PROVERBS, SIMILES, IDIOMS

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

said when you recognize that you should not risk losing something you already have by trying to get something you think might be better

(có k giữ mất ráng chịu)

A friend in need is a friend in deed

a friend who helps you when you really need help is a true friend

a stitch in time saves nine

làm liền thì ít việc, đừng để nước đến chân mới nhảy

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

when you are away from somebody that you love, you love them even more

actions speak louder than word

what a person actually does means more than what they say they will do

All roads lead to Rome

all the methods of doing sth will achieve the same result in the end

All that glitters is not gold

chớ thấy sáng mà ngỡ là vàng

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth

Ăn miếng trả miếng

Beauty is but skin deep

Tốt gỗ hơn tốt nước sơn

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

vẻ đẹp nằm trong mắt kẻ si tình, thích thì thấy điểm tốt, ghét thì toàn điểm xấu

Beggars must not be choosers

Ăn mày còn đòi xôi gấc

Birds of a feather flock together

People of the same sort are found together, vật họp theo loài

blood is thicker than water

một giọt máu đào hơn ao nước lã

Clothes do not make the man

Đừng trông mặt mà bắt hình dong

don't count your chickens before they hatched

You should not count on something before it happens

Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs

trứng mà đòi khôn hơn vịt

Empty vessels make the most noise

people who talk a lot and frequently express their opinions are often stupid(thùng rỗng kêu to)

Every cloud has a silver lining

Trong cái rủi có cái may

familiarity breeds contempt

people do not respect someone they know well enough to know his or her faults

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

the inexperienced get involved in situations that wiser people would avoid

He was the only one to try to solve that problem. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread

Look before you leap

think carefully about what you are about to do before you do it

Nhìn rồi hẵng nhảy

Make hay while the sun shines

take advantage of the chance to do sth while conditions are still good

Many hands make light work

nhiều tay nhẹ việc

Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today

việc hôm nay chớ để ngày mai

One good turn deserves another

a favor should be returned in kind

One man’s meat is another man’s poison

sth that one person likes may be distasteful to sb else

Prevention is better than cure

phòng bệnh hơn chữa bệnh

Rome was not built in a day

used to say that a complicated task will take a long time

Strike while the iron is hot

to make use of an opportunity immediately

The darkest hour is just before the dawn

When things are extremely bad, it may signal that they are about to get much better

The early bird catches the worm

If you wake up to work early, you’ll succeed

The pen is mightier than the sword

People who write books, poems, tc. have a greater effect on history and human affairs than soldiers and wars

The pot calling the kettle black

Used to say that you should not criticise somebody for a fault that you have yourself

Time and tide waits for no man

people cannot stop the passing of time, and therefore, should not delay doing things

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Too many people involved in an activity can ruin it

Lắm thầy nhiều ma

Two heads are better than one

Used to say that people can achieve more than one person working alone

When in Rome do as the Romans do

nhập gia tùy tục

When the cat’s away the mice will play

People enjoy themselves more and behave with greater freedom when the person in charge of them is not there

When there’s a will there’s a way

If you really want to do something then you will find a way of doing it

có chí thì nên

Two heads are better than one

used to say that used to say that two people can achieve more than one person working alone

You cannot teach an old dog new tricks

used to mean that it is very difficult to teach someone new skills or to change someone’s habits or character