绝代佳人
要完整的把“绝代”翻译出来好像不大可能,a woman of unmatched beauty则表达了举世无双,无以伦比的美人,与原意就很接近了,与这相同的说法有a woman of unsurpassed [unparalleled, unrivaled, unequaled, matchless, peerless] beauty, a woman of supreme beauty(至高无上的美女)a woman of breathtaking beauty(令人呼吸停止的美女)
以上列举的各种表达方式,所表达的美的程度都差不多,可以同时用于口语和书面语。在口语中,还有一种表达,a real beauty 或a real knockout非常美的美人。
八面玲珑
考虑到这个词含有处世圆滑,不太真诚的“贬义”成分,翻译成everybody's friend比较好。一种说法a good mixer(跟谁都合得来的人)这是someone everybody likes的意思,只用于形容好的方面。
例句
He's the type who's everybody's friend. That‘s why I can't take anything he says seriousl
真人不露相
最佳翻译A really talented man doesn't show off.
从字面上的含义说Still waters run deep似乎很合适的,但这主要是指深谋远虑的人总是不爱开口(夸夸其谈)。另外 keep one's light under a basket这种说法,则含有批评别人不主动表现自己的消极语义,例如这句话 “My daughter can sing beautifully but she keeps her light under a basket, ” the mother complained.显然是母亲埋怨女儿虽然歌唱的好,却不懈露一手的消极态度。
最后参考例句
I had no idea that Evelyn spoke such fluent French until we arrived in France. It just shows that a really talented man doesn't show off.
举棋不定
最好的英文翻译have second thoughts
一般的汉英词典可能把其翻译成hesitate,固然没错,但是hesitate范围太广,表达不出“举棋不定”那种欲进还止的生动语境。think twice似乎也挺合适的,但表示慎重考虑的语境太强了,例如You should think twice about it(你最好慎重考虑一下)
所以像这样的句子——董事长在是否再聘请一个经理的问题上举棋不定——最好的翻译为
The president is having second thoughts about hiring another manager
(责任编辑:doublejp)