汉译英难点详解500例（2）：能力与智慧

1. 海量 have a hollow leg

你像灌醉他？他可是海量，从来没有醉过。 Want to drink him under the table? Well…you can never do. He got a hollow leg, you know.

2. 略胜一筹 be a notch above

论油画，张先生比刘先生画得好。但是，谈到水彩画，刘先生可就比张先生略胜一筹了。 In oil painting, Mr. Zhang paints better than Mr. Li. But when it comes to water colors, Mr. Liu appears to be a notch above Mr. Zhang.

3. 有头脑 be a brain

他可是个有头脑德人，决不会相信你的那一套。 He’s a brain, who wouldn’t be fooled into believing your babbling.

4. 很能干 to have a lot on the ball

我知道李明很能干，但我怀疑他是否真的愿意到我们这儿来工作。 I know Li Ming has a lot on the ball. But I’m not sure if he likes to work here.

5. 有名无实 a poor apology

你刚才提到的那个作家不过是个有名无实的人。他的作品太没意思了。 The man you’ve just mentioned is but a poor apology for a writer. His writings are tedious.

6. 绞尽脑汁 to rack one’s brain

他已经绞尽脑汁了，可是仍未找到问题的答案。 He had racked his brain, but hadn’t been able to work out the answer to the problem.

7.没骨气 have no guts.

真没想到小高那么没骨气，竟然嫁给了坑害过她父亲的人。 I’m surprised to learn that XiaoGao had married the man who had once done her father in. She rally has no guts.

8. 真了不起really something

他真了不起，竟然一个人对付了那么多的对手。 He overwhelmed so many of his opponents alone. He’s really something.

9.昙花一现 a flash in the pan

那个歌星也只是昙花一现，出了几张唱片就销声匿迹了。 That singer was only a flash in the pan. He disappeared into the air after having made one or two records.

10. 寡不敌众 be outnumbered 

她很勇敢，但终因寡不敌众，被那帮人打晕过去。 The girl was brave enough, but as being outnumbered, she was finally knocked into the middle of next week by the gang.

11. 单枪匹马 play a lone hand

在投资时，他总喜欢单枪匹马的去干。 When investing in a business, he always likes to play a lone hand.

12. 出师不利 get off one the wrong foot

他的主意不错，可一开始就出师不利。 His idea was good, but he got off on the wrong foot when he started doing it.

13. 口才 the gift of gab

我几乎没见过像莉莉这样有口才的女孩子。 Seldom have I met a girl who’s had such a gift of gab like Lee Lee’s.

14. 还嫩点儿 still wet behind the ears

想陷害我？你还嫩点儿。

Attempt to do me in? You are still wet behind the ears.

注：be wet behind the ears的字面意思是“像刚生下来的婴儿一样，耳朵后的根毛还是湿的。

15. 糊涂虫 a nitwit

你真是个糊涂虫，怎么能当他的面讲他女朋友的坏话那？ You’re a real nitwit. Why should you badmouth his girlfriend in his face?