英語和漢語一般都有對應的語匯或習語，然而在處理具體問題時，常常不能完全對應。

比如漢語習慣稱亞洲“四小龍”，英語雖然可譯成the Asian “four dragons”，但西方人大都叫the Asian “four tigers”或“four tigers” in Asia，因為在西方人的眼里，dragon是一種類似鱷魚或蛇、長有翅膀而且會噴火、常常看守著金銀財寶的怪物。

單個詞尚且如此，成語和諺語就更難對應了，有時甚至連原文的蹤跡都沒有了，如 “Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs”，如果按照字面直譯成“不要教你的奶奶磕雞蛋”，讓人看了會莫名其妙。要是意譯為“不要班門弄斧”，就既表達了原意，也符合漢語習慣。

和漢語一樣，英語的成語也很多，但其中大部分都很難對譯成漢語成語，這時一般采取意譯。如：

1.Like talking to a brick wall（對牛彈琴，瞎子點燈白費蠟），意為to waste one's breath trying to persuade someone who is so obstinate to listen to reason；例句：He is so dogmatic; it's like talking to a brick wall arguing with him.

2.To make bricks without straw（巧婦難為無米之炊），意為to try to achieve some result with inadequate means；例句：We were unable to give you an opinion because you didn't give us the information we needed. We can't make bricks without straw.

3.The rotten apple（害群之馬，敗家之子）意為the one bad person among a number of good ones；例句：His youngest son was the rotten apple.

4.To pay back in the same coin, to pay sb. back in his own coin, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth，（以眼還眼，以牙還牙，以其人之道還治其人之身）意為to retaliate by using the same method；例句：Jukes has attacked us in his advertisement overseas; we will pay him back in the same coin.

5.To have a heart of gold（有一副菩薩心腸）意為to be a kind, generous, forgiving person whose qualities are much appreciated.

6.Walls have ears（隔墻有耳）意為You must be very careful what you say because someone may be eavesdropping.

有時，英語中也會出現包含著形象、比喻、擬人等手法的長句，在漢語中很難找到對應的語匯，這時只能根據上下文的意思，或整篇文章的中心思想，在不損失、沖淡甚至歪曲原意的基礎上進行適當處理。請看以下例子： CED Finklestein: He needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat. 總經理芬克斯泰因：他需要拿出一個絕招來（直譯：他需要從自己的帽子里抓出一只兔子來）。

在漢譯英時同樣應注意這一點。1992年北京國際拍賣會手冊上有一位領導人的題詞是：一錘定音，雙方買賣即成。我的譯文是：A hammer gives the final word, and a deal is concluded between the buyer and seller.“一錘定音”幾個字很形象，但比較難處理。拍賣的實際操作是由拍賣主錘師用木錘敲桌梆的形式來決定交易，而不是“成交”之類的話語。因此同時采用了直譯和意譯兩種手法，即：一(A hammer)、雙方買賣即成交(a deal is concluded between the buyer and seller)和定音(gives the final word)。這里用“final word”（或final say）指“拍板”，“敲定”，即決定下來，這樣處理既忠實原文又生動貼切。如果完全直譯成“A hammer decides (sets) the tune…”讀者可能以為是樂隊指揮真的在那里定音呢。