Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese term or phrase:
不如意事
English translation:
things do not go as you would like them to
Added to glossary by
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
Aug 20, 2008 19:29
15 yrs ago
Chinese term
不如意事
Chinese to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Common Expression
人生不如意事十之八九,但生命的品质不在于八九,而在于一二。
Proposed translations
12 hrs
Selected
things do not go as you would like them to
Although, in life, 80-90% of things do not go as you would like them to, what is important is the other 20%
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Note added at 14 hrs (2008-08-21 09:45:33 GMT)
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I looked again and think a better sentence would be.
Although, in life, 80-90% of things do not go as you would like, life's value is in the other 20%
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Note added at 17 hrs (2008-08-21 12:39:31 GMT)
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LOL! very profound Wenjer!
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Note added at 14 hrs (2008-08-21 09:45:33 GMT)
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I looked again and think a better sentence would be.
Although, in life, 80-90% of things do not go as you would like, life's value is in the other 20%
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Note added at 17 hrs (2008-08-21 12:39:31 GMT)
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LOL! very profound Wenjer!
Note from asker:
Thanks. You make my day! |
Well, Nigel, life's value is just like translation quality - it lies in the other 20%. With the 80-90%, there are always something which doesn't go as you would like. ;) |
You see, Nigel, a good friend of mine, who is very successful in our walk of living, once said some very true words: There isn't such a thing as "perfect" a translation, not even one which most people regards a "good" translation. It is just the same with our life. There is always a catch in everything with which we feel 得意. |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to everyone who participated in proposing a good answer. Nigel's translation for this term is most closest to the original."
37 mins
adversities
FYI.
"bad things" 也可以, 简单直接
"misfortune", "misadventure", "mishap"这几个词比较注重运气, 不知道楼主喜不喜欢;
"hardship"不很准确, 因为踩了蕉皮仆倒在地可以是adversity, 但不太算是hardship
"bad things" 也可以, 简单直接
"misfortune", "misadventure", "mishap"这几个词比较注重运气, 不知道楼主喜不喜欢;
"hardship"不很准确, 因为踩了蕉皮仆倒在地可以是adversity, 但不太算是hardship
Note from asker:
谢谢你的建议。人生确实有几分运气的成分,不如意只是不甚愉快,mishaps常常发生,但大多不严重,adversities就严重了。 |
21 mins
is not a sinecure
sinecure: 闲职, 闲差
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Note added at 41 นท. (2008-08-20 20:10:04 GMT)
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life is no sinecure...
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Note added at 41 นท. (2008-08-20 20:10:04 GMT)
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life is no sinecure...
5 hrs
go against one's will/wish
While in 8 or 9 cases out of 10 life goes against one's will, its value lies yet beyond the 8 or 9, within the 1 or 2.
Example sentence:
虽然事情进行得不如意, 玛丽还是继续尝试。
Though things went against Mary, she went on trying.
Reference:
Note from asker:
谢谢!有几分against的意思,但这个词稍微强烈了些。 |
7 hrs
mishap; mischance; more than half empty
就单纯的字词对应而言,从语气上来说,大概mishap或mischance较为接近。mishap一般指较小、不那么严重的事情;而mischance则可大可小。平常说“不如意事”,语气较轻,但实际所指的事可大可小,但说话者并不把它看得有多严重。
上面的“more than half empty” 不是对译,仅是filler而已。就翻译而言,从全句来译,不妨综合一下,不去过多地考虑字词对译,如:
1. For most of the time, life may be a glass 80~90% empty, but the real life lies in the "10~20% full" instead of the "80~90% empty".
2. 8~9 out of 10 times, the luck star will not shine over you, but your life lies not in the 8 or 9, instead, it lies in the 1 or 2.
仅举两例建议译法,抛砖引玉吧。
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Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-21 03:16:42 GMT)
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上面的“但说话者并不把它看得有多严重”===》“只是,说话者并不把它看得有多严重”
上面的“more than half empty” 不是对译,仅是filler而已。就翻译而言,从全句来译,不妨综合一下,不去过多地考虑字词对译,如:
1. For most of the time, life may be a glass 80~90% empty, but the real life lies in the "10~20% full" instead of the "80~90% empty".
2. 8~9 out of 10 times, the luck star will not shine over you, but your life lies not in the 8 or 9, instead, it lies in the 1 or 2.
仅举两例建议译法,抛砖引玉吧。
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Note added at 7 hrs (2008-08-21 03:16:42 GMT)
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上面的“但说话者并不把它看得有多严重”===》“只是,说话者并不把它看得有多严重”
Note from asker:
Thanks! I like the word "mishaps." |
4 hrs
trouble and disappointments
十之八九的也就是小的麻烦和些许失望,如果全是不幸之类,就太悲惨了点!
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Note added at 11 hrs (2008-08-21 07:21:48 GMT)
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呵呵,同感,难怪有“人来到世间就是为吃苦的”一说!可能就是指这个情况吧!
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Note added at 12 hrs (2008-08-21 07:47:45 GMT)
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凡事看开,小的不如意未尝不可以是调剂!
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Note added at 13 hrs (2008-08-21 09:24:49 GMT)
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oui! -:
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Note added at 11 hrs (2008-08-21 07:21:48 GMT)
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呵呵,同感,难怪有“人来到世间就是为吃苦的”一说!可能就是指这个情况吧!
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Note added at 12 hrs (2008-08-21 07:47:45 GMT)
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凡事看开,小的不如意未尝不可以是调剂!
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Note added at 13 hrs (2008-08-21 09:24:49 GMT)
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oui! -:
Note from asker:
谢谢。不如意事指的是不完全顺遂人意的事,当然不可能时时刻刻都有顺遂人意的事,所以一点的麻烦、些许的失望,一切小小的瑕疵都是差堪人意的,不甚满意、尚可接受。有那么一二如意事,确实应该满足了。 |
古代人有三件得意事:洞房花烛夜、金榜题名时、他乡遇故知。现代的人对这三件事已经很难得意,因为几乎事事都有那么一点瑕疵,即是自己满意也不能表现得太得意,否则他乡的故知也会变成冤家死对头。吃尽苦头才会明白应该珍惜人生中偶尔来的那么一点甜头。 |
À quelque chose malheur est bon. :D |
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