汉英民族历史悠长，文化灿烂，都有着极为丰富的谚语；虽然在历史发展、地理环境、民情风俗和宗教信仰等方面有着明显的差异，但在语言形式上，汉英谚语具有非常相似的特征。

（一）用词精炼，句式整齐

经过长期的实践、总结和提炼，谚语的用词十分讲究，单句简洁凝练、言简意赅，双句大多采用对仗形式，结构整齐、句式匀称。

如：

汉谚：

江山易改，本性难易。

The wolf changes his coat, but not his disposition.

人往高处走，水往低处流。

Man struggles upwards;water flows downwards.

好事不出门，坏事传千里。

A good reputation sits still;a bad one runs about.

言必信，行必果。

Be true in word and resolute in deed.

善有善报，恶有恶报。

Good will be rewarded with good,and evil with evil.

英谚：

Haughtiness invites disaster, humility receives benefit.

满招损，谦受益。

He who helps others helps himself.

与人方便，自己方便。

He who has an art has everywhere a pan.

一招鲜，吃遍天

Life is short and time is swift.

人生苦短，岁月易逝。

Nothing crave,nothing have.

无所求，无所得。

（二）音韵和谐、易于上口

谚语经过长期的使用流传或艺术上的加工锤炼，具有很强的口语化特点，单句讲究韵律，双句讲究对仗，易于记忆，便于流传。如：

汉谚：

耳听为虚，眼见为实。

Seeing is believing.

活到老，学到老。

One is never too old to learn.

铁杵磨成针，功到自然成。

An iron pestle can be ground down to a needle, perseverance will make success.

失之东隅，收之桑榆。

What one loses on the swings one gets back on the roundabouts.

英谚：

The higher the mountain,the lower the vale.

山越高，谷越深。

When l did well,I heard it never;when I did ill, I heard it ever.

行善无人讲，作恶有人传。

Where there is a will,there is a way.

世上无难事，只怕有心人。

Those living on a mountain live off the mountain,those living near water live off the water.

靠山吃山，靠水吃水。

（三）比喻生动、寓意深刻

谚语源于生活又反映生活，都包含着许多生动形象的比喻，这些比喻蕴含着深刻的人生哲理，往往给人以启迪、智慧和力量。如：

汉谚：

路遥知马力，日久见人心。

As distance tests a horse's strength,so time reveals a person's heart.

泥菩萨过河，自身难保。

A clay idol fording a river is hardly able to save itself.

十年树木，百年树人。

It takes ten years to grow trees,but a hundred to rear people.

人生一世，草木一春。

Man has but one life,grass sees but one spring.

英谚：

Face is as important to man as the bark is to the tree.

人要脸、树要皮

Justice has long arms.

天网恢恢，疏而不漏。

Time is money.

一寸光阴一寸金。

Like father,like son.

有其父必有其子。

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