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一、根据首字母填写单词(单词拼写)1. Koala , which looks like a small bear with gray fur , is u________ to Australia. (根据首字母单词拼写)2. These resources are still not s________ for a metropolis whose daily essentials are now in great demand. (根据首字母单词拼写)3. She’s very c________ — she writes poetry and paints. (根据首字母单词拼写)二、根据汉语意思填写单词(单词拼写)4. The climate here is so ________ (多变的) that people may experience four seasonsin a day.5. The use of new technology is core to our ________(策略). （根据汉语提示单词拼写）6. My mother always gets a bit ________(担心) if we don’t arrive when we say we will. （根据汉语提示单词拼写）三、根据中英文提示填写单词(单词拼写)7. Money and fame are not r________________（和……有联系的）to happiness.(根据中英文提示单词拼写)8. Whenever the young animal is f________ (害怕的), it always rushes to its mother.（根据中英文提示填空）四、完成句子9. 我非常感谢所有老师的帮助。
I am extremely ________________.10. 我的英语取得如此大的进步以至于老师表扬了我，与其说我聪明倒不如说我勤奋。
US-China Foreign Language, July 2023, Vol. 21, No. 7, 279-286doi:10.17265/1539-8080/2023.07.005 A Study on the Translation of Chinese Four-Character Phrases —Taking the Iconology of the Decorated Writing-Paper of the TenBamboo Studio as an ExampleBAO De-wang, XIANG Hua-liNanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China The book named Iconology of the Decorated Writing-Paper of the Ten Bamboo Studio is a collection of arch andwoodblock paintings of Ming Dynasty, which is translated by the authors of this paper. The translation of this bookis mainly about the notes and provenance of the paintings. The goal of this paper is to describe the translation activityof Chinese four-character phrases with the practical translation methods and techniques including paraphrase,omission, addition, and shift, which is the most difficult part during the translation process of this book. The authorin this paper hopes that the methods for the translation of Chinese four-character phrases will provide certain help forthe understanding and spread of Chinese classical stories from the book Iconology of the Decorated Writing-Paperof the Ten Bamboo Studio.Keywords: Iconology of the Decorated Writing-Paper of the Ten Bamboo Studio, four-character phrases, translationstrategiesIntroductionIn the process of translating the book Iconology of the Decorated Writing-Paper of the Ten Bamboo Studio , 118 cases were selected from the project, including 26 cases applying omission translation method accounting for 22.0% of the total, 45 cases applied shift translation method, accounting for 38.1%, two cases applied addition, accounting for 1.8% of the total, and 45 cases applied paraphrase, accounting for 38.1%. Methods of paraphrase and shift are most frequently used, and the sum of the two reaches 76.2% of the whole. In this paper, the authors will separately illustrate the use of the four translation methods mentioned above in the translation practice, and at the same time the authors also explain the reasons for using these translation methods. It is intended to provide practical suggestions and references for the future translation of the painting, and at the same time contribute to the spread of Chinese culture. Acknowledgements: Thanks to the committee of Jiangsu Social Science. This paper is funded by Jiangsu Social Science Fund: The Iconography of the Decorated Writing-Paper of the Ten Bamboo Studio , which number is 20YYB005. This paper is also funded by Teaching Reform Project for Postgraduate Education (Construction of High-Quality Teaching Resources): Translation Industry Training (No. 2023YJXGG-C25), which is organized by the Postgraduate College of NUAA.BAO De-wang, Ph.D., professor, College of Foreign Languages, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China. XIANG Hua-li, associate professor, College of Foreign Languages, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China.D A VID PUBLISHINGDA STUDY ON THE TRANSLATION OF CHINESE FOUR-CHARACTER PHRASES280ParaphraseVia a large number of translation cases, the authors found that when the first two words and the last two words of a four-character phrases are parallel, but of different expressions, the translation method of paraphrase can be applied. In addition, in this translation practice, the method of paraphrase also applied to descriptive words which involve behaviors, condition, and allusions.Parallel PhrasesST: 诗句意为韩康不看重金钱名利，自己在云山之中逍遥畅快地采药卖药。
四级翻译练习中英文（一）中国传统文化“传统节日”单词预热vocabulary work烹调cookingcuisine鱼肉满架well stocked with fish and meat象征意义symbolic significance农历lunar calendar阳历solar calendar端午节Dragon Boat Festival元宵节Lantern Festival清明节Pure Brightness Day重阳节Double Ninth Day放逐be exiled忠臣loyal minister糯米粽子glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves祭祀亡灵in memory of sb.龙舟比赛dragon boat races中秋节Mid Autumn Festival满月full moon月饼moon cake蜜饯preserved fruits豆沙bean paste蛋黄egg yolk海鲜seafood家禽poultry饺子dumplings八宝饭eight treasure rice米羹rice balls油条fried sticks麻花fried twisted stick炒面Chaomian叉烧包steamed bun with roast pork粥porridge芋头taro葱油饼pan-fried cake with sesame seeds and green onion有关春节的常用词放鞭炮let off firecrackers耍龙灯play the dragon lantern耍狮子play the lion dance拜年pay a new-year callChinese DragonDragon totem worship in China has been around for the last 8, 000 years. The ancients in China considered the dragon (or loong) a fetish that combines animals including the fish, snake, horseand ox with cloud, thunder, lightning and other natural celestial phenomena. The Chinese dragon was formed in accordance with the multicultural fusion process of the Chinese nation. To the Chinese, the dragon signifies innovation and cohesion.对龙图腾他的崇拜在中国大约已绵延了八千多年。
中国成语文化的英文作文Chinese idioms, or "chengyu", are an integral part of Chinese culture and language. These four-character phrases convey deep meanings and often originate from historical stories, classical literature, or folklore. They reflect the wisdom, values, and experiences of the Chinese people over thousands of years.One of the most fascinating aspects of chengyu is their concise nature. Each idiom encapsulates a story or a moral lesson, making them powerful tools for communication. For example, the idiom " huà lóng diǎn jīng", which translates to "paint a dragon and dot its eyes," means to add the finishing touch that brings something to life. This idiom emphasizes the importance of details in completing a task.Moreover, chengyu often embody traditional Chinese philosophies. For instance, the idiom "bù pà màn, ji ù pà zhàn means "do not fear going slowly, but fear standing still." This reflects the value placed on perseverance and continuous progress, which is a common theme in Chinese culture.Learning chengyu not only enhances language skillsbut also provides insights into Chinese history and thought. Each idiom is a glimpse into the past, revealing how the Chinese people have used language to express their worldview.In conclusion, Chinese idioms are more than just linguistic expressions; they are cultural treasures that carry rich meanings and lessons. Embracing these idioms allows one to appreciate the depth of Chinese culture and its enduring values.中文翻译：成语是中国文化和语言中不可或缺的一部分。
