1. Hot potato 棘手的問題"燙手山芋"
情景：
公司讓你做財務總監，然而你對數字特別遲鈍，你的朋友說：sounds like it could turn into a hot potato for you.
比如the position turns into a hot potato for me.在這裡hot potato 翻譯成熱土豆顯然是不合適的，這裡的意思可以理解成棘手的問題a problem for you，中國人喜歡用成語"燙手山芋"來形容這樣的事情。
2. Red tape 繁文縟節，官僚作風
情景：
This one here is for my local council. I need to apply for planning permission. And then they want lots of supporting documents to make sure it fits in with building regulations.這段話的大概意思是：我想把房子擴建一下，不過申請手續非常繁瑣，得填寫無數表格。
I hate red tape. If i could cut through this red rape it would be brilliant.
結合以上情景，red tape 不能翻譯成紅色膠帶紙，意思是我討厭這些繁瑣的事情，中文成語中用繁文縟節，官僚作風。
由來：
Some people say this expression might come from the 16th century, when bundles of documents were held together with red tape.
據說，早在16世紀的英國，所有官方的文件會用紅色布帶系成一紮一紮的，從而也就出現了red tape.
3. a steal 物美價廉就像是白送的
I got this designer shirt in the sales at $50 cheaper than the original price. It's a steal.
我買了件設計師T恤，比原來要便宜50刀呢。A steal 在這裡的意思應該是東西好很便宜的意思，中文的"物美價廉"。
That was just a sound effect. In English, when you say something is 'a steal' you mean it's a bargain–so cheap that it is almost as if you haven't paid anything for it.
這是個口語化的表達，在英語中，當人們覺得一件東西買的又值又特別便宜的時候可以說它是a steal, 就好像是白送的。
圖文來源於網絡，侵權聯繫刪除