Those of us who grew up with English as our first language have been exposed to idioms and idiomatic expressions for most of our lives. They may have confused us a little when we were children, but explanation and constant exposure not only increased our understanding of them, but likely drew them into our own vernacular. If youre in the process of learning the English language, you may come across some of these and not be entirely sure what they mean. Heres a list of 20 that youre likely to come across fairly often:
对英语是母语的人而言，大多数的时间都会接触到习语和俚语。孩提时，遇见习语和俚语或许会有的迷惑，但持续的接触会增加对这类词汇的理解，并大概把它们纳入到我们的词语中。假如你正在学英语，那你或许会遇见一些习语或俚语，却不是非常了解它们的意思。下面列出了你最可能常常碰到的20个习语或俚语。
1. A Chip on Your Shoulder
耿耿于怀
No, this doesnt mean that youve dropped part of your snack. To have a chip on ones shoulder implies that the person is carrying around some grudge or bad feelings about something that happened in the past like having walked through the wreckage of a building, and ended up with a chip of that building stuck to them for years afterward。这可不是说你掉了一点儿零食。To have a chip on one's shoulder
指的是一个人对过去发生的事情怀有怨气或不好的情绪....。。就像是走过建筑物的残骸，而下面的几年中建筑物的碎屑仍粘在身上。
2. Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
贪多嚼不烂
Like taking a HUGE bite of a sandwich that will fill your mouth up so much that you cant move your jaw, this idiom implies that youve taken on more than you can handle successfully. An example would be agreeing to build ten websites in a week when normally you can only handle five。
就像是你咬了一大口三明治，把嘴填得太满了，下巴都动不了了。这个习语指的是做事情不要超源于己的能力。举例，你赞同一周的时间建10个网站，而一般情况下你只能建5个。
3. You Cant Take It With You
生不带来，死不带去
You cant take anything with you when you die, so dont bother hoarding your stuff or not using it except for special occasions. Live now, because all your stuff is going to be around long after youre gone。
当你死时，什么东西也带不走。所以不要贮藏东西或只有特殊场所才用某些东西。活在当下，由于在你走了之后，那些东西还会长期存在。
4. Everything But the Kitchen Sink
一应俱全/无所不包
This implies that nearly everything has been packed/taken/removed. For instance, if someone said: The thieves stole everything but the kitchen sink! it meant that they took everything they could carry; its damned hard to remove a sink and carry it around。
这指的是无所不包。比如，假如有人说：The thieves stole everything but the kitchen sink!指的是贼把能搬的东西都搬走了；非常难卸下水槽并随身携带。
5. Over My Dead Body
休想
When the only way youll allow something to happen is if youre no longer alive to sTOP it。
你允许某事发生的唯一方法是你不再活在世上，没办法去阻止它。
6. Tie the Knot
喜结连理
To get married. This is left over from the old tradition of handfasting, wherein the hands of the bride and groom would be tied together with a length of ribbon to symbolize that their lives were fastened together permanently。
结婚。这是从婚约的古老传统遗留下来的，新郎和新娘的手用缎带系在一块， 代表他们的生活永远地系在了一块。
7. Dont Judge a Book By Its Cover
不要以貌取人
Things arent always what they appear to be at first glance, so its a good idea to give something a chance, even if its outward appearance isnt immediately attractive。
事情并不一直第一眼看起来的样子，所以即便事物的外观不可以立刻吸引你，也要给它们一些机会。
*The exception to this might be actual books that have hideous covers: those tend to be terrible all around, and in cases such as these, its best to contact the author or publisher and recommend a good graphic designer。
*例外状况可能是封皮骇人的书本：那些书无论放在哪儿都非常吓人，在这样的情况下，最好联系作者或出版商，并推荐好的平面设计师。
8. When Pigs Fly
永无可能
This means never. Pigs arent about to sprout wings and take flight anytime soon, so if someone says to their kid that they can get a forehead tattoo when pigs fly, its not gonna happen。
这意味着不可能。猪不可能在短期内长出翅膀飞起来。 所以假如有人如此对孩子说， 当猪能飞时就能在前额上纹身，意思是如此的事是不会发生的。
9. A Leopard Cant Change His Spots
江山易改，本性难移
Basically: you are who you are. Just like a leopard cant concentrate really hard and change the pattern on its skin, people cant change who they really are at heart。
