The Book of Change says that the first requisite of rhetoric is truthfulness.Confucius says that expressiveness is all that matters in language.He adds that if one’s language lacks grace,it won’t go far.These three qualities,then,are the criterion of good writing and,I believe,of good translation too.Hence besides faithfulness and expressiveness,I also aim at elegance.I strive for elegance not just to make my translations travel far,but to express the original writer’s ideas better,for I find that subtle thoughts are better expressed in the vocabulary and syntax of pre-Han prose than those of the vulgar writings of today.Using the latter often leads to distortion of meaning,which,however slight,results in vast misunderstanding.Weighing the pros and cons,I opted for the Former,as a matter of necessity,not trying to be different……
New ideas come one after another,with a multiplicity of new names.No equivalents can be found for them in Chinese.Straining for resemblances,one gets only contrarieties.The translator is obliged to use his own discretion,doing his best to find a term suited to the sense……A single term often took weeks and months of deliberation……（王佐良 譯）意合法在漢語中是常態，在英語中是“變態”。這類“變態”常見於英語一些諺語、表達複合句的簡單句，以及表達狀語從句意義的定語從句。如：例1.謀事在人，成事在天。
Man proposes,God disposes.例2.A successful old age is easiest for those who have strong impersonal interests involving appropriate activities.譯文：如果老年人對個人以外的事情懷有強烈的興趣，並參加適當的活動，他們的晚年是最容易過得好的例3.The best shortcut would still take five hours.譯文：（即使）抄近路也要五小時。例4.Out of blows friendship grows./No discord,no concord.譯文：不打不相識。例5.The enemy advances,we retreat；the enemy camps,we harass；the enemy tires,we attack；the enemy retreats,we pursue.譯文：敵進我退，敵駐我擾，敵疲我打，敵退我追。
（四）形合意合在漢英翻譯中的操作漢譯英時，首先分清漢語原文中哪些是主體意念，將其置於主句；哪些是客體描摹、事件背景、概念前提或條件、思維指向、行為對象等等，將其作從句或詞組處理。
（1）翻譯成帶從句的英語句子
例1.他們妯娌吵嘴，不巧被我撞見了。
I chanced to be present when the sisters-in-law were having a quarrel.
（2）翻譯成帶介詞短語的英語句子。
例2.好不容易才說服她，照我的想法辦。
With some difficulty I brought her round to my way of thinking.
（3）翻譯成帶分詞或不定式結構的英語句子
例3.隻見那個理發師俯下身，聽小姑娘說，她要什麼發式。
Leaning down to hear the little girl,the barber listened to her about the style she wanted.
例4.對人太苛求，沒什麼道理，自己也容易失望。
You have little cause to make excessive demands from others and make yourself disappointed in return.
（4）翻譯成帶定式複合結構的英語句子
例5.酒不醉人人自醉。
It is not the wine that intoxicates but the drinker who gets himself drunk.
例6.人到醉時方覺醒，醒時難得醉時清。
It is not until one gets drunk that he gets sober and it is difficult for him to get as sober as he gets drunk.練習（英形合，漢意合）
1.那時舅舅抱著我，哄著我，我覺得很溫暖。
Sitting on my uncle's lap,being humored all the way,I was feeling very good.
2.我軟化了，我被母親那顆永遠充滿了愛而又從來缺少愛的心軟化了。我終於決定按照母親的願望，報考中文係。
I weakened,softened by my mother's ever-lasting love that had never been reciprocated with love.In the end,I decided to enroll in the Chinese department,following my mother's wish.
3.太華之高（）不知幾千仞，（）惜未能裹糧往登焉。歸途（）見林柿正黃，（）就馬上摘食之。土人呼止，（）弗聽，（）嚼之，（）澀甚，（）急吐去。（）下騎覓泉漱口，（）始能言。土人大笑。蓋柿須摘下，煮一沸始去其澀，餘不知也。（沈複《浮生六記》）
I have no idea how many thousand feet high the Huashan Mountains areandregret very muchnot having been able topack up some dry provisionsandgo exploring them for a few days.On my way back I saw some wild persimmons,whichwere of a ripe color.I picked one from the tree while on horseback,andwas going to eat it then and there.The native people tried to stop me,butI wouldn’t listen to them.Only after taking a bite didI find it to have a very harsh flavor.So much so thatI quickly spat it outandhad to come down from horsebackandrinse my mouth at a springbeforeI could speak,tothe great merriment of my native advisers.Forpersimmons should be boiledin orderto take away their harsh flavor,butI learnt this a little too late.