1

I've come across a few, very poor, literal translations for the English, “there's more than one way to skin a cat”:

给猫剥皮不止有一种方法


（谚）达到目的的方法不止一种


到达目标的设施多得很。

  • What colloquial equivalents exist for this phrase? (which basically means: there's more than one way to do something)
Improve this question
2
  • 1
    "All roads lead to Rome", 条条大路通罗马, seems more common.
    – Stan
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 8:14
  • 1
    Well, it's not necessarily every way that will get the job done, though.
    – Mou某 ♦
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 8:40

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
6

各施各法

Each person does (it) his own way. It comes from a longer phrase:

八仙過海，各施各法

Which is about eight fairies in Chinese mythology. When they needed to cross the ocean, each did it his/her own way.

Improve this answer
6
  • sounds very Sinatra-esque.
    – Mou某 ♦
    Commented Apr 19, 2015 at 7:25
  • Actually it was Paul Anka who wrote the lyrics, but sure, since Sinatra popularized it :)
    – monalisa
    Commented Apr 19, 2015 at 13:42
  • It should be "八仙過海, 各顯神通"
    – Henry HO
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 12:35
  • 2
    八仙過海, 各顯神通 is also correct as is 八仙過海，各施各法. What an apt way to illustrate "There is more than one way to skin a cat."
    – monalisa
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 16:32
  • Can it also be 八仙過海,各施其法? That's the version I am familiar with.
    – Thomas Hsieh
    Commented Apr 21, 2015 at 16:42
2

条条大路通罗马

I don't know if there is something as bloody as "skin a cat" in Chinese.

Improve this answer
1
  • To "skin" a cat is to remove its fur. To "skin" a catfish (鯰魚) is to remove its skin as preparation for dish.
    – Henry HO
    Commented Apr 20, 2015 at 13:09
2

别在一颗树上吊死

You do not have to hang on just this one tree.

Improve this answer
7
  • 请比较 iciba： macabre； 可怕的； 以死亡为主题的； 令人毛骨悚然的 He takes a macabre interest in graveyards. 他那么留意墓地,令人毛骨悚然.4. Police have made a macabre discovery. 警方有一个令人毛骨悚然的发现。
    – user6065
    Commented Apr 17, 2015 at 12:39
  • @S.Rhee ?????????????
    – Mou某 ♦
    Commented Apr 17, 2015 at 15:20
  • some users might view using ＂hanging oneself from a tree＂ as a somewhat macabre way of rendering the expression into Chinese，很可能有一些使用者觉得用＂在一颗树上吊死＂来翻译讨论中的英文说法有点太可怕。Chinese speakers，however may not feel that way，in particular since iciba translates 不要在一棵树上吊死 as ＂don't put all your eggs in one basket＂ sample sentence：1.The key word here is diversify; don't put all your eggs in one basket. 这里的关键词是多样性；不要在一棵树上吊死。 另外从新闻报道来看吊死／缢死／自缢／缢颈在中国好像很受欢迎。
    – user6065
    Commented Apr 17, 2015 at 17:46
  • @S.Rhee 另外从新闻报道来看吊死／缢死／自缢／缢颈在中国好像很受欢迎。[来源请求]
    – Fan Zheng
    Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 1:17
  • 这可能有点夸张，只是看起来而已。不过似乎是自杀最流行的形式。
    – user6065
    Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 3:05
0

I believe the simplest way to say it, colloquially and informally, is "辦法多得是" "總有辦法的"

If you are speaking in Cantonese, then these two phrases mean exactly what you intend to say: "實有計既" or "唔止一條路"

A less direct yet more formal translation is: 辦法總比困難多

Or a logical inversion could be: 不可能解決不了

Improve this answer
-2

How about this I found: 不要因为不能马上成为某事物的专家而失望.

Or this: 有多于一种的方式

Or this: 达到目的的办法多得很。

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    Don't be disappointed if you can't immediately be an expert of something.....
    – Mou某 ♦
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 9:39
  • Er, that's what the saying means, if at first you don't succeed ...
    – Pedroski
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 9:56
  • I'm not sure where you learned your English, but it doesn't mean that. idioms.thefreedictionary.com/… "You can always find more than one way to do something." | "something that you say which means that there are several possible ways of achieving something"
    – Mou某 ♦
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 9:58
  • Not sure whether you understand English, this is said when one way of doing something does not come to fruition for whatever reason. "Do not worry, there is ..
    – Pedroski
    Commented Apr 16, 2015 at 10:03

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.