由于归属不同语言体系和拥有不同的文化背景，汉英各有其独特的表达方式，形成不同的思维定式和价值评判标准。这使得语言学习，特别是外语学习困难重重。在母语中养成的言语直觉在另一种语言中可能毫无用处，甚或造成障碍。例如中文说“我送您到大门”，英语说：I’ll see you to the gate．翻译时难免要犯些个错误，不仅在遣词造句、词语搭配、惯用语等方面，在文体、修辞和褒贬方面也一样容易出差错。如下面的例子：(括号中词语为正确用法)

   If you like riding, there are horses you can rent. (hire)

        My favorite play is chess. (game)

        The person sitting next to the driver was full of mud. (covered in mud)

1.      表达习惯的不同 (Different Ways of Saying Things)

汉英是两种完全不同的，各具典型的东西方文化特征的语言，其间差异巨大，以表达方式为例，便可见一斑。下面是我们翻译时容易弄错的搭配：

          大雪heavy snow  (而不习惯说big snow)

          红茶black tea  (而不习惯说red tea)

          红糖brown sugar  (而不习惯说red sugar)

          浓茶strong tea  (而不习惯说thick tea)

          浓墨thick/dark ink  (而不习惯说strong ink)

          浓汤thick soup  (而不习惯说strong soup)

          浓烟heavy/dense smoke  (而不习惯说strong smoke)

          喝汤eat soup  (而不习惯说drink soup)

          丢脸lose face  (而不习惯说lose one’s face)

          发脾气lose temper  (而不习惯说lose one’s temper)

          露一手show a hand  (而不习惯说show one’s hand)

          红眼病green-eyed disease;conjunctivitis (而不习惯说red-eyed disease)

          减肥lose weight  (而不习惯说lose one’s weight)

          哭穷poor-mouth  (而不习惯说pretend to be poor)

          大风strong wind; gale  (而不习惯说big wind)

          大雨heavy rain; downpour  (而不习惯说big rain)

          大水big flood;   (而不习惯说great flood)

          闯红灯run a red light  (而不习惯说through a red light)

          不论晴雨rain or shine  [而不习惯说(whether) shine or rain]

          (电视/广播的)黄金时间prime time  (而不习惯说golden time)

近三年the past three years  (而不习惯说the latest three years)

所以，东南西北要说成north，south，east and west，而不习惯说east，south，west and north。而中国古代的南北朝译成英文就成了Northern and Southern Dynasties。(