Terminology of venture captital

风险投资 是指投资者以风险资本的形式对尚在发展初期，具有潜在风险的企业进行投资的过程。典型的风险投资要承担放弃一定的公司所有权及管理控制权。投资者因承担了 高风险因而可以获得高额的回报。 投资形式一般是股票或可以在未来转换成股票形式的工具。随着公司经营的成熟，可以通过公开发行股票，公司合并或者出售，或用其他方式的获得资本。只要风险 资本投资者有要退出的意愿，上述任何一种形式都有可能采用。风险投资者通常希望在退出时获得每年２０－５０％的投资回报。风险投资者一般会投资在那些有可 能快速发展的公司上，这些公司中任何一家都有潜力产生极高的年收入，如在美国典型的投资额一般在５０万至５００万美元之间。管理经验是评估投资前景的主要 考虑因素。 Venture Capital Venture Capital is the process by which investors fund early stage, more risk oriented business endeavors. A venture capital funding arrangement will typically entail relinquishing some level of ownership and control of the business. Offsetting the high risk the investor takes is the promise of high return on the investment. The investment is usually in the form of stock or an instrument which can be converted into stock at some future date. As the business matures, an initial public offering may take place, or the business merged or sold, or other sources of capital found. Any of these would occur with the intention of buying out the venture capitalists. Venture capitalists typically expect a 20-50% annual return on their investment at the time they are brought out. Venture capitalists typically invest in high growth companies with the potential to generate revenues of $20MM in any one company, but typical investments range from between $500,000 and $5MM. Management experience is a major consideration in evaluating financing prospects. 种子投资 一笔提供给投资者或企业家的相对数目较小的资金，通常用来验证其概念。使用的范围可以包括产品开发，但很少用于初期市场运作。 Initial/Seed A relatively small amount of capital provided to an investor or entrepreneur, usually to prove a concept. It may involve product development, but rarely involves initial marketing. 第一阶段 为需要扩展初始资本和需要资金的公司企业进行的融资，一般用于开展制造或销售业务。 First Stage Financing provided to companies that have expended their initial capital and require funds, often to initiate commercial manufacturing and sales。 第二阶段 对已经实现初期资本扩张的公司提供营运资金，公司此时应具有生产运输能力，拥有不断增长的财务性收入和存货。虽然公司已取得明显进展，但多半还未能产生利润。 Second Stage Funds provided for the major growth of a company whose sales volume is increasing and that is beginning to break even or turn profitable. These funds are typically for plant expansion, marketing and working capital development of an improved product. 第三阶段 主要为业务增长提供资金，在这一阶段的公司销售量呈不断增长趋势并已实现盈亏相抵或开始有盈利。这些资金主要是用来对改良后的产品进行扩大生产、拓展市场营销渠道和扩大运营资本。 Third Stage Funds provided for the major growth of a company whose sales volume is increasing and that is beginning to break even or turn profitable. These funds are typically for plant expansion, marketing and working capital development of an improved product. 后续投资 由一个已对公司进行前期投资的投资者继续投资，总的说来是与初始（种子）投资相对应。 Follow-on/Later Stage A subsequent investment made by an investor who has made a previous investment in the company -- generally a later stage investment in comparison to the initial investment. 全部资金 用来为生产管理中所需购买生产线、收购其他业务所提供的资金，它可以处于公司发展中的任何阶段，资金的来源可以是任何上市公司或私人的企业。 Buyout Funds provided to enable operating management to acquire a product line or business, which may be at any stage of development, from either a public or private company. 二购级买 从公司现有的股东手中收购股票，而不是直接从发行股票的公司购买。 Secondary Purchase Purchase of stock in a company from a shareholder, rather than purchasing stock directly from the company. 种子投资 为希望在６个月到１年的期间内公开上市的公司进行融资，以支付上市准备期间所发生的费用。通常融资是由机构组织进行的，以便将来可以从公开发行的承销过程中获得收益回报。 Bridge/Mezzanine Financing for a company expecting to go public usually within six months to a year. Often bridge financing is structured so that it can be repaid from proceeds of a public underwriting. 首次上市 一家公司首次在股票市场的公开股票发行。 IPO/Initial Public Offering A company's first offering of stock to the public. 股权 股权是所有者对公司兴趣所在，以投资者所拥有的股票数目来体现。 Equity Equity is ownership interest in a corporation, represented by the shares of stock which are held by investors. 股权发放 公司通过发行普通股或优先股使投资者获得股权来筹集资金。 Equity Offerings Raising funds by offering ownership in a corporation through the issuing of shares of a corporation's common or preferred stock. 股权相关贷款 股权相关贷款是指可转换为股权的贷款，或可以以股权作抵押的贷款。 Equity Related Loan Equity related loans are loans convertible into equity ownership or loans collateralized with equity positions. 投资银行 投资银行相当于股票承销人或代理商，作为股票发行者和投资者之间的媒介。投资银行家通过再次发行或协调处理前期发行的股票的分配，维持已经发行股票的市场，或为公司私募寻找买家。 Investment Banks An investment banking firm acts as underwriter or agent, serving as intermediary between an issuer of securities and the investing public. Investment bankers handle the distribution of blocks of previously issued securities, either through secondary offerings or through negotiations, maintain markets for securities already distributed, and act as finders in private placements of securities. 私募 指向小规模数量的投资者（通常３５个以下）出售股票，此方式可以免除如在美国证券交易委员会（SEC）的注册程序。投资者要签署一份投资书声明，购买目的是投资而不是为了再次出售。 Private Placement The sale of securities to a small group of investors (generally 35 or fewer) which is exempt from SEC registration requirements. The investors execute an investment letter stating that the securities are being purchased for investment without a view towards distribution. 二次上市 指在首次发行之后的再次公开发行股票。二次上市可以由股票发行者进行，也可经自公开市场购买而持有此股票的集团发行。 Secondary Public Offering This refers to a public offering subsequent to an initial public offering. A secondary public offering can be either an issuer offering or an offering by a group that has purchased the issuer's securities in the public markets. 承销 为公司发行股票作承销人，这样的集团公司可能来自一个财团，实行风险共担，确保股票成功发行。股票承销由两种组织形式：最佳效果型和严格承诺型。第一种类 型，承销人有购买股票的选择权、并有权决定是否出售股票，如果不成功，可以取消发行、并放弃一切费用。这种组织形式在投机性强的股票和新公司发行中应用较 多。对后一种类型，承销人要买入发行者要发行的全部股票。 Underwriting An investment banking firm acting as underwriter sells securities from the issuing corporation to the public. A group of firms may from a syndicate to pool the risk and assure successful distribution of the issue. There are two types of underwriting arrangements: best efforts and firm commitment. With best efforts, the underwriters have the option to buy and authority to sell securities, or if unsuccessful, may cancel the issue and forgo any fees. This arrangement is more common with speculative securities and with new companies. With a firm commitment, the underwriters purchase outright the securities being offered by the issuer.