1.填空题单词拼写。
1.（1）Poor college students can ________（申请）to the bank for loans to complete their studies.答案'（1）apply'解析（1）apply 考查动词。
空处位于情态动词can之后，应该填入动词原形。
apply申请，动词。
1.（2）We ________（挤，榨）the juice from an orange.答案'（2）squeeze'解析（2）squeeze 考查动词。
句意：我们从橘子里榨汁。
结合语境可知，句子时态为一般现在时。
分析可知，空处在句中作谓语动词。
squeeze挤，榨，动词。
主语是We，所以谓语动词用原形。
1.（3）Some mushrooms contain a deadly ________.（毒）答案'（3）poison'解析（3）poison 考查名词。
空处位于形容词deadly“致命的”之后，应该填入名词。
poison毒，名词。
a deadly poison一种致命毒药，固定搭配。
1.（4）The project is not finished but is still in ________.（过程）答案'（4）process'解析（4）process 考查名词。
句意：这项工程尚未完成，但仍在进行中。
process过程，名词。
in process在进行中，过程中的，固定搭配。
1.（5）We rely on new sources of energy to meet the ________.（需求）答案'（5）demand'解析（5）demand 考查名词。
空处位于定冠词the之后，应填入名词。
demand需求，名词。
meet the demand满足需求，固定搭配。
1.（6）The technique is being tried in class to ________（评定）what effects in may have.答案'（6）assess'解析（6）assess 考查动词。
一、根据首字母填写单词(单词拼写)1. Under Qian’s l________, China developed the Dongfeng missiles, followed by thefirst generation of Long March rockets. （根据首字母单词拼写）2. It was so s_______ of him to keep the largest chunk of steak for himself and leavethe small ones for his siblings. (根据首字母单词拼写)3. Best of all I began to a______ the beauty in life with my own eyes, instead of through my smartphone camera. (根据首字母单词拼写)二、根据汉语意思填写单词(单词拼写)4. Mr. Wang was a strongly __________(尽心尽力的) comrade of the Party. (根据汉语提示单词拼写)5. I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to do an ________ to you.（受伤）(根据汉语提示单词拼写）6. He is quite ________ (乐观的) and insists on carrying out the plan, so you’d betternot stand in his way. （根据汉语提示单词拼写）三、根据中英文提示填写单词(单词拼写)7. Don’t be such a s____ (自私的) person to only think about yourself.8. Bull markets occur when investors are o___________(乐观), buying increases and stock prices rise. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)四、完成句子9. 他的缺点之一就是说谎。
(中国文化)英语复习➢Overview1.The red colour of the National Flag of the PRC symbolizes revolution and theyellow colour of the stars the golden brilliant rays radiating from the vast red land.The design of four smaller stars surrounding a bigger one signifies the unity ofthe Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).2.China is a country of varied topographical features with highlands in the west andplains in the east. Mountainous land and very rough terrains make up about 67%of Chinese territory, basins and plains about 33%.3.The first primitive man known to have existed in China is Yuanmou Man, wholived about 1.7 million years ago. Peking Man, who existed more than 600,000years ago at Zhoukoudian, in the vicinity of modern Beijing, could walk upright,make and use simple tools, and make use of fire.4.Equality, unity, and common prosperity are the basic principles of the Chinesegovernment in handling the relations between ethnic groups.5.PRC————People’s republic of China————中华人民共和国CPPCC———Chinese People’s Political consultative Conference———中国人民政治协商会议CPC——Communist Party of China——中国共产党NPC——National People’s Congress——全国人民代表大会《义勇军进行曲》：March of the Volunteers京杭大运河：the Grand Canal between Beijing and Hangzhou炎黄子孙：descendants of Yan and Huang特别行政区：special administrative region一国两制：one country， two systems6.Located in the east of the Asian continent, on the western shore of thePacific Ocean, the PRC has a land area of about 9.6 million squarekilometers, and is the third largest country in the world, next only toRussia and Canada. China is a country of varied topographicalfeatures with highlands in the west and plains in the east. Mountainous land and very rough terrains make up about 67% of Chinese territory,basins and plains about 33%.Most of China lies in the north temperatezone, characterized by a warm climate and distinctive seasons, aclimate well suited for habitation.➢Chapter11.The philosophy in the pre-Qin times was marked by the emergence of variousancient philosophy views. The most influential schools were Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism and Legalism.2.Ancient Chinese philosophers share some common features such as their stresson spiritual existence, practice, morality, harmony and intuition.3.Chinese ethics and morality focuses more on harmony, collectivism and spirituallife.4.China, as a multi-religion country, has indigenous Taoist religion and religions offoreign origin such as Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, and Christianity.5.The White Horse Temple located in the east of Luoyang, Henan Province, wasthe first officially built Buddhist temple in China in the Eastern Han dynasty.6.罢黜百家，独尊儒术：banning all schools of thought except Confucianism佛经：Buddhist scriptures三从四德：three obediences and four virtues八仙过海，各显神通：When the Eight Immortals cross the sea，each demonstrates their devine power.《古兰经》：the Koran7.China is a multi-religion country. The religions that are believed by Chinesepeople are mainly Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity, among which Taoism is indigenous to China while the others are of foreign origin.Chinese citizens may freely choose their religious beliefs and make clear their religious affiliations.➢Chapter21.On Faults of Qin——Jia Yi——Han dynastySong of Eternal Sorrow——Bai Juyi——Tang dynastyThe Scholarship——Wu Jingzi——Ming & Qing dynastiesThe Goddess——Guo Moruo——modern periodWives and Concubines——Su Tong——contemporary period2.诸子散文——philosophical prose文学评论——literary criticism婉约派——soft and tuneful school四大名著——the Four Great Classical Novels诺贝尔文学奖——the Nobel Prize for Literature3.The book of Songs, the first anthology of poetry in China,includes 305 poemsfrom the early Western Zhou dynasty to the middle of the Spring and Autumn period, In the light of their rhythms, the works can be divided into three sections: feng, ya and song. The poems in The Book of Songs are mainly written in four character lines. In terms of its writing technique, it can be classified into fu, bi, and xing. As the starting point of Chinese literature, The Book of Songs has great influence on the literary works of later generations.➢Chapter31.Calligraphy retains the beauty of nature and illuminates the spiritual beauty ofhuman beings. Chinese calligraphy stresses the overall layout and harmony between words and lines.2.Traditional Chinese painting refers to ink-wash painting. It can be traced to theTang dynasty and flourished from the Yuan dynasty onwards. It holds an important place in the history of traditional landscape painting.3.Chinese opera in considered one of the three ancient forms of drama in the world,with the other two being Greek tragedy and comedy and Indian Sanskrit opera.Of these three, only Chinese opera still remains alive.4.Erhu, sometimes known in the West as the “Chinese violin” , is a twostring bowedmusical instrument and is used as a solo instrument as well as for small ensembles and large orchestras. The most popular erhu piece is Two Springs Reflect the Moon.5.