A
- 八仙过海 —— 各显神通
The Eight Immortals cross the sea – each displays their unique skill. - 矮子坐高凳 —— 够不着
A short person sitting on a high stool – can’t reach.
B
- 拔苗助长 —— 急于求成
Pulling up seedlings to help them grow – eager for quick success. - 半夜吃黄瓜 —— 摸不着头尾
Eating cucumber at midnight – can’t make head or tail of it. - 打破砂锅 —— 问到底
Breaking a clay pot – insist on getting to the bottom of things. - 扁担挑水 —— 一心挂两头
Carrying water on a shoulder pole – worrying about two things at once.
C
- 程咬金的斧头 —— 就那么几下子
Cheng Yaojin’s axe – only a few tricks up his sleeve. - 此地无银三百两 —— 不打自招
Hiding 300 taels of silver here – giving oneself away. - 曹操吃鸡肋 —— 食之无味，弃之可惜
Cao Cao eating chicken ribs – tasteless to eat, a pity to discard.
D
- 大水冲了龙王庙 —— 一家人不认一家人
The flood washes over the Dragon King’s temple – family members don’t recognize each other. - 丢了西瓜捡芝麻 —— 因小失大
Dropping a watermelon to pick up a sesame seed – losing the big for the small. - 打破镜子 —— 难重圆
Breaking a mirror – hard to piece back together.
F
- 飞蛾扑火 —— 自取灭亡
Moths fluttering into fire – seeking their own destruction. - 风箱里的老鼠 —— 两头受气
A mouse in a bellows – bullied from both sides.
G
- 赶鸭子上架 —— 强人所难
Driving ducks onto a shelf – forcing someone to do the impossible. - 狗拿耗子 —— 多管闲事
A dog catching mice – meddling in others’ business. - 擀面杖吹火 —— 一窍不通
Using a rolling pin to blow fire – completely clueless.
H
- 画蛇添足 —— 多此一举
Drawing legs on a snake – unnecessary extra effort. - 和尚打伞 —— 无法无天
A monk holding an umbrella – lawless (no hair, no sky). - 黄河的水 —— 泥沙俱下
Water of the Yellow River – mud and sand flow together.
J
- 井底之蛙 —— 见识短浅
A frog at the bottom of a well – limited vision. - 鸡蛋里挑骨头 —— 吹毛求疵
Picking bones from an egg – nitpicking. - 姜太公钓鱼 —— 愿者上钩
Jiang Taigong fishing – those who wish will take the bait.
K
- 开弓没有回头箭 —— 勇往直前
An arrow shot from a bow can’t turn back – march forward bravely. - 孔夫子搬家 —— 净是书（输）
Confucius moving house – all books (losses).
L
- 老鼠过街 —— 人人喊打
A rat crossing the street – everyone shouts to beat it. - 刘备借荆州 —— 有借无还
Liu Bei borrowing Jingzhou – borrows but never returns. - 卢沟桥的狮子 —— 数不清
Lions on Lugou Bridge – countless.
M
- 马尾穿豆腐 —— 提不起来
Tying tofu with a horse’s tail – can’t be lifted (worthless). - 盲人摸象 —— 以偏概全
Blind men touching an elephant – judging the whole from a part.
N
- 泥菩萨过河 —— 自身难保
A clay Buddha crossing a river – can’t even save itself. - 牛吃草，马吃料 —— 各有各的福
Cows eat grass, horses eat fodder – each has their own luck.
P
- 泼出去的水 —— 收不回
Spilled water – can’t be taken back.
Q
- 骑驴看唱本 —— 走着瞧
Reading a script while riding a donkey – wait and see. - 秋后的蚂蚱 —— 蹦跶不了几天
A grasshopper after autumn – can’t jump for long.
R
- 热锅上的蚂蚁 —— 团团转
Ants on a hot pan – running around in circles.
S
- 司马昭之心 —— 路人皆知
Sima Zhao’s intentions – obvious to all. - 孙悟空的金箍棒 —— 能屈能伸
Sun Wukong’s golden cudgel – flexible in length (adaptable). - 十五个吊桶打水 —— 七上八下
Fifteen buckets drawing water – seven up, eight down (anxious).
T
- 偷鸡不成蚀把米 —— 得不偿失
Trying to steal a chicken but losing rice – gain less than lose. - 铁公鸡 —— 一毛不拔
A iron rooster – not a feather plucks (stingy).
W
- 亡羊补牢 —— 为时未晚
Mending the sheepfold after losing a sheep – better late than never. - 王婆卖瓜 —— 自卖自夸
Granny Wang selling melons – praises her own goods.
X
- 瞎子点灯 —— 白费蜡
A blind person lighting a candle – wasting wax (pointless). - 小葱拌豆腐 —— 一清二白
Scallions mixed with tofu – clear and white (innocent). - 小和尚念经 —— 有口无心
A young monk chanting scriptures – mindless reciting.
Y
- 哑巴吃黄连 —— 有苦说不出
A mute eating coptis – bitter but can’t speak. - 叶公好龙 —— 表里不一
Lord Ye loving dragons – professing love but fearing the real thing. - 愚公移山 —— 持之以恒
Yu Gong moving mountains – persistent effort.