Useful Chinese website

51Job
Alliance China
AsiaXPAT
Beijing Today
British Chamber of Commerce in China
British Council in China
British Council - China Teaching Programme
Business-China.com
China-Britain Business Council
China Business Directory
China Career
China Daily
China Economic Review
China Education and Research Network
China Job Online
China News Service Agency
China TEFL Network
Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
Council Exchanges
Cross Cultural Solutions
Dave's ESL Cafe - China
DragonSurf
Earthwatch (Europe)
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom
EscapeArtist - China
Far Eastern Economic Review
Great Britain - China Centre
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Hunt ESL Teaching English Worldwide
IAESTE (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience)
Job China
Kidon Media-Link
Languages Work
Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM)
Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
Ministry of Labour and Social Security in China
Monster (Hong Kong)
The National Council for Work Experience (NCWE)
OverseasJobs.com
Portfolio International
South China Morning Post
State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) - China
Teach in Asia
UK Trade & Investment
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
World Wide Fund for Nature in Hong Kong
Zhaopin.com

高嶺の花

'flower on a high peak' : unrealisable desire, an unobtainable object, something out of one's reach

A prize you can see but simply cannot reach.


山本君ね、洋子さんに片思い(kataomoi)なんだって。

It is said that Yamamoto is in love with Yoko.But it is a one-sided love.

そりゃ、実らぬ恋だ。相手(aite)が洋子さんじゃ，高嶺の花(takane no hana)からなあ。

Oh! That kind of love is fruitless. His heart may be set on Yoko, but she really is an unobtainable prize.

日语学习资源（ZT）

1.新聞報紙資訊：

朝日新聞：　 　　http://www.asahi.com

讀賣新聞：　 　　http://www.yomiuri.co.jp

每日新聞：　　 　http://www.mainichi.com

產經新聞社： 　　http://www.sankei.co.jp

共同新聞社：　 　http://www.kyodo.co.jp

時事通信社：　 　http://www.jiji.co.jp

NHK每日新聞收聽（日文）： 　http://www.nhk.or.jp/rj

NHK每日新聞收聽（中文）： 　　http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/chinese

讀賣新聞線上新聞線上收看: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/stream/newslive.htm

TBST每日新聞線上收看：　　　 http://news.tbs.co.jp

Internet新聞線上收看：　　　 http://www.jetro.go.jp/cstv/internet.htm

青森新聞放送線上收看：　　　 http://www.rab.co.jp

大阪線上新聞收聽: http://mbs.co.jp/rnews

電視新聞: http://www.impress.tv/

株式會社E-NEWS：　　 http://www.e-news.co.jp/

日本新聞網路：　　　 http://www.nnn24.com/NNN24

日本大學：　　http://www.gakkou.net/daigaku/

日本留學綜合指南：　http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/ch/index.html

財團法人內外學生中心：　http://www.naigai.or.jp/index.htm

日本就業資訊：　http://www.ejbox.com/carifo

科學技術振興事業團：　　http://www.jst.go.jp

提供國內外科技資訊：　　http://pr.jst.go.jp/outline/outline1.html

日本資訊處理開發協會：　http://www.jipdec.or.jp

日本大學索引：　http://www.tokyohotline.net/htdocs/study/map.htm

2.線上學日語： 日語廣場： http://jpsquare.3322.net

流暢日本語: http://www.liuchangjp.com

咖啡日語論壇: http://www.coffeejp.com

日語學園: http://www.jpschool.net/

日本語天堂：　 http://ayya1128.home.sunbo.net

貫通日本語: http://www.kantsuu.com/

孫沈清日語教室: http://www.ssqclass.com/bbs/dvbbs/index.asp

日本のむかしばなし: http://www.digital-lib.nttdocomo ... mukashi4/index.html

日本語教材圖書館： http://n-lab.kir.jp/library/mondaidb/

日語常見錯誤： 　http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~minnami/link2.html