楷书：regular script 相声：crosstalk文房四宝：Four Treasures of the Study皮影戏：shadow plays弦乐器：plucked instruments6.Beijing Opera, which has a history of more than 200years, enjoys the greatestreputation among China’s traditional operas. In Beijing Opera, performers wear different types of make-up according to the characters they perform. Singing, recitation, acting, and acrobatic fighting are the four major artistic means and thefour basic skills of Beijing Opera. Each action of a Beijing Opera performer ishighly symbolic. Gestures, footwork, and other body movements can express the actions such as opening a door, going upstairs, rowing a boat, riding a horse, etc. ➢Chapter41.Before 1905, there were two kinds of schools in China: private schools,run by scholars teaching students at home, and official institutions, which were open to children of nobles.2.In Chinese basic education, the curriculum is designed to makestudents well-round in moral, intellectual, physical and aesthetical developments, based upon cognitive learning and the developmental needs of children at different ages.3.Secondary vocational school is an alternative to senior middle school.Its objective is to prepare students for the lines of production, services, technical services, management, etc.4.The history of higher education in China can be traced back to the Handynasty over 2000 years ago. It established taixue as the highest educational institute to cultivate senior scholars to help administer national affairs. Since the Sui dynasty, the institute for higher education was called guozijian, which was also the highest administrative bureau for national affairs.5.四书五经：Four Books and Five Classics科举制度：imperial civil examination system九年义务教育：Nine-Year compulsory Education职业教育： vocational education孔子学院：Confucius Institute6.The imperial civil examination system was an examination systemthrough which talented people were recognized and selected as government officials in China’s feudal society. The practice began in the Sui dynasty and lasted about 1300 years until the end of the Qing dynasty. It had profound impact on the post-Sui-Tang China’s social structure, political system, educational system, and humanistic ideologies.➢Chapter51.The four great inventions in ancient China have become important symbols ofChina’s important role in human civilization. They are the compass, gunpowder, paper-making and printing.2.TCM is very different from Western medicine in its means of diagnosis andtreatment, and its composition of drugs and prescriptions.3.The seismograph, invented by Zhang Heng, can indicate the direction of a distantearthquake. It was over 1700years later that a similar instrument was invented in Europe.4.On 20 November 1984,xiangyanghong-10 sailed from Shanghai, arriving inAntarctica on 25 December, marking a significant progress in China’s polar research.5.Tiangong-1 is China’s first space station which serves as both a mannedlaboratory and an experimental testbed. It demonstrates its orbital rendezvous and docking capabilities.6.Bian Que——four methods of diagnosisHua Tuo——mafeisanZhang Zhongjing——On DiseasesLi Shizhen——compendium of Meteria Medica7.活字印刷术：movable type printing五禽戏：Five-Animal Exercises四则运算： four fundamental operations of arithmetic哥德巴赫猜想：Goldbach’s Conjecture杂交水稻： hybrid rice8.When it comes to China’s ancient science and technology, people mayimmediately think of the four great inventions, namely, the compass, gunpowder,paper-making and printing. However, in ancient China, great achievements were also made in astronomy, mathematics, traditional Chinese medicine, agriculture, manufacturing and so on. Achievements made in traditional Chinese medicine were especially remarkable. Bian Que, of the Warring States period, invented the four methods of diagnosis: observation, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, and palpation and pulse feeling. Compendium of Materia Medica by Li Shizhen is regarded as the most complete and comprehensive medical book ever written in the history of traditional Chinese medicine.➢Chapter61.Tang dynasty——equestrian poloSong dynasty——cujuYuan dynasty——chuiwan2.Modern martial arts consist of five categories: boxing, weapon exercises, sparringexercises, actual combat and teamwork.3.Qigong, also called deep breathing exercise, is practiced by the Chinese on aregular basis to keep fit. “Qi” literally means “air” and implies “life force”.4.Yangge is a traditional dance accompanied by rhythmic folk music or singing, withthe dancers dressed in costumes and holding fans or handkerchiefs.5.It was not until 1932 when the 10th Olympic Games were held in Los Angeles thatChina was invited for the first time to send athletes to compete. Again in Los Angeles in 1984, Xu Haifeng was the first gold medal winner, which marked the beginning of China’s success in the Olympic Games.6.踢毽子： shuttlecock kicking武术: martial arts太极拳: tai chi chuan全民健身: nationwide physical fitness北京奥运会:Beijing Olympic Games7.With hundreds of styles, Chinese martial arts can be divided into many schools.As an important school of Chinese martial arts, tai chi chuan is marked with slow and gentle movements. Since it can be used for self-defense and body building, tai chi chuan has become an important method of physical exercise for people. At the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, the tai chi chuan performance given by 2008 players created a great sensation.➢Chapter71.Zhuang people ——Antiphonal Singing FestivalMiao people——Jumping Flower FestivalDai people——Water-Splashing FestivalYao people——Danu FestivalMongolians——Nadam FairBai people——Third Month Festival2.小年——Preliminary Eve春节联欢晚会——Spring Festival Gala七夕节——Double Seventh Festival自治州——autonomous prefecture黄金周——Golden Week3.The Spring Festival is China’s most important traditional festival that falls on thefirst day of the first lunar month. There are many customs observed during this festival such as burning firecrackers, pasting Spring Festival couplets, paying New Year visits, eating dumplings, etc. There are various celebrations in different places during this festival, among which traditional temple fairs last for days.