Chinese and American proverbs in American English, Part 2
Thread Content
6. Once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back: Some translate this as: One word lets slip and four horses will fail to catch it. Or A statement that once let loose cannot be caught by four galloping horses. These two expressions have a strong Chinese flavor, and foreigners may not understand them. However, they do have a similar saying: A word once let go cannot be recalled. (Source: English materials download http://download.englishcn.com) Or another way to put it: You can not take back what you have said. (Once you say something, you can’t take it back.) ) 7. Words bring disaster; talking too much leads to mistakes. Some translate it as: The mouth is the gate of misfortune and evil. foreigners might not fully understand this expression when they hear it. It’s better to say: Careless talk leads to trouble. (Talking carelessly can cause problems); or The less said the better. (The fewer words you use, the better). You could even say: Shut the mouth and open the eyes. (Shut your mouth and speak less; keep your eyes open and observe more.) )
Like father, like son. If you have a father, you will have a son as well.
There is a significant difference between Chinese and English; English is unable to accurately convey the profound meaning of Chinese, and translations from Chinese into English often seem forced.