日本語駆け込み寺:　　http://ws.31rsm.ne.jp/~toolware/

日語網站假名自動標注：　　　http://www.lingobank.com/furigana.htm

商務日語網: http://ws.31rsm.ne.jp/~toolware/business/business.html

上外網： http://www.yeworld.net/index/jp/index.asp?fr=1&id=279

日本語教材圖書館： http://www1.linkclub.or.jp/~yokozawa/nihongo4u

日本語天堂：http://www.china-jp.net/

日本語天堂論壇：http://bbs.china-jp.net/

3.線上辭典翻譯類：

wordlingo ：http://www.wordlingo.com

萬物大辭典： http://www.prcity.co.jp/oichan/dic/index.html

JEDLINE 和英辭書 (醫歯薬篇)： http://www.jedline.com/

Goo線上日英英日國語辭典： http://www.goo.ne.jp

Excite線上翻譯、辭典： 　 http://www.excite.co.jp

infoseekマルチ辭書： http://www.infoseek.co.jp/

BitEx日中中日辭書： http://www.bitex-cn.com/

BIGLOBE辭典檢索： http://search.biglobe.ne.jp/dic/

略語辭典： http://www.inv.co.jp/%7Eyoshio/DW/Ryaku/Ryaku.htm

英辭郎：　　http://homepage3.nifty.com/edp/

辭典用語大權： http://kyoto.cool.ne.jp/jiangbo/dictionary.htm

中國聯通翻譯：　　http://www.165net.com/trans/japanese/file.jsp/

華信人力詞典： http://www.huarenxinxi.com/cn_jp/index.asp

三省堂網路詞典： http://www.sanseido.net

@nifty辭書： http://www.nifty.com/dictionary/

4.日語專業用語網站：

中國語パソコン辭典等： http://www.qiuyue.com/

ネットワーク用語辭典:　 http://www.vivaworld.com/info/glossary/

パソコン用語集: 　　　 http://www.coara.or.jp/~takashia/mein7.html

日中PC用語対応表：　 http://scw.asahi-u.ac.jp/~sanozemi/JCCompDic.html

線上PC用語辭典：　　　http://www2.nsknet.or.jp/~azuma/menu.htm

IT用語辭典 e-Words： http://e-words.jp/

英辭郎 On The Web： http://www.alc.co.jp/

萬事通大事典：　　 http://www.milmal.com/

各種辭典のリンク集：　　　http://www.prcity.co.jp/oichan/dic/link.html

日本法律知識：　　 http://list.room.ne.jp/~lawtext/forest/home.html

日本法律條文檢索：　　 http://law.e-gov.go.jp/cgi-bin/idxsearch.cgi

網路郵政資訊: 　http://www.post.yusei.go.jp

國語、カタカナ語: http://www.infoseek.co.jp/GHome? ...svx=100302&svp=SEEK

死語辭典:　 http://www.orange.ne.jp/~kibita/dwd/dwdmain.html

アスキ- デジタル用語辭典： http://yougo.ascii24.com/

實用履歴書: http://resume.meieki.com/

名數辭典： http://www.genki-town.co.jp/rural/meisu/

通訳のためのネットリソース：　 http://www.kotoba.ne.jp/

サラリーマンお助け情報リンク集： http://www.optic.or.jp/businesslink/25.html

トレーニング用語: http://trans.hiragana.jp/ruby/ht ... chef/term/index.htm

日語讀解資料： http://language.tiu.ac.jp

說話方式諮詢室： http://www2.plala.or.jp/tngc

日語教師個人網頁鏈結： http://nihongo-online.jp/links/t-links.htm

日本方言網站： 　 http://nlp.nagaokaut.ac.jp/hougen

ウイキペディア：　　　http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/

言葉房：　　　http://www.din.or.jp/~douke/zakkyo/kotoba/kotoba101/kotoba101.htm

メインメニュー：　　　http://netbc.jp/a/menu.htm

日本學生支援機構（JASSO）： http://www.aiej.or.jp

5.文學娛樂類：

域界VR：　　　http://www.czwin.com.cn/sjyg/

歌詞搜索： http://www.uta-net.com/

日語歌詞：　　http://www.utamap.com

日文免費網址集：　　 http://www.kooss.com/

日本旅行：　　http://www.nta.co.jp/

日本文化：　　http://www.ffortune.net/calen/index.htm

歷史知識搜索：　http://macao.softvision.co.jp/dbpwww/

作家辭典: http://horagai.com/www/who/index.html

日本線上小說: http://www.honnavi.com/

青空文庫： http://byair.myrice.com/newweb/nippon/site/index.htm

櫻花下論壇: http://yinghuaxia.jahee.com/bbs/index.asp

介紹日本的文化娛樂站點:http://www.japantips.net(多語言版本)

6.實用網站

日語漢字假名自動標注

日語歌詞搜索

日本地圖

公共圖書館大全

青空文庫

日本旅行

歷史知識搜索

日本棋院

講談社BOOK倶楽部

桜（さくら）

Meaning: a shill, a plant, a confederate

This expression originates from the Edo period. A paid audience hired to applaud and cheer the show was seated in the section of the theatre called 'sakura'.

