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省油的灯

English translation: no small troublemaker


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Chinese term or phrase:不是省油的灯
English translation:no small troublemaker
Entered by: Huijun Suo
Options:
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- Include in personal glossary

08:41 Oct 23, 2007
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Slang
Chinese term or phrase: 省油的灯
不能怪德国政府对 xxx 不够宽容, xxx也不是省油的灯。

xxx指在德国居留的某国人。
Bin Tiede
Germany
Local time: 13:35
least troublemaker
Explanation:
不是省油的灯 big trouble-maker, no small troublemaker

One cannot blame the German gevernment for not being more lenient to him. He is no small troublemaker.

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Note added at 51 mins (2007-10-23 09:32:28 GMT)
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gOvernment

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-10-23 10:23:21 GMT)
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Or more directly: trouble saver, no trouble saver
Selected response from:

Huijun Suo
China
Local time: 19:35
Grading comment
Thank you all!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1no easy person to deal with; tough guy, etc.
orientalhorizon
3 +1least troublemakerHuijun Suo
4always causing troubleCaroline Moreno
3xxx is not to be pushed around
ration
3xxx is quite a figure / a difficult person
Jason Ma
3behave goodCathy King


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
no easy person to deal with; tough guy, etc.


Explanation:
if a man, "tough guy" is good enough.

orientalhorizon
Local time: 19:35
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  freelance522
6 hrs
  -> thanks a lot!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
behave good


Explanation:
感觉是这样
xxx也不是省油的灯
it is xxx himself who doesn't behave good.


Cathy King
Local time: 19:35
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
xxx is quite a figure / a difficult person


Explanation:
...

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-10-23 10:04:14 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I believe this one sounds more natural:
xxx is no stranger to trouble


Jason Ma
China
Local time: 19:35
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 4
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
least troublemaker


Explanation:
不是省油的灯 big trouble-maker, no small troublemaker

One cannot blame the German gevernment for not being more lenient to him. He is no small troublemaker.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2007-10-23 09:32:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

gOvernment

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-10-23 10:23:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or more directly: trouble saver, no trouble saver

Huijun Suo
China
Local time: 19:35
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you all!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Shang
1 hr
  -> Thanks Shang!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
xxx is not to be pushed around


Explanation:
相当于“不是好欺负的”。

ration
Local time: 19:35
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 4
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
always causing trouble


Explanation:
I think this sounds more natural.

Caroline Moreno
United States
Local time: 04:35
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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Changes made by editors
Oct 24, 2007 - Changes made by Huijun Suo:
Edited KOG entryBin Tiede's old entry - "省油的灯" => "least troublemaker"


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