a burnt child dreads the fire. 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳。 a candle lights others and consumes itself. 焟烛焚本身，明亮照他人。 a cat may look at a king. 猫也有权利晋见君王。 a cat has nine lives. 猫有九条命。 accidents will happen. 人有旦夕祸福。 a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. 传动链条的稳固水平在于它最单薄的阶段。 a change of work is as good as a rest. 替换一下工作中是有效的歇息。 a cheerful wife is the joy of life. 开心的媳妇是生活的乐趣。 a clean hand wants no washing. 身正不害怕影子斜。 a clear conscience is a soft pillow. 无愧于心，无忧无虑。 a clear conscience is a sure card. 敢作敢当，成功。 a clear conscience laughs at false accusations. 白日不做缺德事，夜半三更叩门心不惊。 a clear fast is better than a dirty breakfast. 宁为清苦，不以浊富。 a close mouth catches no flies. 防患于未然，言多必失。 a cock is valiant on his own dunghill. 妄自尊大。 a common danger causes common action. 临危不惧。 a constant guest is never welcome. 久住非嘉宾，常到不热烈欢迎。 a contented mind is perpetual feast. 知足者常乐。 a covetous man is good to none but worse to himself. 贪欲的人对他人没什么益处，对自身却弊端更高。 a crafty knave needs no broker. 奸诈的无赖，不需居间人。 a creaking door hangs long on its hinges. 户枢不蠹。
a bad beginning makes a bad ending. 恶其始者必恶其终。 a bad bush is better than the open field. 有胜于无。 a bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit. 吃大亏的调解也比申诉成功强。 a bad conscience is a snake in ones heart. 做贼心虚。 a bad custom is like a good cake, better broken than kept. 不良习惯像鲜馅儿饼，相食要比储存好。 a bad padlock invites a picklock. 开门揖盗。 a bad penny always turns up. a bad thing never dies. 错事传上千年。 a bad workman quarrels with his tools. 拙匠常怨专用工具差(人笨怨刀钝)。 a bargain is a bargain. 达到的协议书不能撕碎。 a beggars purse is bottomless. 乞讨者的钱包是无底深潭。 a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 双鸟在林比不上一鸟手中。 a bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. 闻其歌知其鸟，听其言知其人。 a bird may be known by its song. 什么鸟唱什么歌。 a bit in the morning is better than nothing all day. 略微胜于全无。 a blind man who leans against a wall imagines that its the boundary of the world. 井底之蛙。 a blind man will not thank you for a looking-glass. 秋鸿送盲，徒劳痴心。 a book is the same today as it always was and it will never change. 一本好书今日如此，未来也如此，绝不更改。 a book that remains shut is but a block. 有书闭卷考试不阅读文章，一样是一块木材。 a borrowed cloak does not keep one warm. 借了的披风斗篷不暖身。 absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it. 欢聚爱益切，别离情更加深入。 a burden of ones choice is not felt. 自身选的重担总嫌重。
