1. 她動不動就罵她的孩子們，但孩子們都知道她是刀子嘴豆腐心。
She always scolded her children, but they knew that she had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
She always scolded her children, but they knew her bark was worse than her bite.
動不動: easily; frequently; at every turn
動不動就感冒：catch a cold easily
動不動就發脾氣：be apt to lose one’s temper; often get into a temper
他動不動就訓人：He is always lecturing people.
刀子嘴豆腐心：have a sharp tongue but a soft heart
2. 他是不到黃河不死心。
He wouldn’t stop until he reached the Yellow River—to give up until his hope has gone.
不到黃河不死心: not stop until one reaches the Huanghe River—not stop until one reaches one’s goal;
refuse to give up until all hope is gone
3. 十年樹木，百年樹人。
It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred to rear/cultivate people.
4. 他這一去如石沉大海，再無消息。
He left like a stone dropped into the sea and has never been heard of.
石沉大海: like a stone dropped into the sea---disappear for ever; never to be seen or heard of again.
5. 若要人不知，除非己莫為。
The only way to stop people from knowing it is not to do it.
The only way to stop people from knowing it is to restrain from doing it.
If you haven’t done it, other people wouldn’t know it.
若要人不知，除非己莫為: If you don’t wish anyone to know what you’ve done, it is better not to have done it in the first place.
6. 他搜腸刮肚，也找不出合適的字眼表達這個意思。
He racked his brains but couldn’t find words suitable for the idea.
7. 這完全是張冠李戴。
This is putting Mr. Zhang’s hat on Mr. Li’s head.
張冠李戴: Put Zhang’s hat on Li’s head--- attribute sth. to the wrong person or confuse one thing with another.
8. 味道真不錯，果然是名不虛傳。
It’d delicious, really lives up to its reputation.
名不虛傳: have a well-deserved reputation;
deserve the reputation one enjoys;
live up to one’s reputation
9. 父親說，“事已至此，不必難過，好在天無絕人之路。”
My father said, “Now that things have come to such a pass. It’s no use crying. Heaven always leaves one way out / Every cloud has a silver line.”
天無絕人之路: Heaven never seals off all the exits—there is always a way out.
10. 他咯咯的笑著說，“這叫做畫餅充饑”。
He giggled/chuckled and said, “This is called ‘ drawing a cake to satisfy one’s hunger’.”
畫餅充饑: draw cakes to allay hunger--- feed on illusions.
11. 湯姆也來上學，不過是三天打魚，兩天曬網。
Tom was enrolled as a student, but he was like the fisherman who fishes for three days and suns his net for two.
三天打魚，兩天曬網: go fishing for three days and dry the nets for two--- work by fits and starts; lack perseverance.
12. 天下沒有不散的宴席。
All good things must come to end.
All feasts must come to an end.
天下沒有不散的宴席: There never was a feast but the guests have to depart--- all good things must come to an end.
13. 有理走遍天下，無理寸步難行。
With justice on your side, you can go anywhere; without it, you can’t take a step / move an inch.
擴展：天網恢恢，疏而不漏：Justice has long arms.
14. 江山易改，本性難移。
A leopard can’t change its spots.
江山易改，本性難移: It’s easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature.
15. 吃一塹，長一智。
A fall in/into the pit; a gain in your wit.
16. “坐山觀虎鬥”，“借刀殺人”，“煽風點火”，“推倒油瓶兒不扶”，都是他們的本事。
Talk about “sitting on a hill to watch tigers fight”, “murdering with a borrowed sword”, “stirring up trouble”, and “not troubling to right the oil bottle that has been knocked over”---- they are all good hands at such tricks.
坐山觀虎鬥:Sit on top of the mountain to watch the tigers fight—watch in safety while others fight, then reap the spoils when both sides are exhausted.
借刀殺人: kill somebody by another’s hand; make use of one person to get rid of another.
煽風點火:fan the flames; inflame and agitate people; stir up trouble
17. 我在當時真的是哭笑不得。
I felt at a loss to know that to do at that moment/time.
哭笑不得: not know whether to laugh or to cry; find sth both funny and annoying
18. 對於此事他胸有成竹。
He has had a well-thought-out plan before doing it.
胸有成竹: have a well-thought-out plan, stratagem, etc
19. 中國經濟取得巨大發展，中國人民終於揚眉吐氣了。
The Chinese people feel proud and elated for the great economic development/growth in China.
The Chinese people feel proud and elated for China’s great economic development/growth.
揚眉吐氣: feel proud and elated
20. 他利用那些有權有勢的朋友幫助他走後門，到政府行政部門任職。
He used his influential friends to help him to get into the civil service by/through the back door.