➢Chapter81.Generally speaking, there are three essential standards by which Chinese cookingis judged, namely, color, aroma, and taste, with taste being the most important.2.At a formal banquet, the host prepares adequate seats foe the guests. The elderlyand people of high status usually sit at the northern side of the table or directly facing the entrance to the room. The concept of “honored south, humble north” is closely related with traditional Chinese etiquette.3.Chinese tea can be classified into five basic categories according to their differentprocessing techniques. The five types are green tea, black tea, oolong tea, compressed tea, and scented tea. Some minor types are white tea and yellow tea.4.The drinkers’wager game has many forms, depending on the drinkers’socialstatus, and interest. Generally, there are three categories: general games, literary games and competing games.5.八大菜系——eight regional cuisines老火靓汤——double-stewed soup《舌尖上的中国》——A Bite of China乌龙茶——oolong tea交杯酒——arm-crossed wine6.There is an old saying in China, “food is what matters most to people.” It illustratesthe significant role food plays in the life of Chinese people. As a vast country with diverse climates, products, and customs, China is known to have eight regional cuisines which include Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, and Hunan cuisines. There are three essential standards by which Chinese cooking is judged, namely, color, aroma, and taste, with taste being the most important. The names of Chinese dishes are many and various. There are interesting stories behind the names of famous Chinese dishes, which add to the mystique of Chinese food culture.➢Chapter91.Chinese rules of etiquette regarding costumes and adornments started takingshape in the Zhou dynasty, regulating from nobles down to commoners.2.Band knots had been used in the front of costumes for several thousand yearsbefore the Ming dynasty, but they were replaced by buttons for the first time in the Ming dynasty.3.The four most famous types of embroidery in China are Sichuan embroidery,Suzhou embroidery, Hunan embroidery and Guangdong embroidery.4.When a girl is born into a Miao family, her parents will save on food andexpenses so as to purchase a complete set of silver jewelry for her.5.The Korean people are known as the “people in white” due to their special love ofthe white color.6.稻田装——paddy-field costume丝绸之路——Silk Road蜡染——batik or wax painting中山装——Chinese tunic suit订婚礼物——betrothal gift7.As a vital part of Chinese civilization, traditional Chinese costumes andadornments play an important role in the country’s history and culture. On the stage of modern fashion, the Tang costume, cheongsam, and Chinese tunic suit have still been popular; and they have become the source of inspirations for many top fashion designers. Embroidery, batik, and other traditional Chinese folk arts have also attracted tourists at home and abroad.。
山东省济南2023级2024-2025学年第一学期高二年级（英语）期中考试试题（2024.11）（考试时间：120分钟试卷满分：150分）注意事项：1．答卷前，考生务必用0.5毫米黑色签字笔将自己的姓名、班级、座号、准考证号填写在答题卡和试卷规定的位置上，并用2B铅笔将答题卡考号栏按要求涂黑。
2．回答选择题时，选出每小题答案后，用2B铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。
如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。
回答非选择题时，用0.5毫米黑色签字笔将答案写在答题卡各题目指定区域内相应的位置，写在本试卷上无效。
第一部分听力（共两节，满分30分）做题时，先将答案标在试卷上。
录音内容结束后，你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡上。
第一节（共5小题，每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）听下面5段对话。
每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。
听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。
每段对话仅读一遍。
1．Where is the woman from?A．The USA．B．Canada.C．Japan.2．What color dress does the man. tell the woman to wear?A．Red.B．Blue.C．Grey.3．What do the speakers decide to do?A．Have dinner late.B．Meet in the man’s office.C．See a movie tonight.4．What are the speakers mainly talking about?A．Some songs.B．Their hobbies.C．A band.5．Why hasn’t the man taken a photo?A．The fog is thick.B．The temple is too far.C．The camera is broken.第二节（共15小题，每小题1分，满分15分）听下面5段对话或独白。
ISSN 1799-2591Theory and Practice in Language Studies, V ol. 2, No. 5, pp. 995-1002, May 2012© 2012 ACADEMY PUBLISHER Manufactured in Finland.doi:10.4304/tpls.2.5.995-1002A Study on Chinese Continuous Four-character Collocations and Their Translation into EnglishStrategiesWeidong Y ang (Corresponding author)Foreign Languages Department, China University of Petroleum, 18 Fuxue Road, Beijing 102249, ChinaEmail: clarkdream@Weiping DaiForeign Languages Department, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 18 Fuxue Road, Beijing 102249, ChinaEmail: dwping@Lijia GaoForeign Languages School, Jilin University, 2699 Qianjin Road, Chaoyang District, Changchun 300012, ChinaEmail: tianping@Abstract—The Chinese continuous four-character collocations (CCFCCs) are vivid, concise and aesthetic. Theyhave rich meanings, gorgeous literal talent, consistency and strong rhetorical effect. The CCFCCs areembedded in different sentences. They make the discourse more concise, lively, humorous andthought-provoking. There are many papers concerning the techniques and skills of translating four-charactercollocations, therefore, the present paper mainly focus on the translation strategies of CCFCCs.Index Terms—Chinese continuous four-character collocations, idioms, translationI.I NTRODUCTIONIdioms are the essence of language. Languages see their best manifestations of colorfulness, forcefulness, terseness and richness in idioms. Therefore, the familiarization and grasp of idiom is widely regarded as the basic standard by which the language capacity is tested. However, what confronts the language learners is not only the great quantity of the idioms but also the tremendous hardness of how to use the idioms properly. Many experts and scholars have carried on their research in this field, especially in the field of Chinese idioms. The traditional views of idioms treat idioms as arbitrary and fixed pattern of languages. Many linguists regard idioms as non-compositional by definitions. They have focused on the techniques of translating Chinese idioms into English and the problems of translating them, like the accuracy of target language, the national characteristics and the manner of speaking and so on.When they find it is not enough to analyze the Chinese idioms from the techniques, they began to discuss this question from different perspectives. From the macro point of view, there are people using the cognitive linguistics to study the acquisition of Chinese idioms (Zuo, 2006), applying socio-semiotic approach to the translation of Chinese four-character idioms (Zhang, 2006), etc. From the micro point of view, the most significance of Chinese idiom-translation studies is the translation of “A Dream of Red Mansions”. Chinese idiom translation is mostly done in the translation of literal works. Other aspects are from the grammar perspective like subject-predicate structure and parallelism, analyzing the numeral of Chinese four-character idioms (Lin, 2008) and “The Symbolic Meanings of the 12 Symbolic Animals in Chinese Idioms” (Ma, 2006) and