摘 要

习语是某一语言在使用过程中形成的独特而固定的表达方式。习语是语言的精华,它们承载着一个民族的文化特色和文化信息。本文所要讨论的习语是广义的、包括成语、谚语、歇后语、典故等。本文从翻译的标准出发，系统地归纳总结习语翻译的方法即：直译法、意译法等，其中，重点讨论了直译和意译在习语翻译中的取舍和应用。接着本文从文化背景的四种主要差异上研究中英习语的互译，即: 生活环境的差异，习俗的差异，宗教方面的差异，历史典故。最后本文通过例证比较的方法，得出一些习语翻译中如何关注文化因素的翻译技巧和心得。

关键词：习语翻译；文化差异；直译；意译；释义
 
Abstract

An idiom is a phrase which is an established and fixed part of a particular language. Idioms are the essence of language; they bear the cultural characteristics and cultural information of a nation. The idioms we discuss here are generalized, including the idioms and proverbs, two-part allegorical, sayings, allusions, etc.
This paper, starting from some of the basic translation standards namely: literal translation, free translation, foreignization and domestication, etc., discusses the use of literal and free translation in translating idioms. Then with the four major cultural differences in focus, i.e. the different living environment, the different customs, and different religious belief as well as the different historical allusion, the paper explores how to translate idioms from a cultural perspective. The paper concludes with a few techniques for translating Chinese idioms into English with these cultural variables in consideration.

Keywords: Idioms; Translating Standards; Free translation; Literal translation

Chapter 1 Introduction
An idiom is a phrase which is an established and fixed part of a particular language. Idioms are the essence of language; they bear the cultural characteristics and cultural information of a nation. Any language with a long history contains a great deal of idioms. Idioms are short sentences or phrases which come into being through the social practice during the process of language developing.
Idioms as a kind of figurative language, are generally short and pithy, easy to understand and easy to remember, loved by the masses. When people want to explain something, using one or two idioms will make the finishing point and help others to understand easily. A few words, to convey the meaning of the spirit makes a person feel proper and impressive. They are not only concise and vivid, but also witty and cross, giving people a kind of beautiful enjoyment. From what we have said above we can see that idioms are an important and indispensable factor of a language. It is a special part of a language and the concentrated expression of the national forms and rhetorical devices. Therefore, we not only see it as the special problem of translation of literary works, but should treat it as one of the most important language translation problems.