1.人山人海：有人直譯為：People mountain people sea.
這就是「中國(guó)英文」，老外很難理解。他們指「人多」時(shí)，通常只說(shuō)：「There isa large crowd of people.」如果看到電*門前大排長(zhǎng)龍，也只說(shuō)：「There is (was) a long movie line.」
不過(guò)在詩(shī)詞用語(yǔ) (poetic expression) 里，老外也有使用：「a (the) sea of faces」，頗有咱們「人山人?！沟奈兜馈＠纾?BR> Looking out upon the sea of faces, Mr. A delivered a touching speech.(望著一片人山人海的聽眾， A先生發(fā)表一篇?jiǎng)尤说难菡f(shuō)。)
Standing at his podium, President Clinton saw a sea of faces waving at him.(柯林頓總統(tǒng)站在講臺(tái)上看到人山人海的人群揮手向他致意。)
可見，說(shuō)話者通常要在臺(tái)上或高處，才有「人?！沟母杏X。因此，可以說(shuō)：I saw a sea of faces from the top of the building. 但在平地的人群中，就不說(shuō)：「I saw the sea of faces.」也不說(shuō)：「There is a sea of faces.」只說(shuō)：「I saw a large crowd of people.」
2.家家有本難念的經(jīng)：有人譯成：Every family cooking - pot has a black spot. (意思是：每個(gè)家庭的鍋?zhàn)佣加泻谏奈埸c(diǎn))
這樣說(shuō)法，老外恐怕不能充分了解。不過(guò)老外最常的說(shuō)法是：
Many families have skeletons in the closet. (許多家庭的衣柜里都有骨骸) (骨骸就是指家丑)
或者說(shuō)：
Every family has its own source of shame. (每個(gè)家庭都有自己的丑事)
說(shuō)白些，就是：
Every family has its own problem.
3.天下無(wú)不散的宴席：有人直譯為：There are no feasts in the world which do not break up at last.
老外聽后，也許很難體會(huì)其中意義。如果按照美語(yǔ)說(shuō)法，也許更易理解：
All good things come to an end.(意思是：所有好的事情，總有結(jié)束的一天。)
假如是指好友最后也有分別的一天，那么可以說(shuō)：
Eventually, all bosom friends will drift apart. (bosom friend 是指知心的好友)
4.平時(shí)不燒香，臨時(shí)抱佛腳：有人照字直譯為：When times are easy, we do not burn the incense,but when the trouble comes, we embrace the feet of the Buddha.
這種說(shuō)法，老外也會(huì)「一知半解」。美語(yǔ)里一般說(shuō)法是：
Worship God every day; not just in times of adversity. (要每天敬拜神，不是只在困難時(shí)。)
對(duì)學(xué)生也可以說(shuō)：
If you study hard every day, exams will not seem overwhelming.(如果你每天用功，考試就不會(huì)形成壓力。)