so on. Whatever the main theme is, these papers all analyzed the four-character collocations from ways like free translation, literal translation, using techniques to translation and so on. Strictly speaking, Chinese four-character collocations cannot completely be the same as idioms, since the latter still has five-character collocations or even six or seven characters. However, most of the idioms we use today are the four-character ones. So, the present paper focuses on the four-characte r collocations from the idioms’ perspective. Chinese people like to use four-character collocations. According to Mr. Lv Shuxiang, the four-syllable collocations perhaps are the favorite forms by Chinese users (Wang, 2007). There are certainly some reasons for it. First of all, it is determined by the characteristics of Chinese. The Chinese syntax is usually flexible, which means it can make up many phrases with fixed number of words, such as four-character collocations. Secondly, the four-character collocations have the characteristics of balanced structure, and concise wording. And Chinese people would overstress the aesthetics of balance, as a result, they often favor four-character collocations,.II.S OURCES OF C HINESE F OUR-CHARACTER C OLLOCA TIONSTHEORY AND PRACTICE IN LANGUAGE STUDIES 996Four-character collocation is a broad concept. It can be classified into two categories: narrow and broad.In the narrow sense, four-character collocations are quite the same as idioms. They are fixed and cannot be reformed. Every four-character idiom has its own story, if you cannot understand the story, then you cannot understand what they mean.In the broad sense, any phrase or collocation which is made up by four characters can be covered in this category. Most of these collocations are the brand new ones made not long ago. They are unfixed ones and can be made into whatever types as long as they have four characters. Along with the development of our society, the four-character collocations also develop themselves, examples could be cited and translated in English as “one country two systems”, “people first”, “harmonious society”, “environmentally-friendly products”, “Hope Project”and so on.Many Chinese idioms are passed down from ancient times and have been in existence for quite a long time. Chinese idioms mainly originate from the oral folk idioms, and their minor source is the creations of literators of different times, or from the written materials. However, like other languages, Chinese has also absorbed many loan words, including some idioms. So another noticeable source may be the loan words, or idioms from other languages.A. Daily Experiences of Ordinary PeopleMost of the idioms and idiomatic expressions in Chinese are from the common people, that is, from their occupations and hobbies. As in the case of words, idioms should be counted on the man-of-letters group for their creation. The best of our idioms, like those of words, come from factories, kitchens and farms rather than from libraries, living rooms or theaters. From ancient times till now, folk idioms are forever the main stream of idioms as they are lively and vivid expressions of people’s daily life. These idioms with simple words put together, however, contain profound meanings and reflect life experience. In the civilization process of human beings, different geographical conditions, customs, ways of living or even some historical events have had great influence upon the evolution of language and have explicit signs on it. For example, China is a traditional agricultural country. A great number of idioms and idiomatic expressions relating to agriculture and farm work have been widely accepted by its people.For examples (English versions):when water flows, a channel is formedput aside the armor and pick up the hoeone crop was eaten when the next is still greenB. Written MaterialsMany oral folk idioms, after selection and polishing, have been written down by literators, and become the written idioms passed down to this day. Those idioms from written materials again have different origins, which in general can fall into the following four categories:i. MythologyChinese ancestors have created many beautiful mythologies, some of which reflect their strong will to conquer the nature, e.g. “the man who does not give up can move mountains” (English version).ii. FableFables and mythologies are quite alike, but the differences lie in that the former are mostly created by literators and endowed with didactical purpose while the latter are the collective works of common people who naturally express a certain kind of thoughts without definite didactical purpose, e.g. “Kua Fu’s race with the sun” (English translation).iii. Historical eventSome idioms have their historical backgrounds or contain allusion in them, e.g. “be besieged on all sides” (English translation); “when the map was unrolled, the dagger was revealed” (English translation)——the real intention is revealed in the end.iv. Creation of literatorsLiterary language initially came from the folk language, some of which have undergone the polishing of literati and spreading of literary works and have finally entered daily languages and become idioms, e.g. “a friendship formed in childhood” (English translation)——said of boys and girls.C. Foreign Idioms Borrowed into ChineseSince the Opium War (1840-1842), quite a number of new words have been introduced into the Chinese language from western countries. Foreign idioms, to be specific, also originated from the sources as mentioned above, i.e. mythologies, fables, historical events and creations of literators. However, the foreign idioms only take up to no more than 1% of the total number of Chinese idioms (Shi, 1979). Mr. Shi explains in his A Study on Chinese Four-Character Collocations that since the Chinese language is always rich in idioms, we can’t help thinking of a Chinese idiom which is equivalent in meaning to a foreign idiom in the process of translation and our native idiom is habitually adopted to save the trouble of translation, resulting in the relatively small number of the foreign idioms assimilated and accepted in the Chinese language. Therefore, we tend to use the existing Chinese idioms to translate some foreign idioms. For examples, to help a lame dog over a stile (English translation), like a rat in a hole (English translation), to cast pearls before swine (English translation), a black sheep (English translation), to paint the lily (English translation), etc.THEORY AND PRACTICE IN LANGUAGE STUDIES 997III.F EA TURES OF C HINESE F OUR-CHARACTER C OLLOCA TIONSAs special language forms, idioms are derived from those words or phrases that have been used as a whole by the people for a long period of time. They can be explained with words