English idioms – Vietnamese idioms Translation course – Hue University College of Foreign Languages When we translate texts, especially literary texts, it is extremely helpful to know Vietnamese idiom.
English idioms – Vietnamese idioms Translation course – Hue University College of Foreign Languages When we translate texts, especially literary texts, it is extremely helpful to know Vietnamese idioms that have the same meaning as English idioms This helps the translations become more natural and refined We can use them for translations from English to Vietnamese or vice versa English idiom: When pigs fly Vietnamese idiom: Mặt trời mọc đằng Tây Meaning: Talk about something which hardly occurs - When pigs fly, my parents allow me to go out after the mid-night - Jack never studies hard, he only passes the university entrance exam when pigs fly English idiom: When it rains, it pours Vietnamese idiom: Họa vơ đơn chí Meaning: When bad luck happens in a row and causes life crisis - First Jack’s wallet was stolen, then his car was broken When it rains, it pours - My football team not only lost the final game, but I got injured When it rains, it pours English idiom: Build castles in the air Vietnamese idiom: Nằm mơ ban ngày Meaning: Talk about daydream thoughts, far from reality - Jane would like to be an Emirates Airline’s hostess, but she’s only 4.92 ft tall She builds castles in the air - You wouldn’t be rich if you didn’t work hard Don’t build castles in the air 4 English idiom: Beat around the bush Vietnamese idiom: Vòng vo tam quốc Meaning: Talk lots of unimportant things without coming to the point - Don’t beat around the bush and tell me the reason why you’re always being late - Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth! English idiom: Judge a book by its cover Vietnamese idiom: Nhìn mặt mà bắt hình dong Meaning: Express the act of judging an object, an event or a person by its appearance - The resort looks luxurious, but the service is unsatisfying We can’t judge a book by its cover - Marie looks tiny and weak but she can carry a heavy box Never judge a book by its cover English idiom: Make a mountain out of a molehill Vietnamese idiom: Chuyện bé xé to Meaning: Make a slight difficulty seem like a serious problem - Stop worrying! It’s just a simple surgeon Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill - You have many chances to enhance your Maths score Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill English idiom: When in Rome, as the Romans Vietnamese idiom: Nhập gia tùy tục Meaning: When you visit a new country or place, you should follow and adapt to the customs of the people who live in it - Whenever I travel to a new country, I always as the Romans - There are many coffee shops in Vietnam, so, when in Rome, as the Romans do, I drink coffee although I used to be a tea drinker English idiom: A piece of cake Vietnamese idiom: Dễ ăn bánh Meaning: Talk about something that is very easy to - For me, the Math exam is a piece of cake - It’s a piece of cake to win the game English idiom: Old habits die hard Vietnamese idiom: Chứng tật Meaning: It is difficult to change the behaviour that someone has had for a long time - Jim can’t stop smoking although he gets sick Old habits die hard