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r the aim of making the version more vivid and lively. (In a language, idioms are one of the important rhetorical devices while figures of speech used in most idioms are the major one.)(平洪,张国扬,英语习语与英美文化[M]. 北京: 外语教学与研究出版社.2000,p19) According to one of the three-word translation criteria---“elegance” offered by Yan Fu, figures of speech (simile, metaphor, metonymy and synecdoche) would be adopted in the practice of idioms translation so as to make the Chinese version more vivid and acceptable to the Chinese readers. Here we only discuss simile and metaphor. 3.2.1 Simile Generally speaking, there are two structures appeared in English idioms as follows: 1)“as” structure This structure can be translated as “像……一样” e.g. as clear as crystal 像水晶一样明澈 as proud as a peacock 像孔雀一样骄傲 As we have discussed above, we cannot ignore the feature of correspondence of image translation, we should find some Chinese counterparts. For example, we cannot simply translate the idiom “as timid as a rabbit” as “像兔子一样胆小 ”Because this version cannot be accepted easily by Chinese readers. Instead, we can adopt the version of “胆小如鼠”，which is much better and is easier to be accepted by Chinese readers. 2)“like” structure e.g. ①Any comment on this report to the writer will be like a red rag to a bull. This idiom should be translated by using its figurative meaning. In Chinese, it means “使某人生气的事” ② The advice I gave to the boss like water off a duck’s back. Through psychological imagination, we can get the image that the feather of a duck must be very slippery. 3.2.2 Metaphor Metaphor is an important rhetorical device in the English language especially in English idioms. When we translate idioms we must find the metaphorical meaning and make the version be in accordance with the ways of thinking of Chinese readers. Look at the table below: English Idioms Culture Sense Metaphorical meaning Chinese Version worth one’s salt In ancient Rome Age, salt is distributed to soldiers as their pay and provisions. (Salt is equal to salary or wages.) “deserving one’s earns.” 称职 big cheese Cheese is delicious so it has the meaning of “important things”. VIP (very important person; high-rank official.) 大人物，高官 the apple of one’s eye "keep me as the apple of the eye”(Psalms17:8, The Old Testament) Person or thing that is loved more than any other. 心爱的人或物，掌上明珠 The pen is mightier than the sword. “Pen” is always related to poets, thinkers, etc. “Sword” is always related to soldiers. Poets, thinkers, etc, affect human affairs more than soldiers do. 笔墨胜刀剑。 Meet one’s Waterloo In 1815, Napoleon’s army was defeated heavily in Waterloo. It’ a deadly failure to someboby. 一败涂地 4. Mistranslation Since culture sense varies from one country to another one, image translation may lead to mistranslation. Actually, it is caused by the misconception of the culture sense. According to Nida :"perhaps the most serious misconception is the idea that each language more or less controls the way people think, sometimes expressed as "We think the way we think because we talk the way ."(EugeneA. Nida,Language, Culture, and Translating[M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.1993, p105) 4.1 Mistranslation caused by literal meaning Sometimes we translate some English idioms word for word, we’ll find the Chinese version seems to be agreeable to us. In fact, we make the mistranslation caused by the misunderstanding of the implied meaning of