of the contemporary language and they are frequently used in the daily life. However, their constructions and vocabulary may not be the same as that of the contemporary language. As fixed word structures with special and integral meanings established despite of long-term usage and common practice, idioms inevitably have their distinctive features.A. National CharacterIdioms are created by the folk in labor and they have a close relationship with human beings and their environments. To be specific, idioms are closely related to the geographic and historical backgrounds, business activities, customs, religious beliefs and cultural psychology of its nation. Therefore, a large number of Chinese idioms contain the flavor of national culture; hence they can be called nation-specific or culture-specific idioms.For example, the ancient Chinese people regarded the heart as the center of the soul, thinking and feelings of human beings and thus they created a great number of idioms related to “heart”, such as, absent-minded, have a deep longing for, be perfectly content, disease in one’s vital organ——danger from wi thin, one’s heart is like dead ashes——hopelessly apathetic.Another prominent feature is the allusive idioms. We can find many allusions contained in some idioms, from mythologies, fables, historical events, etc., such as “Dongshi, an ugly woman, knitting her brows in imitation of the famous beauty Xishi, only to make herself uglier” (English translation) ——crude imitation with ludicrous effect, “proffer a birch and ask for a flogging” (English translation)——offer a humble apology, “learn the Handan walk” (English translation)——in trying to acquire a new trick, lose the ability one already has, “whirl the hatchet with a noise like the wind” (English translation)——an uncanny feat.Allusive idioms are mostly rich in cultural deposits or national flavor, which may puzzle foreigners in the intercultural communication if they are not familiar with the stories behind these Chinese idioms.For example, without understanding the story about Qin Hui and his wife, Wang Shi’s conspiracy under the eastern window to murd er Y ue Fei, it would be hard to understand that “the cat is out of the bag” (English translation) means “to be exposed”.B. Semantic IntegrityA Chinese idiom functions as a single semantic unit. In other words, it is used as a substantive part of the language. Although composed of several characters, the meaning of a Chinese idiom is not the sum added by the meanings of each individual character. The idiom must be used as an integral unit in the conversation or writing. Generally speaking, almost every Chinese idiom has two meanings, say, denotative meaning, and connotative meaning. The soul of Chinese idioms lies in their connotation, without which they will be disqualified as idioms. The meaning of a Chinese idiom is more than the sum of the meanings of its individual elements.For example, the literal meaning of “wind, flower, snow and moon” in Chinese is actually “referring originally to certain types of literary works and later to effete and sentimental writings in general” in English; the literal mean ing of “having a bamboo in one’s chest” in Chinese refers to “having a well-through-out plan” in English.C. Structural FeaturesAbout 97% of Chinese idioms are constructed with four characters (Feng, 2002), so they are often called four-character idioms. Unlike any other language form, four-character idiom is the unique feature of the Chinese language. China seems to be a nation whose people traditionally favor even numbers to odd numbers and lay great emphasis on symmetry, parallelism and antithesis, which is an important cultural mentality unparalleled elsewhere. An idiom of four characters can be quite elegant, while a three-character idiom is a bit vulgar. Therefore, Chinese four-character idioms are fossilized patterns of language, which allow little variation in form. They generally resist random replacement. In the Chinese language, phrases, according to their different grammatical structures, are classified into doublets, SV (subject + verb) phrase, VO (verb + object) phrase, MrMd (modifier-modified) phrase, etc. Since idioms are fixed phrases, they can also be classified into doublets, SV structure, VO structure, MrMd structure, etc.D. Rhetorical FeaturesRhetoric is, perhaps, the most distinctive feature of Chinese four-character idioms. Abundant with various rhetorical devices, such as metaphor, parallelism and rhyme, many four-character idioms are easy to memorize and have been handed down from ancient times and into present existence of today. As a special form of language, Chinese four-character idioms have the aesthetic function which conveys the aesthetic information by means of its various rhetorical devices.a. Similethe courtyard is as crowded as a marketplace (English translation)as firm as a rock (English translation)b. Metaphoran incessant stream of horses and carriages (English translation)——heavy trafficTHEORY AND PRACTICE IN LANGUAGE STUDIES 998every bush and tree looking like an enemy soldier (English translation)——a state of extreme suspicion and fearc. Metonymydark willows and blooming flowers (English translation)——a beautiful scenejackals and wolves hold sway/the cruel and wicked are in power (English translation)d. Hyperbolewith three heads and six arms (English translation)——superhuman powerseach word worth a thousand pieces of gold (English translation)——a highly finished literary producte. EuphonyChinese four-character idioms are usually masterpieces of the art of euphony in that many of them not only have the symmetrical semantic structure but also adopt rhyme or alliteration, which makes them a feast for both the eyes and ears.About 40.8% of all the Chinese four-character idioms are semantically symmetrical or partially symmetrical, which shows that parallelism is a distinctive rhetorical device favored in Chinese idioms.IV.C HINESE C ONTINUOUS F OUR-CHARACTER C OLLOCA TIONS (CCFCC) AND T HEIR T RANSLA TIONSThe Chinese four-character collocations can express a kind of meaning concisely with highly symmetrical structure. The language is simple with profound meaning. Though they are concise, they contain meaningful expressions. With them, we can explain the profound truth. They are expressive with live images. If we use them appropriately, they can enhance the language expressiveness.Like those four-character collocations, the continuous four-character collocations are also vivid, concise and aesthetic. What’s more, they have rich meanings, gorgeous literal talent, consistency and strong rhetorical effect. These CCFCCs are embedded in different sentences and make the sentences wonderful. They make our discourse more concise, lively, humorous and