攻其不备 to strike sb when he is unprepared

牢不可破 to be strongly built as to be indestructible

2)汉语成语的字面翻译能够为译文读者所接受，其比喻效果和原文一样形象生动，译文能使读者很快联想到英文中的对等成语，可以使字面翻译。

例2、黛玉道：“跌了灯值钱呢，还是跌了人值钱?你又穿不惯木屐子。那灯笼叫他们前头点着;这个又轻巧又亮，原是雨里自己拿着的。你自己手里拿着这个，岂不好?明儿在送来——就失了手也有限的，怎么忽然又变出这‘剖腹藏珠’的脾气来!”

Which is more valuable, lamp or man? You're not used to wearing pattens, so get them to carry the horn lantern in front and take this one yourself, since it's handy and bright and meant to be used in the rain. Wouldn't that be better? You can send it back later. And even if your drop it, it won't matter. What's come over you suddenly that you want to ' cut open your stomach to hide a pearl'? ( translated by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang)

解析：“剖腹藏珠”意思为为了一点小利益而牺牲大利益，译文直接按照字面意思翻译为“cut open your stomach to hide a pearl”，比喻十分形象生动。译文读者理解字面意思，能够获得英语对等成语“penny wise and pound foolish”同样的效果。

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