何がそんなにおかしいのかしら。あの人さっきからずっと笑ってるわ。
What's so funny? That guy has been laughing awfully long.

さくらじゃないか。おかしくもない漫談にひとりでゲラゲラ笑ってるんだから。
Isn't he a shill? He's the only one laughing at the boring monologue.

(Edo Period: 1603-1868)?

After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu became seii tai shogun, or supreme leader of the military-based government. This ushered in a period known as the Edo Period. The Edo Period lasted for nearly 300 years until 1868, when Emperor Meiji assumed control and the Tokugawa bakufu government came to an end.

During the Edo period, the emperor remained in Kyoto and had no real political power. Daimyo (feudal lords) were given control of most of the land, and domains called han were, at times, freely exchanged by the bakufu. The daimyo were required to spend alternate years at the capital, Edo (present-day Tokyo), in order for the seii tai shogun to monitor them. A strict caste system was adhered to, with samurai as the top tier. The samurai were followed by farmers, artisans and merchants (in that order) and an outcaste also developed among those who worked with things considered ritually impure, such as animal products. Despite societal constraints, however, art forms such as kabuki and ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) flourished and became popular among the public.

View through Waves off the Coast of Kanagawa: from "Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji" by Katsushika Hokusai Edo period, 19th century (Tokyo National Museum)

At the same time, Christianity, which was introduced to Japan in the mid 16th century, was forcefully suppressed in accordance to sakoku, the bakufu's policy of strictly limiting foreign relations. This policy was implemented in reaction to the fear that European powers would use Christianity to subdue and colonize the Japanese people. Despite such policies, the Tokugawa leadership gradually became weaker with each generation. By the time U. S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Uraga Bay in 1853 and pressed for the opening of several Japanese ports and the start of diplomatic intercourse with the Japanese, the bakufu's power was severely undermined due in part to ruling samurais' failure in solving serious fiscal problems. Perry's visit accelerated the changes that brought the era of samurai to an end, and in 1868, Meiji Restoration officially ushered in a new era. To learn more about the Edo Period, please visit:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2128.html

http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/museum-e/guide.htm

日本情報

http://www.sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jp/m08_01.htm

根も葉もない

groundless, unsubstantiated 毫无根据的，站不住脚的

Roots give support to a tree much as facts give support to claims or allegations. Leaves show the health of a tree, proving its life and vitality. With either support(root) nor evidence(leaves), the allegation (tree) cannot stand.（I think the analogy here is quite clever)

山田さんの奥さん、浮気(uwaki)してるらしいよ。Mrs. Yamada seem to be having an affair

そんなこと、うそよ。全く(mattaku)根も葉もない(ne mo ha mo nai)いうわさに決まってるわ。
That's not true. A groundless rumour, for sure.

英语中的对称美 （ZT）

"生活中并不缺少美，而是缺少发现美的眼睛。"英语的语言也是如此。英语的美表现在诸多方面，这里我们主要谈谈英语习语构成的对称美。

一、成语的对称美：表现为成语排列形式上的对称美，可分为相同词的对称、同词性的对称、反义词的对称、同类词的对称等几种情况。

1、相同词的对称。以介词、连词或动词为"对称轴"对称，从视觉上就能给人以美的享受，令人愉悦；读起来琅琅上口，颇具韵味；意义简洁明了，形象生动。其中有关体态语言的一些对称成语，确实能让人领会到对称美在英语中的体现。例如：
head to head 交头接耳
shoulder to shoulder 并肩
on and on 继续
word for word 逐词地
out and out 十足的
inch by inch 一点一点地
like for like 以牙还牙
like attracts like 物以类聚
wheels within wheels 复杂的结构
diamond cut diamond 棋逢对手
2. 同词性的对称。以连词and 为"对称轴"的非完全对称，以形容词性词组居多。通过两个或多个形容词的重叠来强化形容词的特征。例如：
one and only 独一无二
down and out 穷困潦倒
free and easy 随和
hard and fast 不能改变的
open and above board 光明磊落
simple and easy 简易明了
hot and bothered激动，担忧
cheer and bright 清楚明了
bright and early 一大早
pure and simple 十足
3. 反义词的对称。一对反义词以连词and或or为"对称轴"，可以是名词的对称，也可以是副词或动词的对称。如有个活动不论刮风下雨都要照常进行，在汉语中叫"风雨无阻"，在英语中为rain or shine ，二者可谓有异曲同工之妙。例如：
up and down 往返
to and fro 来来回回
back and forth 前前后后
far and forth 到处，远处
far and near 注意事项
dos and don"ts 执政党与在野党
sooner or less 高低贵贱
young and old 老老少少
day and night 日日夜夜
4. 同类词的对称。同类别或相关的一对名词以为and"对称轴"，表示同一概念，有的为本义，有的是寓义。比方说美国人吃水果时喜欢把水果切成块，然后加上一点奶油一起吃，所以在英语中peaches and cream 就意味着完美无缺。例如：
flesh and blood 血肉
hand and foot 手脚一起
heart and soul 全心全意
tooth and nail 竭尽全力
smoke and mirrors 用虚假消息骗人
scissors and paste 拼凑成的文章，剪贴
peaches and cream 完美无缺
rank and fashion 上流社会

