| Change log entry 71672 | |
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| Processed by: | richwarm (2021-02-27 05:24:58 GMT) |
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<< review queue entry 67587 >> "Gilding the lily" is a bad thing in English; my teacher told me this phrase is positive. ------------------------------ Editor: Did your teacher say it's *always* positive? If so, that's wrong. It can imply that the "flower" on top of the "brocade" is superfluous, since the recipient has already been well rewarded, and unfair, since others are also deserving but missed out. Examples ~ 為了扶植文創產業，政府預算年年增加，然而補助式的流行音樂政策實施幾年下來，雖然受惠者感謝，卻也招來缺乏正當性、錦上添花等批評。 The government has dedicated increasing amounts of funding to supporting the arts, including grants for popular musicians in recent years. But while this support has been appreciated, it has also drawn criticism for not giving money to those acts who genuinely needed it. 如果要問時報出版的書單為何沒有準經典級的村上春樹，答案也很簡單，村上春樹不必錦上添花，寶貴的席位還是要讓給幽暗角落裡的經典，失去流動力的好書。 Why don’t the lists of classics from China Times Publishing have any Haruki Murakami titles on them? The answer is simple: Murakami doesn’t need the boost. Treasured spots on these lists are given to good books that are still somewhat obscure or have lost momentum. 「大家都以為這是錦上添花，其實不是你們看的那樣，對我來說，金馬獎真的是雪中送炭。」兩年後，他也憑著《投名狀》拿下第二座最佳導演獎。 “Everyone thinks these awards are just gilding the lily, but they’re not like that,” said Chan. “My Golden Horse was a lifesaver.” Chan went on to win his second best director prize two years later, for The Warlords. 锦上添花常时有, 雪中送炭能几人? There will always be people who come to flatter you when you are successful, but no one will come to help you when you are in need. |
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# 錦上添花 锦上添花 [jin3 shang4 tian1 hua1] /lit. on brocade, add flowers (idiom); to decorate sth already perfect / cherry on top/ # - 錦上添花 锦上添花 [jin3 shang4 tian1 hua1] /lit. on brocade, add flowers (idiom); to decorate sth already perfect/gilding the lily/ + 錦上添花 锦上添花 [jin3 shang4 tian1 hua1] /lit. add flowers to brocade (idiom)/fig. to give sth additional splendor/to provide the crowning touch/(derog.) to benefit sb who is already well off/ |