Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese term or phrase:
捉襟見肘
English translation:
have too many problems to deal with / be out at elbows/be overwhelmed with problems
Added to glossary by
Shang
Feb 11, 2005 02:18
19 yrs ago
Chinese term
China
Seasoned US hi-tech/management executive
Native in: English 
, Chinese
Works in: Chinese, Chinese to English, English to Chinese
捉襟見肘
Chinese to English
Art/Literary
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Please provide a shortest possible phrase, or
better yet a single word, if possible.
better yet a single word, if possible.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 4 +4 | have too many problems to deal with / be out at elbows |
Shang
|
| 4 +4 | try |
Denyce Seow
|
| 4 | One word translation impossible |
Francis Fine
|
Proposed translations
+4
2 mins
Chinese term (edited):
��Ҋ��
Selected
have too many problems to deal with / be out at elbows
...
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Note added at 3 mins (2005-02-11 02:22:18 GMT)
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be overwhelmed with problems
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Note added at 3 mins (2005-02-11 02:22:18 GMT)
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be overwhelmed with problems
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Denyce Seow
: I like "overwhelmed with problems" //哟，哪里来了个大帅哥????
3 mins
|
|
thanks! 恭祝新春快乐！
|
|
| agree |
isahuang
51 mins
|
|
thanks! 恭祝新春快乐！
|
|
| agree |
jyuan_us
2 hrs
|
|
thanks!
|
|
| agree |
Wenjer Leuschel (X)
2 hrs
|
|
thanks!
|
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "THANK YOU ALL! Translation can sometimes be difficult; grading a poll of equally interesting answers is always impossible. And more often than not, my final translation has always been inspired by a combination of answers, including those vivid comments in the 'agree' column. "
+4
2 mins
Denyce Seow
Singapore
Singapore
Native in English
Works in field
Singapore
Business & Legal Translator
Native in: English (Variants: US, Singaporean, UK) 
Works in: Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Chinese term (edited):
��Ҋ��
try
poor, broke, bust, destitute, impoverished, penniless, poverty-stricken, stone-broke, have diffculties making ends meet
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2005-02-11 02:24:03 GMT)
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Opps, mine are only 0.0000001% the real meaning of 捉襟見肘. :p
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Note added at 5 mins (2005-02-11 02:24:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Opps, mine are only 0.0000001% the real meaning of 捉襟見肘. :p
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
English Chinese Medical Translator - Jimmy Deng
: unable to make ends meet. I think yours is 99.999999% the real meaning of 捉襟見肘.
24 mins
|
|
I have totally different definitions in different dictionaries. :(
|
|
| agree |
isahuang
51 mins
|
|
Thanks!! :)
|
|
| agree |
Shang
1 hr
|
|
Thanks... :)
|
|
| agree |
jyuan_us
: Your P value (of not getting the real meaning) is less than .05.
1 hr
|
|
Thanks :)))
|
1 day 17 hrs
Francis Fine
United States
United States
Native in Chinese
&
English
Specializes in field
United States
Native in: Chinese , English
Works in: Chinese to English, English to Chinese, German to Chinese, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Chinese term (edited):
��Ҋ��
One word translation impossible
If you insist on one word, then, Weiwei's offering would be the best try.
This phrase is the reverse of "rob Peter to pay Paul." Or "To pay Paul, you rob Peter." The precise Chinese elaboration would come to:
"Push up the sleeve toward the collar, you would expose your elbow." I do not see why you want a one-word translation for it.
This phrase is the reverse of "rob Peter to pay Paul." Or "To pay Paul, you rob Peter." The precise Chinese elaboration would come to:
"Push up the sleeve toward the collar, you would expose your elbow." I do not see why you want a one-word translation for it.
Discussion