thought-provoking.A. Differences in Terms of Translating CCFCCChinese traditional culture is known as equilibrium and well-balanced proportion. In addition, this traditional aesthetic standard also exerts an imperceptible influence on Chinese language and embodies the idea in the language form of Chinese four-character structure. The Chinese four-character structure contains stable syllables and unified wordage, with the strong characteristics of neat structure and harmonious sounds. The four-character structures can be seen in almost all literal forms. They can be used as single sentences as well. They are so esthetic that they mix the syllable and form features of Chinese characters ingeniously. When we are reading them, we feel they are harmonious and beautiful, concise and comprehensive. Nevertheless, the Chinese continuous four-character structure has extremely strong effect in comprehensive meanings, magnificent literal talent and coherent tone.Although the literal meaning of the Chinese continuous four-character structure is not distinctively enough in this way, it stresses imposing manner and frame of mind, often having ideological and practical meaning. While on the other hand, English is a rather rational language. It pays attention to clearness and avoids the disorder of logic and padding of words. Consequently, it is unavoidable that the careful and neat parallelism structure in Chinese turns out to be uneven in English. Therefore, we cannot insist on keeping the form identical with the source language. Otherwise the target language will become slack with words that just string together, which is not appropriate in the standard of English expression. For this reason, when we translate the collocations of Chinese four-character structure into English, we can transfer them into appropriate structure in English, according to their semantic and logic elements.There are so many papers talking about the techniques to translate four-character collocations, such as in the field of literal translation, free translation or using equivalents to translate, and so on, the present paper here will mainly concentrate on the translation of CCFCC.1. Coordinate relationsThe continuous four-character structure of parallel relation usually can be transferred into the following structures: a. adjective + nounThe valley of the Grand Bend is full of multi-peaked mountains, joined canyons and turbulent waters. (English translation)b. noun/adjective + in + nounThese silk blouses are made of pure silk of best quality. They are moderate in price, excellent in craftsmanship and unique in designs. (English translation)c. Prepositional phrasesThe Yangzi River is very much awe-inspiring with deep riverbeds, rushing currents and steep banks. (English translation)d. Noun phrasesWe should vigorously foster the fine esprit, including dedication to work, and offering convenience and fine services to the masses. (English translation)e. V erb phrasesWe should emancipate our minds, seek truth from facts and work hard creatively. (English translation)THEORY AND PRACTICE IN LANGUAGE STUDIES 999 2. Subject and subordinate relationThere are many CCFCCs that describe around one central idea. Therefore, when translating them into English, we can transfer them into adverbial or adjunct structure, for example:The factory can produce various new types of buttons in thousands of different designs for coats, suits, fashions, shirts and sweaters. (English translation)In addition, some CCFCCs can be treated as single sentences. When translating them, we can transfer the main part into the subject and the subordinate into the other parts of the sentence, or even change the whole structure of the sentence, for example:So many men and women with high ideals, worried and frustrated, wish to do something about it, only to find that, able as they were, they had no chance to carry out their ideals. (English translation)3. Casual relationsSome CCFCCs contained recessive casual relations; therefore, we put the part which indicates the reasons ahead when transferring them. Then, we use verbs like “form” and “achieve” to connect with the rest parts of the sentence, for example:There are many hidden shoals in the river, presenting a challenge to navigators. And the surges on the swift current and roars of the terrifying waves achieve great momentum. (English translation)B. Strategies in Translating CCFCC1. Literal and free translationPeople often talk about literal translation and free translation, discussing which way of translation is better to use to translate a sentence. The target language must express what source language means, distortion is not allowed. Literal translation and free translation are two main forms of translation. They are not repulsive, contrarily, they are complementary. Literal translation retains original skill. When literal translation is not okay, people would use free translation instead. Free translation expresses general idea of the original, and can be accepted by readers. A good translation composition contains both literal translation and free translation.Literal translation and free translation are two basic skills of translation. Literal translation refers to translating a sentence originally, keeping the original message form, including construction of sentence, meaning of the original words, and metaphor of the original and so on. Translation would be fluent and easy to be comprehended by target language readers.For examples (English translations): Peaches and plums do not have to talk, yet the world beats a path to them; Mountains can be removed and Oceans can be land filled, but one’s nature can hardly be changed; and Past experience , if not forgotten, is a guide for future.Free translation needs not pay attention to the form of the original, including construction of the original sentences, meaning of the original works, and metaphor of the original and so on. But free translation does not mean to delete or add content to the original and translators must treat the original carefully, know its connotation, translate it naturally, and express the meaning of the original. Free translation is a skill and translators must know the cultures of both source language and target language, and must have extensive knowledge.For example: “No great loss without some small pain.” or “A loss might turn out a gain.” (English translation) Literal translation and free translation play an important role in translation, though in specific circumstances, using equivalents to translate is also essential. Since in this way, the source language will be more like the native rather than the translated. Therefore, we cannot ignore its role. In the translating process, using equivalents to translate refers to the expression of adopting