直譯（在譯人語中再現相同意象）。條件是該意象在譯入語中出現頻率、常用程度和文體相當：a ray of hope 一線希望；spend money like water 花錢如流水（也可借用“揮金如土”）；be armed to the teeth 武裝到牙齒；crocodile tears 鱷魚的眼淚；God helps those who help themselves. 自助(zhu)(zhu)者天助(zhu)(zhu)也(ye)。這幾個(ge)例子，除了(le)前兩對正好(hao)相當外，其余幾個(ge)還是有外來痕跡。既直譯，又要符(fu)合“出現頻率、常用程度和文體相當”的標(biao)準是非常困(kun)難的。

借用（用標準的譯入語意象替代源語意象）。sunny smile 燦爛的微笑；Among the blind the one-eyed man is king. 山中沒老虎，猴子稱霸王；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.人過三十不學藝；Talk of the devil (and he will appear).說到曹操，曹操就到；Injustice will cry out .物不平則鳴；abject apologies 負荊請罪；又如burn one's boats (bridges)，用來比喻“不留后路，下定決心干到底”，意思同漢語的“破釜沉舟”，形象稍有差異；kill the goose to get the eggs 比喻(yu)只貪圖眼前利益(yi)，沒有長遠打算，與漢語“殺雞取卵”意思相同，喻(yu)體也相近。上述幾例中，有些可(ke)能產生文化(hua)沖突(tu)，如(ru)“說到曹操(cao)(cao)，曹操(cao)(cao)就到”。

把隱喻翻譯為明喻，保留原來的意象，這樣可以避免隱喻造成的突兀。如:龍飛鳳舞 like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing；狗咬呂洞賓，不識好人心 Like the dog that bit Lu Tung-pin  - you bite the hand that feeds you.

直譯+意譯（把比喻翻譯為比喻+意思）。A skeleton in the closet 衣柜里的骷髏，見不得人的事兒；龍飛鳳舞like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing - bold cursive calligraphy; Pandora's box 潘多拉的盒子——災難、麻煩、禍害的根源；病來如山倒，病去如抽絲Getting better is always a lengthy business. You know what they say “Sickness comes like an avalanche but goes like reeling silk”.

意譯（把比喻轉換為意思）。Every family is said to have at least one skeleton in the cupboard. 據說家家戶戶至少也有一樁丑事；The teenagers don't invite Bob to their parties because he is a wet blanket. 青少年們不邀請鮑勃參加他們的聚會因為他是一個令人掃興的人；Old dog will not learn new tricks. 老人學不了新東西；Achilles' heel 惟一致命弱點；meet one's waterloo 一敗涂地；說得天花亂墜，不由得尤老娘不肯 He painted such a glowing picture that naturally old Mrs. You agreed.

刪除。如果隱喻多余或沒有什么意義，可以刪除。例如：他不但不去管約，反助紂為虐討好。He had not checked his disgraceful behavior but actually abetted him in order to curry favor.

直譯+解釋。To carry coals to Newcastle. 運煤到紐卡斯爾，多此一舉（注:“紐卡斯爾”是英國的一個產煤中心地，運煤到此是多余的事）；班門弄斧 show off one's skill with the axe before Lu Ban the master carpenter，也可直接翻譯意思：show off one' s talent/skill before an expert；臥薪嘗膽 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)