1.) Better Late Than Never.

迟来总比不来好。

This idiom is simple but effective. It implies that a belated achievement is better than not reaching a goal at all. One might say, “The achievement is long overdue, but it’s better late than never.”

这个成语是简洁而有效的。这意味着，一个迟来的成果总比一个没有实现的成果要好。有人可能会说，“这个成果应该是老早就有的，但迟到总比没有好。”

2.) On the Spur of the Moment.

一时冲动

This popular saying denotes a spontaneous or sudden undertaking. For example, “Linda and Louis drove to the beach on the spur of the moment.”

这一流行语说的是自发的或突发奇想的事情。例如，“琳达和路易斯因为一时冲动开车去海边的。”

3.) Once in a Blue Moon.

千载难逢

A blue moon is a colloquial term applied to the second full moon in one month. This idiom means something is rare or infrequent. For example, “Homebodies Mary and James only go out once in a blue moon.”

“一个蓝色的月亮”是一个不太正式的俗语，用于描述在同一个月里面看到两次圆月。这个俗语的意思是稀有和不常见。例如，“Mary和James很注重家庭，因此很少出去”。

4.) Living on Borrowed Time.

活在借来的时间里，时日无多或劫后余生

Following an illness or near-death experience, many people believe they have cheated death. Here’s an example: “After Jim was struck by lightning, he felt like he was living on borrowed time.”

因为病入膏肓或者有过濒临死亡的体验，很多人都相信，他们骗过了死神。例如，“在Jim被雷打中之后，他感觉自己活在借来的时间中”。

5.) In the Interim

与此同时，在此期间

This frequently used phrase is interchangeable with “in the meantime,” which is another time-related saying. It denotes a period of time between something that ended and something that happened afterwards. For example, “The boss will be back next week. In the interim, the workers will be stocking shelves and cleaning.”

这个俗语可以和”in the meantime”互换，这也是另外一个与时间相关的俗语。它的意思是，在某件事结束之后，但又在另外一件事开始之前。例如，“老板会在下周回来。在此期间，工人们在清理和摆放货架”。

6.) In Broad Daylight

在光天化日之下

When something occurs in broad daylight, it means the event is clearly visible. Here’s an example: “Two coyotes brazenly walked across the lawn in broad daylight.”

在光天化日之下发生的事情，意味着这件事情是清晰明了的。这有个例子，“两只狼在光天化日之下肆无忌惮的地穿过草坪。”

7.) Against the Clock.

和时钟对着干

This common idiom means time is working against a project or plan instigated by a group or an individual. For example, “In movies, writers love to create countdowns where the main characters are working against the clock.”

这一常见成语是指一个由群体或个体组织的项目在和时间赛跑抗争（即时间不足，必须争分夺秒）。例如，“在电影里面，作家们喜欢在主角们争分夺秒工作的时候，插入倒计时。”

8.) All in Good Time

一切上天都自有安排

Patience is an uncommon virtue. When individuals are inpatient, friends often assure them that things will happen eventually. Here’s an example: “Rachel thought she was going to become an old maid, but her mother assured her she would find the right person and get married all in good time.”

耐心是一种罕见的品质。当一个人不耐心的时候，朋友们都会安慰他说，最后一切都会变好的。例如，“Rachel觉得她要成为一个老处女了，但是她的妈妈安慰她说你终会找到属于你的另一半，然后和他一起步入婚姻的殿堂”。

9.) Big Time

大时代

This versatile, informal idiom is used to denote something of extreme severity. For example, “Johnnie knew he was going to be in big-time trouble.” It can also mean to reach the top of one’s profession. For example, “When he landed the position as vice president, he knew he had reached the big time.”

这个用途广泛的非正式成语可用来描述一些极其严重的事情。例如，“Johnnie知道他将会有大麻烦了。”它也可以表示为，达到某人事业的顶峰。例如，“当他上任副总裁的位置时，他知道他已经达到了事业的顶峰”。

10.) The Time is Ripe.

时机成熟。

When the time is ripe, it’s advantageous to undertake plans that have been waiting for awhile. Here’s an example: “Raphael was planning a trip overseas, and the time was finally ripe.”

当时机成熟之际，实行已经酝酿好的计划是有利的。例如，“Raphael正在计划一次海外旅行，现在时机终于成熟了”。

11.) Have the Time of Your Life.

享受你的生活

The 1980s movie Dirty Dancing turned this idiom into a song that became one of the film’s most iconic tracks. The time of your life means you’re enjoying an unforgettable, exhilarating experience that cannot be recreated. For example, “Genevieve had the time of her life touring Italy.”

八十年代的电影《胀舞》把这个俗语编成了一首歌，并且这首歌成为了电影中最具代表性的曲目。你生命，是一个难忘，愉快，并且不可再现的过程。例如，“Genevieve正在意大利享受她的旅行。”

12.) Time is Money.

时间就是金钱。

If time is going to waste, money isn’t being made. This popular idiom attributed to Ben Franklin is frequently used in relation to business or employment. Here’s an example: “It’s wise to use every minute productively because time is money.”

如果浪费时间，那么也无法创造金钱。这是富兰克林的一句名言，经常用于描述商业或者雇佣之间的关系。以下是一个例子，“有效地利用每一分钟是明智的，因为时间就是金钱。”

These idioms about time are used frequently in writing and conversation. With these idioms and expressions, anyone can express abstract ideas in a colloquial manner.

这些关于时间的俗语在写作和会话中经常会用到。有了这些俗语和表达，任何人都可以用一个通俗的方式来表达一些抽象的意思。

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