汉语四字格成语是汉语语言中不可或缺的重要组成部分，也是语言中的精华，并且具有鲜明的固定性、习用性、历史性和民族特征，恰如其分的汉语四字格成语翻译对跨文化交际起着很重要的作用。

汉语四字格的分类

四字格词语是汉语词汇的一大特点，它一般由分成前后两个部分的四个词素构成。

从语法关系看，词组中前后两个部分可以是主谓、动宾、偏正或者并列关系

从结构上看，四字格由自由词组和固定词组组成。自由词组是临时组成的，可以随意拆散，重新组合，例如：“品种齐全，做工精细”等；而固定词组是一个整体，四个语素不能拆开、随意更换。

四字格的汉英翻译方法

汉语中出现的四字格，很多只是为了读起来上口，对仗，并没有太深的寓意，在英语中我们并不一定能找到一个表达形式与之对应，我们只需准确理解其真正含义，然后进行翻译：

1、将四字格前后两个词语分开

2、判断这两个词语属于什么词类

3、分析前后两个词语间的逻辑关系

4、通过逻辑关系确定翻译方法

并列关系法：将前后两个词语分别译成相应的英语译文，然后中间用并列连词”and”连接即可。

名山大川 famous mountains and great rivers名胜古迹 scenic spots and historical sites青山绿水 green hills and clear waters平等互利 equality and mutual benefit扬长避短 play up strengths and avoid weaknesses反腐倡廉 fight corruption and build a clean government集思广益 draw on collective wisom and absorb all useful ideas

语义重复法：这类四字格前后两个词语的语意是一样的，如果前后两个词语都翻译的话就构成语义重复了，所以在翻译这类四字格的时候，只需翻译一项语义就行

层峦叠嶂 peaks rising one after another优胜劣汰 survival of the fittest审时度势 size up the trend of events招商引资 attract investment

目的关系法：这类四字格前后两个词语具有目的关系，对于这类四字格可以采用动词不定式或者介词短语来表达目的状语

减员增效 downsize (and cut payroll) to improve efficiency (for efficiency)退耕还林 return cultivated land to forest or pastures集资办学 raise money to set up new schools结党营私 form cliques for private gain扭亏为盈 turn a loss-making enterprise into a profitable one

途径方式法：具有这种逻辑关系的四字格可以采用介词through ,according to, with 等介词短语表达相应的方式状语

寓教于乐 teach through lively activities因材施教 teach students according to their aptitude按劳分配 distribution according to performance以商养文 support /sponsor cultural activities with the profits from doing business

偏正词组法：对于偏正关系的四字格必有一主一次，将其中一个词语处理为修饰性成分，而将另外一个处理为中心词

廉洁奉公 honestly perform one’s official duties环境绿化 environmental greening超前消费 premature consumption; Over-consume; excessive consumption以强凌弱 the strong domineering over the weak以人为本 people foremost; People-oriented

动宾关系：优势互补 complement each other’s advantages 自主经营，自负盈亏 make one’s own management decisions, take full responsibility for one’s own profits and losses条件关系：不进则退 no progress simply means regression省略意向：瞻前顾后 overcautious （过于谨慎的）and indecisive(犹豫不决的)源远流长 have a long history呕心沥血 spare no efforts画龙点睛 bring out the crucial point花天酒地 go on the loose汗马功劳 exploits 闻名遐迩 famous独具匠心 original中流砥柱 mainstay, chief cornerstone鱼米之乡 a land of milk and honey世外桃源 a haven of peace

叠词的翻译

叠词是汉语的一种特殊词汇现象，使用非常普遍。汉语的名词、数词、量词、形容词、副词、动词以及象声词都有重叠变化，其主要形态格式有一下十类：

1.AA：天天、看看、洋洋、哄哄

2.AAB：毛毛雨、洗洗手、刷刷牙、写写字

3.ABB：眼巴巴、水汪汪、凉丝丝、亮堂堂

4.AABB:高高兴兴、认认真真、三三两两、滴滴答答

5.ABAB：一个一个、雪白雪白、飞快飞快、漆黑漆黑

6.A一A:看一看、试一试、热一热、猜一猜

7.A了（一）A：看了看、试了试、摸了摸、拍了拍（看了一看、试了一试、摸了一摸、拍了一拍）

8.A呀/呵A:唱呀唱、游呀游、走呀走、读呀读

9.A着A着：说着说着、数着数着、跳着跳着、骑着骑着

10.A里AB：糊里糊涂、傻里傻气、娇里娇气、罗里罗嗦

另外还有AABC式（楚楚动人）BCAA式（风雪茫茫）ABAC（一举一动）A都A不式（爬都不爬）这些格式使用率不高。汉语词汇重叠后，一般无词性变化。但是词义大都会发生变化。叠词词义变化可归纳为三种情况。