certain words, phrases or idioms of the source language into the target language. This way of translating is the most important and the commonly used method in translation. The following are the more examples (translated into English): as light as a feather, as steady as the mountain; it never rains but it pours; man proposes, God disposes.We can use concrete and specific words or phrases to translate the abstract ones in the source language, in order to eliminate or reduce the linguistic differences in the translation process.For example: 看菜吃饭，量体裁衣, if we just translate it in the literal way, it will turn to be “to eat your rice according to the dishes served, measure the man before cutting the cloth”, which certainly is wordy. Instead, we should translate it into “to fit the appetite to the dishes and the dress to the figure”.2. Words’ structureIn terms of collocations, CCFCCs have various configurations. Analyzing the structure of CCFCC is an important means of thorough understanding of the connotation of CCFCCs. In accordance with the grammatical structure, CCFCCs can fall into the following types.a. Subject-predicate structureThe Chinese subject-predicate structure is quite different from that of English. In the Chinese subject-predicate structure, the number of the subject does not change and there is no change in the tense or the number in the predicate. However, the English subject-predicate structure is the other way round. In general, when we translate the Chinese subject-predicate structure into English, we should also put it in a subject-predicate structure, but there are many exceptions, depending on the circumstances to require different treatments, such as subject-predicate structure. WhenTHEORY AND PRACTICE IN LANGUAGE STUDIES 1000we do the translation, we need to make some changes in order to highlight the four-character structures.In many cases, the Chinese subject-predicate structure has the equivalent in English, such as 设备完善，技术一流and 色调雅致，图案新颖. The first one can be translated as “The facilities are perfect and the techniques are top-class”. The latter can be tran slated as “The colors are elegant and the designs are novel.”The subject-predicate structure can become the predicate of the sentence in Chinese, while it is not appropriate in English. Therefore, it needs to be changed to “be + adjective + prepositional phrase”, for example:This carpet is elegant in color and novel in design. (English translation)In order to highlight the magnificence of the subject-predicate structures, sometimes we just translate them into prepositional phrases directly, placing them in the first part of the sentences, for example:With fine workmanship and novel design, the products manufactured in this factory reached the advanced level of the domestically-made bits of the kind. (English translation)b. V erb-object structureThere can be various translations of Chinese verb-object structure according to its different position in the sentence. If the nouns and verbs in this structure are the predicate and object respectively in the source language, we can still translate them into verb-object structure in the target language. If this verb-object structure is the subject or object in the sentence, we often translate it into a noun phrase.The Chinese verb-object structure can still remain in English, for example:We should create more opportunities, provide better training, assist the laid-off employees in revising their job-seeking and encourage them to find new jobs on their own. (English translation)If the verb-object structure is the subject or object in the sentence, it needs to be translated into a noun phrase. For example:At the current stage, revitalization of the economy is our major task. (English translation)c. Structure of modificationThere are many modification structures in Chinese. The key words of the structure of modification are nouns or gerunds, which are usually the last part of the phrase. The words or phrases in front of the key words play the role of description, modification and limitation. For Chinese, we mainly focus on the collocation between the attribute, ad verbial modifier, complement and the key word, whether it has appropriately expressed the relation between “modify and modified”, “limit and limited”, “restrict and restricted”, “complement and complemented” and whether it can make the concept more clearly. While analyzing English structure, the main focus is on whether the preposition is used correctly and whether it is identical in the number, gender and case between modifiers and key words.Generally speaking, the Chinese structure of modification can be translated into English with the following methods: We adopt the structure of “adjective + noun” when translating the phrases of “modify and modified”, for examples: religious undertaking (English translation)self-sufficient economy (English translation)For the relation like “limit and limited”, we often translate the second verb phrase into an adverbial purpose, for examples:to draw cakes to relieve one’s hunger (English translation)to cut the feet to fit the shoes (English translation)For the relati on of “complement and complemented”, the words or phrases that complement the key words should be translated into a prepositional phrase, for example:to shift the blame onto others (English translation)d. Coordinate structureThe translation of coordinate structure has the following situations:In Chinese, we often use two familiar phrases together, such as 自私自利，骄奢淫逸, in translating it into English, we may just translate one of these two, then the English version of the above phrase will be “self-centered and luxury loving”.There are also some four-character collocations that only can express their meaning when the meaning of the four characters is translated as a whole. In this situation, we cannot only translate one or two words of the phrase; otherwise, we cannot understand what it means. For examples:coincidentally (English translation)travel extensively (English translation)heretical sect (English translation)3. Stylea. Literary worksThe earliest CCFCCs probably emerged in the literal works and most CCFCCs that we are familiar with are from literature. The “four-character poetry” had ruled the entir e world of poems as early as in the Zhou Dynasty. These poems have dominated the world for more than 1000 years. They contributed a lot to Chinese for making rich vocabularies. Most of them are so common that we almost hardly notice these four-character collocations were originally poems. In “The Book of Songs”, almost all forms of four-character collocation had appeared. Besides, the novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties possessed the largest number of four-character collocations, such as in The。