二、韵语的对称美：英语的对称美不仅表现为成语排列的对称美，还表现为韵语的对称美。韵语的对称分为首韵对称和尾韵对称两种形式，它们以连词and或or为"对称轴"，构成语音重叠的成语。

1、首韵对称。首韵法是英语中的一种修饰手法，是首字母或辅音的重复，通过语音的重叠与的来强化语用效果。例如：
forgive and forget 既住不咎
live and learn 活到老学到老
safe and sound 平安无事
sweet and sour 酸甜
thick and thin 在任何情况下
black and blue 遍体鳞伤
now or never 勿失良机，机不可失
sink or swim 听任沉浮，不论好歹
2. 尾韵对称。通过押尾韵的方法使短语犹如诗一般悦耳动听。例如：
near and dear 极亲密的
cut and thurst 肉搏战
by hook or by crook 千方百计
fair and square 光明磊落
high and dry 困境
make or break 孤注一掷
first and last 整体看来，总的来说
odds and ends 零碎的事情，零星的东西
pins and needles 发麻

三、谚语和俗语的对称美：对仗工整，词句，押韵，语言精炼，表意透切的谚语或俗语更具有说服力和感染力，可使人念念不忘，受用终生。例如：

Spare the rod , and spoil the child 不教不成材。
In for a penny , in for a pound 一不做，二不休
A friend in need is a friend indeed .患难见真情。
A lazy youth , a lousy age .少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲
A good neighbor ,a good morrow 好邻生好景
Many men ,many minds .十个人，十条心。熟得早，坏（烂）得快。
Nothing venture ,nothing have .不入虎穴，焉得虎子
Two"s company , three"s none . 两人成伴，三人不欢
Speech is silver , silence is gold .言语是银，沉默是金

根回し

（NEMAWASHI)
Meaning: informally securing prior approval, checking with everyone who counts before formal presentation, covering all the bases)

Nemawashi now is used around the world to characterize the consensus-building nature of Japanese business practices. Literally, nemawashi means cutting off excess roots and wrapping the remaining roots with a straw mat for protection when transplanting the tree. In business terms it means an informal solicitation of agreement before formal submission of approval at a meeting.

今日の会議うまくいくかなあ。I wonder whether today's meeting will go well.

大丈夫でろう。かなり根回しに時間をかけてきだし、今回のプロジェクは部長も乗り気だから。
It will be fine. I spent a lot of time covering all the bases, and I know the manager likes our proposal.

This reminds me of low context society and high context society. Generally speaking, the western countries are from a individualistic culture and their social intercourse are low context in nature. For example, people come to a meeting to discuss and to make decision. People tend to say what they mean and mean what they say. The communication is open and explicit. While the eastern countries have a collectivist culture and societies are high-context in nature. People come to a meeting to have something already approved somewhere else to be formally approved. So basically people communicate in a tacit way. 根回し is just one way to make it possible.

実る程頭の下がる稲穂かな

(In Roman alphabet)minoru hodo atama no sagaru inaho kana
Meaning: Maturity bring humility and respect for others

When rice is mature and ready for harvest, the heavy ear pulls the plant down low to the ground. Japanese see this as analogous to how the wisdom of years fills a man with humility and causes his head to bow heavily in his deep respect for life and nature.

很喜欢这个俗语,要不怎么说年少轻狂呢.虽然说年少的轻狂也许并没有错,但那是一种青涩的无知吧.岁月是人类最好的老师,在使人成熟的过程中教会了我们谦逊和智儒.在内心充实的同时我们学会了低下头审视自己,并领略自然的神奇和广阔. 前几天在美国版的Apprentice中有听到everybody is your teacher，有些触动，这其中的意境是否有些相似呢。闲话少说，题归正传

今度いらした田山副社長ね、立派な方らしいわねえ。申し分ない人柄ってうわさよ。
I heard that the new vice-president Tayama was a wonderful person. It was said that his personality was very good.
そうなんだ。それにとっても謙虚で、いばっているところが全くない人らしいね。
「実る程頭の下がる稲穂かな」ってことわざがビッタリの方よ。
I agree. He also seems very humble, not arrogant at all.
He is the type that perfectly fits the proverb,"The mature rice plant lovers its head."

転がる石に苔むさずkorogaru Ishi ni Koke Musazu

A rolling stone gathers no moss　（Perservance pays off; patience is a virtue)滚石不生苔

For the Japanese, moss is something to be admired. Associated with beauty, moss glows on rocks and in pathways of old temples in places like Kyoto. Yet the stone that contitues to tumble will never have moss. So this expression is often used to admonish others to stay put, to continue on in the same job. This expression is also used by some Japanese to mean the very opposite. i.e. keep moving or you'll get old.

一度入社（nyuusha)したら、少々(shooshoo)大変なことがあっても、じっとその会社に勤(tsuto))めたほうがいい。「転がる石に苔むさず』と言われるように職場(shokuba))を余り(amari)変わるのは好ましい(konomashii)ことではない・

Once a person is employed, he or she is better off staying in the same company even when facing hardships. As the proverb "a rolling stone gathers no moss' goes, it is not advisable to job-hop.