Z
- 猪八戒照镜子 —— 里外不是人
Zhu Bajie looking in the mirror – not human inside or out (embarrassing). - 丈二和尚 —— 摸不着头脑
A 12-foot-tall monk – can’t reach his head (confused). - 芝麻开花 —— 节节高
Sesame plants blooming – rising higher each node (improving step by step).
补充（按主题扩展至 100 个，简洁版）：
- 矮子爬坡 —— 步步高升
A short person climbing a slope – rising step by step. - 案板上的鱼肉 —— 任人宰割
Fish on a chopping block – at others’ mercy. - 棒槌里插针 —— 粗中有细
A needle in a wooden club – coarse exterior, fine interior. - 冰糖煮黄莲 —— 同甘共苦
Rock sugar boiled with coptis – sharing both sweetness and bitterness. - 茶壶里煮饺子 —— 有货倒不出
Cooking dumplings in a teapot – can’t pour out what’s inside (eloquent but speechless). - 程咬金上阵 —— 三板斧
Cheng Yaojin in battle – only three axe swings (limited skills). - 窗户边吹喇叭 —— 名声在外
Blowing a trumpet by the window – fame outside (well-known). - 大姑娘上花轿 —— 头一回
A bride getting into a sedan chair – first time. - 担雪填井 —— 劳而无功
Carrying snow to fill a well – labor in vain. - 滴水穿石 —— 非一日之功
Dripping water wears stone – not a day’s work (persistence). - 断了线的风筝 —— 无牵无挂
A kite with a broken string – free and unbound. - 对着镜子说话 —— 自言自语
Talking to a mirror – speaking to oneself. - 放风筝断了线 —— 远走高飞
A kite with a broken string – flies far away. - 粪坑里的石头 —— 又臭又硬
A stone in a latrine – stinky and hard (stubborn). - 擀面杖卷大葱 —— 白费劲儿
Rolling green onions with a rolling pin – useless effort. - 高射炮打蚊子 —— 大材小用
Using anti-aircraft guns to shoot mosquitoes – overkill. - 隔靴搔痒 —— 抓不到痒处
Scratching an itch through boots – missing the spot. - 关公面前耍大刀 —— 班门弄斧
Showing off with a sword in front of Guan Gong – flaunting skills before an expert. - 过河拆桥 —— 忘恩负义
Removing the bridge after crossing – ungrateful. - 和尚念经 —— 老一套
A monk chanting scriptures – same old routine. - 黑瞎子掰玉米 —— 掰一个丢一个
A black bear breaking corn – breaks one, drops one (unfocused). - 猴子捞月 —— 一场空
Monkeys trying to catch the moon – all in vain. - 狐狸给鸡拜年 —— 没安好心
A fox paying respects to a chicken – with bad intentions. - 画饼充饥 —— 望梅止渴
Drawing a cake to satisfy hunger – quenching thirst by thinking of plums (illusory comfort). - 黄连树下弹琴 —— 苦中作乐
Playing the qin under a coptis tree – finding joy in suffering. - 皇帝的女儿 —— 不愁嫁
An emperor’s daughter – no worry about marriage (in-demand). - 井底雕花 —— 深刻
Carving flowers at the bottom of a well – deep (profound). - 九曲桥上散步 —— 走弯路
Walking on a zigzag bridge – taking a roundabout path. - 开闸的洪水 —— 势不可挡
Floodwater after opening the gate – irresistible. - 老虎的屁股 —— 摸不得
A tiger’s backside – don’t touch (forbidding). - 老母猪戴胸罩 —— 一套又一套
A sow wearing a bra – one trick after another (sarcastic). - 刘备摔孩子 —— 收买人心
Liu Bei dropping his child – winning over people’s hearts. - 卢沟桥的石狮子 —— 数不清
Stone lions on Lugou Bridge – countless. - 麻袋里装钉子 —— 锋芒毕露
Nails in a sack – sharp edges show (talent obvious). - 马蜂叮屁股 —— 痛不可言
A wasp stinging the bottom – unbearable pain. - 蚂蚁搬泰山 —— 齐心协力
Ants moving Mount Tai – united effort. - 木匠戴枷 —— 自作自受
A carpenter wearing a cangue – suffering from his own doing. - 面团滚芝麻 —— 多少沾一点
Rolling dough in sesame seeds – picking up some (partial gain). - 泥牛入海 —— 杳无音讯
A clay ox entering the sea – no news (vanished). - 逆水行舟 —— 不进则退
Sailing against the current – either advance or retreat. - 螃蟹过街 —— 横行霸道
A crab crossing the street – walking sideways (bullying). - 起重机吊鸡毛 —— 大材小用
A crane lifting a chicken feather – overqualified. - 热锅上的蚂蚁 —— 团团转
Ants on a hot pan – running in circles (anxious). - 肉包子打狗 —— 有去无回
Throwing a meat bun to a dog – gone forever. - 杀鸡用牛刀 —— 小题大做
Killing a chicken with an ox-cleaver – making a fuss over trifles. - 沙滩上的房子 —— 根基不牢
A house on sand – unstable foundation. - 司马昭之心 —— 路人皆知
Sima Zhao’s ambitions – obvious to everyone. - 竹筒倒豆子 —— 直来直去
Pouring beans from a bamboo tube – straightforward.
以上翻译在保留歇后语寓意的基础上，尽量兼顾英语表达习惯，部分采用直译 + 意译结合的方式，便于理解。
