一個籃子裡
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 不要將所有的風險集中在一個計劃上。
English Idiom: Slow and steady wins the race.
Meaning: Consistent, deliberate effort often leads to success.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 稳扎稳打，赢得比赛
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 稳定而持续的努力通常会带来成功。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 穩紮穩打，贏得比賽
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 穩定而持續的努力通常會帶來成功。
English Idiom: Practice makes perfect.
Meaning: The more you practice, the better you become.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 熟能生巧
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 多练习才能变得更好。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 熟能生巧
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 多練習才能變得更好。
English Idiom: Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Meaning: Great achievements take time and effort.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 罗马不是一天建成的
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 伟大的成就需要时间和努力。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 羅馬不是一天建成的
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 偉大的成就需要時間和努力。
English Idiom: Birds of a feather flock together.
Meaning: People with similar interests or traits often associate with each other.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 物以类聚，人以群分
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 相似的人或事物总是聚在一起。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 物以類聚，人以群分
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 相似的人或事物總是聚在一起。
English Idiom: The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Meaning: The person who complains or demands attention is the one who gets help.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 会哭的孩子有奶吃
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 善于表达需求的人更容易得到帮助。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 會哭的孩子有奶吃
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 善於表達需求的人更容易得到幫助。
English Idiom: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Meaning: Don’t harm or criticize someone who helps you.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 喂你饭的手不要咬
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 不要伤害或批评帮助你的人。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 餵你飯的手不要咬
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 不要傷害或批評幫助你的人。
English Idiom: Two heads are better than one.
Meaning: Collaboration often leads to better results.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 合作常常会取得更好的结果。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 三個臭皮匠，頂個諸葛亮
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 合作常常會取得更好的結果。
English Idiom: Better late than never.
Meaning: It’s better to do something late than not at all.
Simplified Chinese Translation: 迟做总比不做好
Meaning in Simplified Chinese: 做得迟总比不做好。
Traditional Chinese Translation: 遲做總比不做
Meaning in Traditional Chinese: 做得遲總比不做好。
Comments