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天上没有馅饼掉下来

English translation: there\'s no such thing as a free lunch


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:天上没有馅饼掉下来
English translation:there\'s no such thing as a free lunch
Entered by: karrol
Options:
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17:22 Jul 19, 2011
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Other
Chinese term or phrase: 天上没有馅饼掉下来
天上没有月饼(或馅饼)掉下来,要靠自己去争取

I need a natural way to say this in the English language. Thank you.
karrol
Local time: 04:47
there's no such thing as a free lunch
Explanation:
Or perhaps:

Money doesn't grow on trees
You can't get something for nothing

Or:

No-one's going to serve the world up on a plate and give it to you. You have to go and take it.
Nothing gets handed to you in this life.
Opportunities don't just fall out of the sky. You have to make your own luck.
Selected response from:

Phil Hand
China
Local time: 04:47
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4there's no such thing as a free lunch
Phil Hand
3 +1manna does not fall from heaven
karcsy


  

Answers


27 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
manna does not fall from heaven


Explanation:
it means you have to strive for the thing that you like.


manna is actually an edible food that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert (according to the Bible).

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Note added at 46 mins (2011-07-19 18:08:31 GMT)
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or you may also say....


There's no such thing as free meal

karcsy
Local time: 04:47
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 68

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sherwin Zhou: It's necessary and acceptable to translate the Chinese metaphor into a metaphor in English, either manna or free lunch.
5 hrs
  -> 感恩!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
there's no such thing as a free lunch


Explanation:
Or perhaps:

Money doesn't grow on trees
You can't get something for nothing

Or:

No-one's going to serve the world up on a plate and give it to you. You have to go and take it.
Nothing gets handed to you in this life.
Opportunities don't just fall out of the sky. You have to make your own luck.


Phil Hand
China
Local time: 04:47
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sherwin Zhou
4 hrs

agree  Ivan Niu
5 hrs

agree  Lau Wei Tsinn
9 hrs

agree  Wilman
17 hrs
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