諺語是廣泛流傳于民間的言簡意賅的短語，多數反映了勞動人民的生活實踐經驗，而且一般都是經過口頭傳下來的。它多是口語形式的通俗易懂的短句或韻語。人們生活中常用的現成的話。諺語類似成語，但口語性強，通俗易懂，而且一般都表達一個完整的意思，形式上差不多都是一兩個短句，是語言整體中的一部分，可以增加語言的鮮明性和生動性。

 　　all things are difficult before they are easy.

　　凡事總是由難而易。

　　all work and no play makes jack a dull boy.

　　只會用功不玩耍，聰明孩子也變傻。

　　a man becomes learned by asking questions.

　　不恥下問才能有學問。

　　a man can do no more than he can.

　　凡事都應量力而行。

　　a man cannot spin and reel at the same time.

　　一心不能二用。

　　a man is known by his friends.

　　什么人交什么朋友。

 　　a man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.

　　光說空話不做事，猶如花園光長刺。

　　a man without money is no man at all.

　　一分錢難倒英雄漢。

　　a merry heart goes all the way.

　　心曠神怡，事事順利。

　　a miss is as good as a mile.

　　失之毫厘，差之千里。

　　a mother’s love never changes.

　　母愛永恒。

　　an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

　　一天一蘋果，不用請醫生。

　　a new broom sweeps clean.

　　新官上任三把火。

　　an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

　　以眼還眼，以牙還牙。

 　　an hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.

　　一日之計在于晨。

　　an old dog cannot learn new tricks.

　　老狗學不出新把戲。

 　　an ounce of luck is better than a pound of wisdom.

　　聰明才智，不如運氣。

 　　an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

　　預防為主，治療為輔。

　　a rolling stone gathers no moss.

　　滾石不生苔，轉業不聚財。

　　as a man sows, so he shall reap.

　　種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆。

　　a single flower does not make a spring.

　　一花獨放不是春，百花齊放春滿園。

　　a snow year, a rich year.

　　瑞雪兆豐年。

　　a sound mind in a sound body.

　　健全的精神寓于健康的身體。

　　a still tongue makes a wise head.

　　寡言者智。

　　a stitch in time saves nine.

　　小洞不補，大洞吃苦。

 　　a straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe.

　　身正不怕影子斜。

　　a wise head makes a close mouth.

　　真人不露相，露相非真人。

　　a word spoken is past recalling.

　　一言既出，駟馬難追。

　　a year’s plan starts with spring.

　　一年之計在于春。

　　a young idler, an old beggar.

　　少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲。

　　bad news has wings.

　　好事不出門，壞事傳千里。

　　barking dogs seldom bite.

　　吠犬不咬人。

　　beauty lies in the love’s eyes.

　　情人眼里出西施。

　　be swift to hear, slow to speak.

　　聽宜敏捷，言宜緩行。

　　better late than never.

　　不怕慢，單怕站。

　　better to ask the way than go astray.

　　問路總比迷路好。

　　between friends all is common.

　　朋友之間不分彼此。

　　birds of a feather flock together.

　　物以類聚，人以群分。

　　blood is thicker than water.

　　血濃于水。

　　blood will have blood.

　　血債血償。

　　books and friends should be few but good.

　　讀書如交友，應求少而精。

　　business is business.

　　公事公辦。

　　business is the salt of life.

　　事業是人生的第一需要。

 　　by reading we enrich the mind, by conversation we polish it.

　　讀書使人充實，交談使人精明。

　　cannot see the wood for the trees.

　　一葉障目，不見泰山。

　　care and diligence bring luck.

　　謹慎和勤奮才能抓住機遇。

　　caution is the parent of safety.

　　小心駛得萬年船。

　　cheats never prosper.

　　騙人發不了財。

　　children are what the mothers are.

　　耳濡目染，身教言傳。

　　choose an author as you choose a friend.

　　擇書如擇友。