It is interesting to observe that the original meaning of the Japanese idiom is the same with the original meaning of the English proverb as shown below. However the meaning of the phrase migrates as time goes by. Whether it is caused by mistakenly taking the literal meaning as its real meaning or by social changes. Nobody knows I guess. Language is a living thing!

The conventional English translation appeared in John Heywood's collection of Proverbs in 1546. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable also credits Erasmus, and relates it to other Latin proverbs, Planta quae saepius transfertus non coalescit, or Saepius plantata arbor fructum profert exiguum, both of which mean that a frequently replanted tree or plant yields little fruit.^[2] It appears that the original intent of the proverb saw the growth of moss as desirable, and that the intent was to condemn mobility as unprofitable. The contemporary interpretation has turned the traditional understanding on its head.

I think the Chinese idiom 滚石不生苔 is translated from the English idiom and takes both its meanings. A same phrase incorporating two opposite meanings. It is the trick of language :)

因為石頭一再地滾動，就不可能在表面蔓延開來一片青苔，終究只是個光禿禿的石頭。
如果汲汲營營而沒吸收到經驗及閱歷，一切盡是走馬看花。


石頭只要一直滾動著，表面就不會生長出髒髒濕黏的青苔，所以若是安於現狀，就會喪失向前衝的動力及勇氣。

言わぬが花

"Not saying is the flower"
Some things are better left unsaid, silence is gold 沉默是金,看来各种文化里都有这个看法啊,以后要小心管住自己的嘴巴.想起前两天听的一段话:What comes into our mouth cannot make us dirty, but what comes out of it can. Since the things come into our body via mouth will finally go out, while the things come out of our mouth is from our heart.这样看来的话管好嘴巴的前提是净化自己的心灵，不要让污浊的思想和图一时之快侵蚀我们的心。但是实践起来真的很难呢,可能要真正wise的人才能做到。记得读过一句话大概是，The wise man knowns when to open his mouth and when to keep silent. And he only makes sensible comment.

Since one can never rally "take back" what one says, there is a high premium on thinking things through before opening one's mouth. Much harm and nonsense can result from ill-chosen words. Thus the philosophical observation that "Not saying is the flower."

彼にはやっぱり秘密にしておこうと思うの。
そうね。「言わぬが花」ってことわざもあるしね。
I think I'll keep it a secret from him.
That's good. Silence is golden.

芋(の子）を洗うよう

like washing (a bucketful of )potatoes:
So crowded you can hardly turn around, jam-packed, mobbed with people.

Summer weekends at the beach in Japan are impossible. The beaches are so crowded that you can hardly make space for your beach mat. When people play n the waist-deep water, wave after wave jostles them into each other. This commotion resembles a wooden bucketful of potatoes sloshing around while being washed. Usage is restricted to water-related scenes.

七月下旬の日曜日、夏休みに入ったので、子供連れの家族が多く、海水浴所は芋（の子）を洗うような混雑ぶりとなった。

Since it was a Sunday toward the end of July, where summer vacation starts, there were a lot of families with kids, and the beach was jam-packed.

花よりだんご

Sweets are preferred to flowers.　(means the practical is preferred over the aesthetic)
It originated from the day of "flower viewing" 花見. Japanese traditionally travel to the countryside or visit parks to appreciate the beauty of nature. （I think now it is the right season. 桜の季節）Yet human nature being what it is, people seem to show more interest in the food than in the flowers.

いやだわ、あきちゃんたらせっかくお花見に来たのに、食べてばかりいて。

昭雄、お前やっぱりはなよりだんごのﾀｲﾌﾟだな。

花に嵐

Blossoms bring stroms
(Life often brings misfortune at the time of great happiness. misfortune looms behind even the happiest moments) 乐极生悲

It is the shortened version of 月にむら雲、花に嵐, which is literally translated as clouds over the moon, storm over the blossom.

結婚して一週間で急に御主人が入院とはおきどくねえ。
It's too bad. only married a week and her new husband got hospitalized.
幸せいっぱいのところに残念ねえ。でもまあ’花に嵐'と言うくらいだから、こういうことも運命で仕方がないわね。
Too bad, when she was so happy. But as the saying goes, 'life often brings misfortune at the time of great happiness." It's fate. You can't help it.

直译、意译与其它(ZT)

作者：古月 - 1999/11/05 00:52:34 ***

您问的是“形象化词语的翻译”，我想结合谚语、警句、熟语的翻译谈一点看法。
一般情况下，本人主张只要不影响理解，能直译的尽量直译；碰到直译影响理解的，
改用意译；直译、意译顾此失彼的不妨试用其它处理办法。

一、直译的好处

1) 尽可能忠实履行翻译职责，避免越权，把解读留给读者。

您举的例子就比较明显，"as timid as a hare"与“ 胆 小如鼠”的意思是不完全吻
合的，不能简单猎取现成的中文成语加以对应。“胆小如鼠”在中文里是个贬义词，
带有蔑视“懦夫”的涵义，比较接近英文里的“coward”。而英文里的"timid"和
"hare"都没有那么强的贬义；timid只是一种带有羞怯或腼腆涵义的“胆小”，而hare
并不象老鼠那么令人讨厌。所以不宜译成“胆小如鼠”。即使译成“胆小如兔”，还
是容易让中国人联想到“胆小如鼠”。鉴此，还不如“羞怯如兔”更加忠实，究竟如
何理解，由读者自己去领悟吧，译者就不必越权预设解读立场了。

