自古以来，我国已经沿袭了一个重文采轻内容写作传统，因此，一些大文豪、作者在创作时，常常在文章里面引用一些典故、谚语、诗词、成语、歇后语、俚语等等的表达，以便凸显作者写作文采斐然。但是，在翻译中，引用这些典故、谚语、诗词等抽象内容时，常常给译员带来一定的翻译难度。

在翻译汉译英时，最困难的地方或是最难以把握的地方就是遇到这些典故、谚语、诗词、成语、歇后语等抽象表达。所以，在翻译这些用语时，很难通过直译的方式，传达原创者希望传达的意韵，需要译者平时的不断累积。

随着时间的推移，已经累积了不少这些用语的表达，并在一定的情况得到了大多数译者的认可，并且具有一定的借鉴意义。比如：

成语：

爱屋及乌：Love me, love my dog.

笨鸟先飞：A slow sparrow should make an early start.

不眠之夜：white night

不遗余力：spare no effort; go all out; do one’s best.

辞旧迎新：bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new.

大开眼界：open one’s eyes; broaden one’s horizon; be an eye-opener

国泰民安：The country flourishes and people live in peace.

过犹不及：going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little.

和气生财：Harmony brings wealth.

金玉满堂：Treasures fill the home.

脚踏实地：be down-to-death

礼尚往来：Courtesy calls for reciprocity.

马到成功：achieve immediate victory; win instant success 

名利双收：gain in both fame and wealth

弄巧成拙：be too smart by half; Cutting outwits itself

拿手好戏：masterpiece

抛砖引玉：a modest spur to induce others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale.

破釜沉舟：cut off all means of retreat; but one’s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end

抢得先机：take the preemptive opportunities

强强联手：win-win co-operation

死而后已：until my heart stops into a man

诗词

谁言寸草心，报得三春晖。 Such kindness of warm sum, can’t be repaid by grass.

欲穷千里目，更上一层楼。 To ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther

天生我材必有用，千金散尽还复来。

Heaven has made us talents; We’re not made in vain.

执子之手，与子偕老 Taking your hand, living to old age together. 

俚语：

拆东墙补西墙：rob Peter to pay Paul

好了伤疤忘了疼：once on shore, one prays no more

好事不出门，坏事传千里：good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.

脚踏两只船：sit on the fence

赔了夫人又折兵：throw goods money after bad 

前怕狼后怕虎：fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind hesitate in doing something.

人逢喜事精神爽：Joy puts heart into a man.

上有天堂下有杭州 Just as there is a will, there is a way.

纸包不住火：Truth will come to light sooner or later.

谚语

百闻不如一见：seeing is believing.

比上不足比下有余：worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst.

功夫不负有心人：Everything comes to him who waits.

活到老学到老：one is never too old to learn

金无足赤人无完人：Gold can’t be pure and man can’t be perfect.

君子之交淡如水：the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green

留得青山在不怕没柴烧：where there is life, there is hope.

没有规矩不成方圆：Nothing cannot be accomplished without norms or standards.

谋事在人成事在天：The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven.

每逢佳节倍思亲：On festival occasions more than ever one thinks of one’s dear far away. It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.

前事不忘后事之师：Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.

前任栽树后人乘凉：One generation plants the trees in whole shade another generation rests. One sows  and another reaps.

人之初性本善：A timely snow promises a good harvest.