2. Literature Review

     Many famous scholars have studied how to translate Chinese idioms and they have made many achivements. Chinese idioms are produced and developed by Chinese nation in the long term, and their spiritual products based on the material life. Language and culture are used for communication, innovative thinking, and then creating a new station to transfer culture. Chinese culture in English culture and English American countries have something in common, but there are also existing some differences. Translation is the conversion between two languages, is the collision and communication between two kinds of culture. The translation will face the two languages directly , with the broad and profound processing, and the coexistence of similarity and difference will exist in the two kinds of culture. Translation just likes paved roads between English and Chinese, so that foreign scholars can understand foreign languages more easily, do not have to take the rough road too much. And the good translation just like erected road between the bridge, can help English learners walk the choroid faster, into the best condition of learning, so as to spread Chinese culture effectively. Paving, bridging between them often encounter little difficulty, and this is what make the English translation of Chinese idioms often have mistakes. This paper will pay attention to and avoid these mistakes can improve the understanding of Chinese idioms.

3. Different Definitions of Idioms

3.1 Definitions of Idioms

     Here are many different idiomatic definitions in the field of translation. Then some definitions are as follows:

     "An idiom is a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or a piece of advice. "(The New Oxford Dictionary of Eng-lash)"    

      "An idiom is a short saying in common use that striking express some obvious truth or familiar experiences." (Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language)

     "An idiom is a popular saying usually of unknown and ancient origin that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought. (Webster's Encyclopedic unabridged Dictionary)"

     Idiom is an expression or phrase that does not follow regular roles of grammar, or one whose meaning cannot be predicted from the meaning of its inpidual parts. Idiom is a special form of speech and an expression of language.

3.2 Features of Chinese Idioms

     According to the different definitions, some idiomatic features are summarized: (1) Idioms are usually used as brief fixed expression. (2)Idioms always state some commonplace truths or familiar experience or previous advice. (3)The form of idioms is usually concise, vivid and simple; it is easy for people to understand and to use in their life.

4. Classification of Idioms

     Idioms are the wisdom of all walks of life, they had long and splendid history. Through the process of refining language, idioms form regular phrase, short sentence. In a board sense, idioms include set phrase, proverb, saying, colloquialism, allusion, Chinese enigmatic folk simile, and slang.

4.1 Set Phrase

     Set phrases in China are usually characterized in four characters and they are vivid such as:“知足常乐”(Happy is he who is content with what he was),“红颜祸水”(Golden Apple),“画龙点睛”(Just hit the right nail on the head)

4.2 Proverb

     A proverb is a popular short, concise saying that expresses a profound thought. Proverbs are not only simple and popular, but also pithy and implicit.They often reflect the experiences of daily life.For examples:源:自'优尔.·论,文;网·www.youerw.com/

  “只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯”(Only states set fire and forbid people light a lamp)  浅析汉语成语的英译(2):http://www.youerw.com/yingyu/lunwen_67141.html