再举楼下“ FULL cup, steady hand”为例，完全可以直译成“ 杯满手稳”，时间长
了将会象“火中取栗”、“一石双鸟”、“化剑为犁”一样成为洋为中用的成语。为
什么最好直译成“杯满手稳”呢？因为这句英谚在逻辑上是双向的，需要挑明的是
“杯满”与“手稳”的关系。“实者沉稳，稳者充实”，如果任取半截，都可能表达
不同的侧重。所以楼下才出现了“充实才能沉稳”与“手稳端得满杯茶”在侧重点上
发生的歧见。如果直译成“杯满手稳”，这种侧重的解读就完全由言者把握了。这样，
翻译在避免越权方面也算尽了职，而译文也并不影响理解。

2) 尽可能保持原话的文化特征，以利垮文化沟通与交流。

上面讲的是只有直译才能忠实表达原义的明显例子。那么还有一些可从两种语言中
找到对等说法的例子呢？因洋为中用而保存下来的也不少见：

火中取栗: Pull sb's chestnut out of the fire.为什么不说“为他人作嫁妆”或“给人当
枪使”？

一石双鸟：Kill two birds with one stone. 中文不是已有“一箭双雕”了吗？

化剑为犁：Turn swords into ploughs.为什么不用“化干戈为玉帛”?

中国古典智慧也有因直译而成为世界文化遗产的：

The soldier who retreated fifty paces laughed at the one who had fallen back a hundred paces.
--五十步笑一百步。当然英文也有The pot calls the kettle black.

No feast lasts forever. --天下没有不散的筵席 。英文已有All good things must end.
还有The best of friends must part.

如果当初没人直译，而只管对号入坐，那么中国的智慧何时才能走向世界？国人又怎
么知道外国也有类似说法呢？因此，在不影响理解的前提下，直译有利于促进文化间
的相互了解。

3) 便于换换口味，避免陈词滥调，促进了语言的多样性。

如果你恭维某人“智者千虑必有一失”，听上去是不是有点陈词滥调的味道？听得太
多的套话容易让人觉得你是在应付，别人也许不当回事。但是你如果换成“荷马有时
也打盹”(Homer sometimes nods的直译)呢? 在知识分子中间或许能够带来一点新鲜
感？当然，普通中国人也许一下子不能理解。这只是个增强语言多样性的例子而已。
如果是上述那些普通国人和老外也能望文生义的直译，无疑对丰富语汇是大有裨益的。

鉴于直译的上述种种好处，翻译时应首选直译。不仅有利于避免歧义，而且有利于文
化交流和丰富语汇。但是，这样做有个前提的，那就是不能过分影响理解。在直译很
难达意时怎么办呢？那就是本文第二部分将要谈及的意译。


二、“意译”

前面讨论了直译的优势，但那是有个前提的，就是不能过分影响理解。如果直译影响
了理解，就得改用意译。当然，“直译”、“意译”也只是些为了方便分类而武断的
粗线条概念，理解还是因人而异的，也有一些介乎两者之间的情况稍后将顺便提及。

与“Beat swords into ploughs.”类似的另一句谚语“Bury the hatchet”，其直译的命运就
不及前者。如果译成“埋葬战斧”，容易让人联想到中文的“飞鸟尽，良弓藏”或者是
“刀枪入库”，因而理解成抛弃功臣或和平麻痹。但实际上是交战双方媾和休战的意思。

又如此前〖汉英论坛〗讨论过的英文妙语“When the going gets tough, the tough gets
going.”两处所用"going"和"tough"不仅词性分别不同，意思也不尽相同，凑在一个句
子里了。英文中象这样的东西较多，他们认为很机智(witty)。碰到这类妙语，直译如何
能够达意呢？〖汉英论坛〗的两位网友将它译成：(1)“狭路相逢勇者胜”(砖头)；
(2)“沧海横流方显英雄本色”(www)。在这种情况下，还是意译来得主动。

再如“此地无银三百两”，如果直译，要靠长长的脚注去帮助理解，那就得把整个故事
讲一遍了，不如用意译来得省事。不妨意译成“The more is concealed, the more is revealed.”

诸如此类的例子很多。如感兴趣，不妨搜集搜集供网友娱乐。

当然，也有一种情况，就是刚才提到的介乎“直译”与“意译”之间的妙译。这里先举
〖汉英论坛〗网友的三个经典例子：

Faults are thick where love is thin.
一朝情义淡，样样不顺眼。(tr. Wiener)

You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time,
but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
骗人一夕一事易，欺众一生一世难。(tr. 野草)

Out of the FULLNESS of the heart the mouth speaks
盈于心则溢于言。(tr. 鹤子)

以上三例算“直译”还是“意译”？既相当“直接”又准确“达意”。只是对原句的情
景稍作变通而已。这种介乎于“直译”与“意译”之间的“直”－“意”有机结合，似
乎不是理论家能够武断归类的。真正从事翻译实践的高手似乎很少受制于理论束缚。最
终的翻译质量还是落实在双语基本功上；而无论直译、意译还是有机结合，美感效果也
是见仁见智的。


三、直译、意译之外

有些特殊语言现象，如方言、歇后语、尤其是带双关语的，无论直译还是意译都是难
尽人意的，就得想想其它办法曲线解题。眼下能够想到的有“硬注”、“改造”、“再
造”、“移植”。

1) “硬注”(硬译加脚注)

碰到下面这样的句子，如何直译或意译？

－－他是老九的弟弟 -- 老十（实）

直译：He's the younger brother of number 9, number 10. （making no sense at all)
意译：He's honest. (The pun is lost.)

