1.) Better Late Than Never.

遲來總比不來好。

This idiom is simple but effective. It implies that a belated achievement is better than not reaching a goal at all. One might say, “The achievement is long overdue, but it’s better late than never.”

這個成語是簡潔而有效的。這意味著，一個遲來的成果總比一個沒有實現(xiàn)的成果要好。有人可能會說，“這個成果應該是老早就有的，但遲到總比沒有好。”

2.) On the Spur of the Moment.

一時沖動

This popular saying denotes a spontaneous or sudden undertaking. For example, “Linda and Louis drove to the beach on the spur of the moment.”

這一流行語說的是自發(fā)的或突發(fā)奇想的事情。例如，“琳達和路易斯因為一時沖動開車去海邊的。”

3.) Once in a Blue Moon.

千載難逢

A blue moon is a colloquial term applied to the second full moon in one month. This idiom means something is rare or infrequent. For example, “Homebodies Mary and James only go out once in a blue moon.”

“一個藍色的月亮”是一個不太正式的俗語，用于描述在同一個月里面看到兩次圓月。這個俗語的意思是稀有和不常見。例如，“Mary和James很注重家庭，因此很少出去”。

4.) Living on Borrowed Time.

活在借來的時間里，時日無多或劫后余生

Following an illness or near-death experience, many people believe they have cheated death. Here’s an example: “After Jim was struck by lightning, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.”

因為病入膏肓或者有過瀕臨死亡的體驗，很多人都相信，他們騙過了死神。例如，“在Jim被雷電擊中之后，他感覺自己活在借來的時間中”。

5.) In the Interim

與此同時，在此期間

This frequently used phrase is interchangeable with “in the meantime,” which is another time-related saying. It denotes a period of time between something that ended and something that happened afterwards. For example, “The boss will be back next week. In the interim, the workers will be stocking shelves and cleaning.”

這個俗語可以和”in the meantime”互換，這也是另外一個與時間相關(guān)的俗語。它的意思是，在某件事結(jié)束之后，但又在另外一件事開始之前。例如，“老板會在下周回來。在此期間，工人們在清理和擺放貨架”。

6.) In Broad Daylight

在光天化日之下

When something occurs in broad daylight, it means the event is clearly visible. Here’s an example: “Two coyotes brazenly walked across the lawn in broad daylight.”

在光天化日之下發(fā)生的事情，意味著這件事情是清晰明了的。這有個例子，“兩只狼在光天化日之下肆無忌憚的地穿過草坪?！?/p>

7.) Against the Clock.

爭分奪秒

This common idiom means time is working against a project or plan instigated by a group or an individual. For example, “In movies, writers love to create countdowns where the main characters are working against the clock.”

這一常見成語是指一個由群體或個體組織的項目在和時間賽跑抗爭（即時間不足，必須爭分奪秒）。例如，“在電影里面，作家們喜歡在主角們爭分奪秒工作的時候，插入倒計時?！?/p>

8.) All in Good Time

一切上天都自有安排

Patience is an uncommon virtue. When individuals are inpatient, friends often assure them that things will happen eventually. Here’s an example: “Rachel thought she was going to become an old maid, but her mother assured her she would find the right person and get married all in good time.”

耐心是一種罕見的品質(zhì)。當一個人不耐心的時候，朋友們都會安慰他說，最后一切都會變好的。例如，“Rachel覺得她嫁不出去了，但是她的媽媽安慰她說你終會找到屬于你的另一半，然后和他一起步入婚姻的殿堂”。

9.) Big Time

超級，最高水平

This versatile, informal idiom is used to denote something of extreme severity. For example, “Johnnie knew he was going to be in big-time trouble.” It can also mean to reach the top of one’s profession. For example, “When he landed the position as vice president, he knew he had reached the big time.”

這個用途廣泛的非正式成語可用來描述一些極其嚴重的事情。例如，“Johnnie知道他將會有大麻煩了。”它也可以表示為，達到某人事業(yè)的頂峰。例如，“當他上任副總裁的位置時，他知道他已經(jīng)達到了事業(yè)的頂峰”。

10.) The Time is Ripe.

時機成熟

When the time is ripe, it’s advantageous to undertake plans that have been waiting for awhile. Here’s an example: “Raphael was planning a trip overseas, and the time was finally ripe.”

當時機成熟之際，實行已經(jīng)醞釀好的計劃是有利的。例如，“Raphael正在計劃一次海外旅行，現(xiàn)在時機終于成熟了”。

11.) Have the Time of Your Life.

享受你的生活

The 1980s movie Dirty Dancing turned this idiom into a song that became one of the film’s most iconic tracks. The time of your life means you’re enjoying an unforgettable, exhilarating experience that cannot be recreated. For example, “Genevieve had the time of her life touring Italy.”

八十年代的電影《辣身舞》把這個俗語編成了一首歌，并且這首歌成為了電影中最具代表性的曲目。你生命，是一個難忘，愉快，并且不可再現(xiàn)的過程。例如，“吉納維芙正在意大利享受她的旅行?！?/p>

12.) Time is Money.

時間就是金錢。

If time is going to waste, money isn’t being made. This popular idiom attributed to Ben Franklin is frequently used in relation to business or employment. Here’s an example: “It’s wise to use every minute productively because time is money.”

如果浪費時間，那么也無法創(chuàng)造金錢。這是富蘭克林的一句名言，經(jīng)常用于描述商業(yè)或者雇傭之間的關(guān)系。以下是一個例子，“有效地利用每一分鐘是明智的，因為時間就是金錢?！?/p>

These idioms about time are used frequently in writing and conversation. With these idioms and expressions, anyone can express abstract ideas in a colloquial manner.

這些關(guān)于時間的俗語在寫作和會話中經(jīng)常會用到。有了這些俗語和表達，任何人都可以用一個通俗的方式來表達一些抽象的意思。

（來源：滬江英語? 編輯：Julie）