1.增义：增加语义

2.强义：加强语意

3.弱义：减缓语意

叠词的翻译

虽然英语有重叠元音或辅音而形成的词汇，有类似于重叠的单词连续反复，以及象声词重叠的现象。但是，与汉语的重叠变化来说相去甚远，它们远不足以翻译汉语的叠词。因此，大多数情况下，只能舍弃其形式而译其意义，用比较切近、自然的译文表达出原文的语意和体现重叠后词的词义变化。尽管如此，我们还是可以从中找出一基本的翻译方法。

1.借助every、all、each等词语，以表达增义的语意，例如：

件件衣服都很漂亮

All of these suits of clothes are beatiful.

绿化祖国，人人有责

It’s everybody’s duty to make our motherland green.

2.用相同的词连续反复的方法翻译，汉英中，同一个词用介词（after, in, to, upon, with等）或and连续起来使用，用连字符 连接起来使用，或者用逗号隔开重叠使用。以此来“增义或强义”

一天一天、一年一年

Day after day and year after year

农民犁田只能一块一块地犁

Peasants can only plough the land plot by plot.

3.用复数形式翻译

学生三三两两地坐在教室里

The students their seats in the classroom by twos and threes.

一群一群的人蜂拥而进大厅

Crowds of people swarmed into the hall.

4. 用语义相符的英语表达方式或语法结构表达叠词的强义。

数着数着，两只兔子快到对岸了

As they counted the two found themselves quite near the other side of the river.

他们听着听着不觉哈哈大笑起来。

As they listened they burst into laughter.

他思绪滚滚，早已忘却约会一事

He had been so busy with her own emotion that he had forgotten about the appointment.

17年12月考研的(18年9月入学, 暨18考研党)直播课请戳下面【阅读原文】报名

附：一些常用的四字格翻译，这里只给出四字格脱离语境的翻译，放在上下文中一定根据句子要求进行调整。

预防为主prevention first

综合治理comprehensive control/management

全面推进entire/all-round push-on

重点突破breakthrough at key points

亲仁善邻cordiality, benevolence and good neighborliness

和睦相处living in harmony with others

强不凌弱The strong should not oppress the weak and the rich should not bully the poor.

协和万邦All nations live side by side in perfect harmony.

海纳百川

有容乃大One should be as inclusive as the ocean, which is vast because it admits hundreds of rivers.

兼收并蓄embrace everything that is useful

光阴似箭Time flies like an arrow. /How time files!

一诺千金

有诺必践Commitment should always be kept.

一如既往unswervingly

和衷共济solidarity; fighting together with one accord

亡国灭种extinction; being conquered and destroyed

万众一心pull together; join hands; make joint efforts; be united as one

浩然气概noble spirit

不屈节操unyielding moral principle

赴汤蹈火go through fire and water

殊死奋战fight desperately; fight to death

可歌可泣moved one to songs and tears

英勇卓绝heroic and splendid

插科打诨comic parts

精微深奥profound and abstruse

博大精深extensive and profound

源远流长run a long history

天下为公The world belongs to all the people.

天下兴亡

匹夫有责Every man has a duty to his country.

吃苦耐劳hard work and enduring hardship

勤俭持家run the household industriously and frugally

尊师重教respect teachers and attach importance to education

当务之急urgent; imminent

不谋而合coincide with

莘莘学子students

青春洋溢young

书香浓郁academic/cultural atmosphere

朝气蓬勃

充满活力dynamic; vigorous

多姿多彩colorful

日新月异change with each passing day

光芒四射shining; brilliant

安居乐业live and work happily and peacefully

相知无远近

万里尚为邻Distance can never separate real friends.