如果不想费脑筋再造或移植英文双关呢，最常用，最安全、最省事的办法就是先硬译再
加脚注。无论多复杂的语言现象，总是能够讲清楚其中奥妙的。用“硬注”解决这个双
关，原句可译成：

He's the younger brother of number 9, number 10. (#note)
(#note) "Number 10--老十 (laoshi)" in Chinese is homophonic with another Chinese
word "老实(laoshi) which means "honest."

当然，如果有时间并感兴趣，可以用下述三种办法弄得更有味道一点。

2) “再造”

如果从原句的本义“honest”出发，给它物色个 "brother"，似可再造一个英文双关语。
这样，那句话就可译成：

－－他是老九的弟弟 -- 老十（实）
He's the younger brother of honor, honest.

"Honor" 这里被当作 "on"的比较级 , 而 "honest" 作为最高级。恰巧，有人讲了个英文
笑话，“Man first gets ON by hook or by crook. When he gets the HONOR, he becomes
HONEST.”看来英美还真有人把ON, HONOR, HONEST 当兄弟对待的呢！

再看下面的例子，也是个“再造”的双关：

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!

昨天成历史
明天很神秘
今天称现金(今）
所以是份礼

大多数带双关的妙语都得通过“再造”才能保住双关。当然也有少数例外。

3) “改造”

所谓改造就是把目标语言中现成的妙语加以改造，用来翻译原语言。请看例句：

例一：A vice-chairman is taking over the chair at a meeting with a play on words,
“I'm a virtuous vice chairman.”

这里的“virtuous vice-chairman”玩弄的是vice的双关涵义：“恶”(vice)与“副”
(vice作前缀)，然后前面加了“德”(virtuous)。用“硬注”处理整句就成了：

“I'm a virtuous vice-chairman.”－－“我是个有德行的副主席”(注)
(注) 英文里的“副 (vice)”如单独使用，可作“坏”、“恶”、“德行很差”解。

尽管加了注解，仍叫人不甚了了。能不能通过改造中文成语“为富不仁”来解决这个双关
呢？“副”和“富”是谐音，可以构成双关。常言道“为富不仁”，但咱们是“为副但并
非不仁。”因此，整句可作如下处理：

“I'm a virtuous vice-chairman.”－－“咱是为副(富)但并非不仁的主席。”或“咱是
为富(副)但仁的主席”。

由此看来，“硬注”用在 "virtuous vice-chairman"不仅丢了双关，而且意思不太清楚。
倒是通过“改造”中文成语既保住了“双关”，又留住了副 (vice)”与“virtuous(仁)”的
原义。

例二：Anger is only one letter short of danger.

这个成语更象中文的“心字头上一把刀”，如若不“忍”，“心”就被“刃”了，多危
险啊！而英文也是玩的文字游戏：anger前面只要加上个“d”就是danger！如果意译成
“生气离危险只有一步之遥”，当然也没什么不可以，只是原句的文字游戏弄丢了。

4) “移植”

还有的时候，某些妙语怎么“再造”、“改造”也造不出来，可是却能从目标语言中搜寻
到相近的词句，于是“移植”就成了捷径。这个“ds”最在行。最近“啊王”所做的诗学
同比研究也有点类似。

例如“When awful is lawful, treason is reason.”与中文的“和尚打伞，无法无天”是
否颇有同工异曲之处？当然这不算对译，只是一种文化比附，也可以说是一种“模糊对应”。
还很形象的：awful看上去就象是和尚没了头发“l”，而Treason中的“T”又真象reason
头上一把遮天蔽日的伞，况且Treason也的确是无法无天的行为啊！

“再造”、“改造”或“移植”特殊语言现象就酷似猜谜：猜惯了就能摸出规律。只可惜
肯为这类文字游戏浪费时间的专业人员实在太少了。如果一个合格的职业译员翻不了这类
特殊语言现象，并不能说明他们不称职，最多只相当于不擅长猜谜而已。

结语

第三部分虽然谈及“直译”、“意译”以外的各种处理手法，但是它们只适用于“特殊
语言现象”。纵观全文，谨作如下小结：

1) 在不影响理解的情况下，还是尽可能先用“表意直译”；

2) 在“直译”难以表意时丢车保帅，用“抽象意译”；

3) 在“表意直译”和“抽象意译”都难以胜任时，考虑选用“硬注”、“改造”、“再造”
和“移植”，它们虽各有千秋，但基本上不失为解决特殊语言现象的有效手段；

4)“硬注”安全可靠，不管能否保汁保味，大部分情况都能对付；

5)“再造”和“改造”更富挑战性，在可能强于“硬注”的情况下，应尽量“造”。

6)“移植”作为文化比较和消遣，极富刺激，但是，考虑到相互对应的模糊和牵强，在翻
译严肃题材时应当慎用。

以上为一家之言，仅供同道者参考。如有不当之处请多多指教或充实。多谢赏光！

古月
1999年11月5日