直译（在译人语中再现相同意象）。条件是该意象在译入语中出现频率、常用程度和文体相当：a ray of hope 一线希望；spend money like water 花钱如流水（也可借用“挥金如土”）；be armed to the teeth 武装到牙齿；crocodile tears 鳄鱼的眼泪；God helps those who help themselves. 自助者天助也。这几个例子，除了前两对正好相当外，其余几个还是有外来痕迹。既直译，又要符合“出现频率、常用程度和文体相当”的标准是非常困难的。

借用（用标准的译入语意象替代源语意象）。sunny smile 灿烂的微笑；Among the blind the one-eyed man is king. 山中没老虎，猴子称霸王；He who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl.近朱者赤，近墨者黑；Old dog will not learn new tricks.人过三十不学艺；Talk of the devil (and he will appear).说到曹操，曹操就到；Injustice will cry out .物不平则鸣；abject apologies 负荆请罪；又如burn one's boats (bridges)，用来比喻“不留后路，下定决心干到底”，意思同汉语的“破釜沉舟”，形象稍有差异；kill the goose to get the eggs 比喻只贪图眼前利益，没有长远打算，与汉语“杀鸡取卵”意思相同，喻体也相近。上述几例中，有些可能产生文化冲突，如“说到曹操，曹操就到”。

把隐喻翻译为明喻，保留原来的意象，这样可以避免隐喻造成的突兀。如:龙飞凤舞 like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing；狗咬吕洞宾，不识好人心 Like the dog that bit Lu Tung-pin  - you bite the hand that feeds you.

直译+意译（把比喻翻译为比喻+意思）。A skeleton in the closet 衣柜里的骷髅，见不得人的事儿；龙飞凤舞like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing - bold cursive calligraphy; Pandora's box 潘多拉的盒子——灾难、麻烦、祸害的根源；病来如山倒，病去如抽丝Getting better is always a lengthy business. You know what they say “Sickness comes like an avalanche but goes like reeling silk”.

意译（把比喻转换为意思）。Every family is said to have at least one skeleton in the cupboard. 据说家家户户至少也有一桩丑事；The teenagers don't invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket. 青少年们不邀请鲍勃参加他们的聚会因为他是一个令人扫兴的人；Old dog will not learn new tricks. 老人学不了新东西；Achilles' heel 惟一致命弱点；meet one's waterloo 一败涂地；说得天花乱坠，不由得尤老娘不肯 He painted such a glowing picture that naturally old Mrs. You agreed.

删除。如果隐喻多余或没有什么意义，可以删除。例如：他不但不去管约，反助纣为虐讨好。He had not checked his disgraceful behavior but actually abetted him in order to curry favor.

直译+解释。To carry coals to Newcastle. 运煤到纽卡斯尔，多此一举（注:“纽卡斯尔”是英国的一个产煤中心地，运煤到此是多余的事）；班门弄斧 show off one's skill with the axe before Lu Ban the master carpenter，也可直接翻译意思：show off one' s talent/skill before an expert；卧薪尝胆 sleep on brush-wood and taste gall - undergo self-imposed hardship (to strengthen one's resolve to wipe out a national humiliation or to accomplish some ambition)