携手前进join hands

名列前茅rank top

此起彼伏rise one after another, keep cropping up

繁衍生息live and multiply/reproduce

改朝换代changes of dynasties

穷兵黩武wantonly engage in military aggression; use all one’s armed might to indulge in wars of aggression

雅俗共赏appeal to both refined and popular tastes

与日俱增increase with each passing day, be steadily on the increase

极目远眺look as far as the eye can see

按资排辈to assign priority according to seniority

求同存异seeking common ground while putting aside differences

流连忘返linger on; be too delighted to leave

乐不思蜀too delighted to be homesick

不宣而战start an undeclared war

尽收眼底hold a panoramic view

扬长避短play up strengths and avoid weaknesses

反腐倡廉fight corruption and build a clean government

集思广益draw on collective wisdom and absorb all useful ideas

辞旧迎新bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new

开拓进取blaze new trails and forge ahead

求同存异seek common ground while shelving differences

延年益寿prolong one’s life

审时度势size up the trend of events

招商引资attract investment

急功近利eager for instant success and quick profits

扫黑扫黄crack down on gangland and pornography

减员增效downsize(and cut payroll) to improve efficiency

退耕还林return cultivated land to forest or pasture

互利互补mutually complementary and beneficial

集资办学raise money to set up new schools

寓教于乐teach through lively activities

因材施教teach students according to their aptitude

按劳分配distribution according to performance

廉洁奉公honestly perform one’s official duties

呕心沥血spare no efforts

画龙点睛bring out the crucial point

绿水青山green hills and clear waters

墨客骚人men of letters

奇花异草exotic flowers and herbs

鱼米之乡a land of milk and honey

奇峰异石picturesque peaks and rocks

浓妆淡抹heavy or light makeup

轩然大波a great disturbance, a mighty uproar

凤毛麟角rarity of rarities

层峦叠嶂range upon range of mountains; the hills rise around…

崇山峻岭steep mountains

雕梁画栋carved beams and painted pillars

名山大川famous mountains and great rivers

湖光山色landscape of lakes and hills

青山绿水green hills and clear waters

名胜古迹scenic spots and historical sites

平等互利equality and mutual benefit

国计民生national welfare and the people’s livelihood

灵丹妙药panacea/miraculous cure

中流砥柱mainstay, chief cornerstone

世外桃源a haven of peace

长治久安a long period of stability

按劳分配distribution according to one’s performance

a blaze of bright colours姹紫嫣红

towering and steep mountains崇山峻岭

Each turn of the boat affords a different scenery船移景换

carved beams and painted rafters雕梁画栋

scenery of exceptional charm洞天福地

Waters rush down in whirlpools and rapids飞流急湍

the paths running sinuously amidst the peaks峰回路转

ancient architectural古建筑群

of antique beauty古色古香

national park国家公园

towering and magnificent宏伟挺拔

beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains湖光山色

look as far as the eye can see极目远眺

the south of the lower reaches of the Yangze River江南水乡

resplendent and magnificent金碧辉煌

command a panoramic view of尽收眼底

be greatly surprised/astonished惊奇不已

Raging/Tumultuous/Turbulent waves pound on the banks.惊涛拍案

a superb collection of beautiful things琳琅满目

placed closely side by side鳞次栉比

beautifully wrought玲珑剔透

linger on and forget to return流连忘返

tourist attraction; scenic spot; places of interest旅游景点

an endless stream络绎不绝

too many beautiful things to be appreciated at once美不胜收

famous scenic spots and places of historical interest名胜古迹

known far and wide闻名遐尔

famous men of letters墨客骚人

picturesque peaks and rocks奇峰异石

exotic flowers and herbs奇花异草

be surrounded by mountains/hills群山环抱

Mountains are high and torrents are swift高山水急

range upon range of green hills山峦迭翠

ascend step by step拾级而上

举足轻重decisive, vital, significant

光辉灿烂glorious and magnificent

不可磨灭indelible

无边无际boundless

广袤富饶vast and fertile

宏伟挺拔towering magnificence

金壁辉煌splendid and magnificent

玲珑剔透exquisitely carved/made/wrought

蔚为壮观splendid; spectacular

庄严肃穆solemn

不屈不挠unyielding, unrelenting, dauntless

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