释义(paraphrase)是指舍弃原文中的具体形象，直接解释出原文的意思。在翻译一些具有鲜明民族色彩的词语(如成语、典故)时，如果直译不能使译入语读者明白意思，而加注又使译文太噜嗦，并且原文重意不重形、重意不重典时，可采用释义法。它既可使译文简洁明了，又不损害对原文信息的传达。例如： as drunk as a fiddler 酩酊大醉(在古英格兰，民间小提琴手在公共场合为舞蹈伴奏，人们往往以酒酬谢，因此往往会喝得大醉.后人用此成语时，常常重意不重形与典，因此，不必直译为 "像小提琴手一样酩酊大醉"，采用释义法即可.)
as rich as Croesus 十分富有(Croesus 是公元6世纪小亚细亚吕底亚国王，十分富有.如直译为 "像科里瑟斯一样富有"，倒让读者十分费解，因为读者不知 "科里瑟斯"为何许人，并且后人用此词时，常常意重于典，所以不如释义为 "十分富有"，简单明白.)
bring down the house 全场喝彩(不能直译为 "把房子都弄倒了")
(1) It's not easy to become a member of that club-they want people who have plenty of money to spend， not just every Tom， ***， and Harry.
(8) Early Reagan was a mirror image of early Carter.里根上台时在做法上跟执政初期的卡特毫无二致。
(a mirror image 如直译为"镜子里的形象"，就让人感到非常别扭，远不如"毫无二致"自然。)
(9) She scolded her maid and was as cross as two sticks.她骂斥自己的女仆，而且脾气非常不好。
(如直译为"像两根棍子一样暴躁"，让人不知所云，并且此处重意不重形，翻译时只好采用释义法。)
(10) Up Broadway he turned， and halted at a glittering café， where are gathered together nightly the choicest products of the grapes， the silkworm and the protoplasm.
他拐到百老汇路上，在一家灯火辉煌的饭店前停下来，那里每晚汇集上好的美酒、华丽的衣服和有地位的人物。
(文中the choicest products of the grapes， the silkworm and the protoplasm如直译为"葡萄、蚕和原生质最精良的产物"，难令读者明白其意。这里，grape(葡萄)， silkworm(蚕)， protoplasm(原生质)属于修饰学上的提喻(synecdoche)，用原材料分别指它们的制成品──酒、衣服与人。翻译时只得舍弃原文形象，直接释明其意。)
(11) Little in his childhood suggested he would someday become a bridge across Latin and Anglo cultures.
(12) Words are not themselves a reality but only representation of it， and the King's English， like the Anglo-French of the Normans， is a class representation of reality.
(18) Clearly a tug of war over key policies continues between the pragmatic and ideological camps.
不言而喻，注重务实的和强调意识形态的两大营垒还会在重大政策上争吵不休.
(tug of war 本意为 "拔河"，在此处为比喻用法，指 "双方势均力敌，争吵不休"，直译显然不妥，故采用释义法.)
►转换法
英译汉时常常有必要改变表达方式，使译文通顺流畅、地道可读。这种变通技巧就是转换法(shift of perspective)。转换的形式多种多样，大体可分为5种：①词类转换，②句子成分转换，③表达方式转换，④自然语序与倒装语序转换;⑤正面表达与反面表达转换。
一、词类转换
词类转换是指英语中的某一词类译成汉语时转换成另一词类。
(一)英语名词、介词、形容词或副词转换为汉语动词
(1) The cultivation of a hobby and new forms of interest is therefore a policy of first importance to a public man.因此，对于一个从事社会活动的人来讲，培养一种爱好和新的情趣方式，乃是至关重要的对策。
(2) The Red Army Men marched on bravely against the piercing wind.红军冒着刺骨的寒风英勇前进。
(3) All were unconscious that this experience was a test of character; and， when the first excitement was over， felt that they had done well， and deserved praise.大家都没有认识到这番经验却是一次个性的考验，最初的兴奋过去以后，又觉得自己已经干得不错了，理应受到赞扬。
(4) He appeared at her side， breathing audibly， a moment after she reached the stop. She gazed ahead， rigid.她到车站不一会儿，他便出现在她的身旁，听见他喘息的声音。她凝视着前方，表情严峻。
(5) Yet to both classes the need of an alternative outlook， of a change of atmosphere， of a diversion of effort， is essential.然而，对所有这两种类型的人来说，变换一下看法、改变一下环境和转换一下注意力都是最基本的需要。
(6) …and it was on the first stage of this journey， in Kenya， that she received the news of her father's death and her own accession to the throne. ……就在此行的第一站肯尼亚，她接到了父亲去世并由她本人继承王位的消息。
(二)英语动词、副词转换为汉语名词、形容词
(1) The inflammation is characterized by red， swelling， fever， and pain.炎症的特点是红、肿、热、痛。
(2) The visiting guests were escorted to the Yellow Crane Tower last Sunday.上星期天，来访的客人和陪同人员一起参观了黄鹤楼。
(3) Our government shows great concern for the Chinese residents abroad.我国政府十分关心海外华侨。
(4) Formality has always characterized their relationship.他们之间的关系，有一个特点，就是以礼相待。
(5) Most US spy satellites are designed to burn up in the earth's atmosphere after completing their missions.美国绝大多数间谍卫星，按其设计，是在完成使命后，在大气层中焚毁。
(三)英语名词转换为汉语形容词、副词
(1) He added： "I understand and respect those views， but I deeply believe in the correctness of my decision." 他还说："我理解并尊重他们的看法，但我深信我的决定是正确的。"
(1) You can always tell the somebodies from the nobodies at a cocktail party. The somebodies come late.在鸡尾酒会上人们常常可以看出大人物和无名小卒来。那些迟到的就是大人物。(主语转换为表语;谓语转换为主语)
(2) With the fear of largely imaginary plots against his leadership， his self-confidence seemed totally to desert him.由于害怕有人阴谋推翻他的领导，他似乎完全丧失了自信。但所谓的阴谋在很大程度上是他自己假想出来的。(主语转换为宾语，宾语转换为主语)
(3) Cheerful， efficient and warm-hearted， they will do everything to make your journey smooth and comfortable.他们乐观、能干、热情，总是想方设法使你一路上顺利舒适。(状语转换为谓语)
(4) Her presence of mind had not completely deserted her; but she could not have trusted herself to speak.她还没有完全失去镇静，一时却又找不出话可说。(主语转换为宾语，宾语转换为主语)
(5) This is the unexpected kind of remark that makes me like the colonel; there is a touch of rough poetry about him.正是这种出人意料的言论使我喜欢上了上校。他这个人还有那么点诗意呢。(主语转换为宾语;介词宾语转换为主语)
(1) The proposal was carried by a very narrow margin.这项建议差点通不过。
(2)We believe that the younger generation will prove worthy of our trust.我们相信，年轻一代将不会辜负我们的信任。
(3) He went to an outdoor phone booth and dialed Chicago， then New York， then San Francisco.Silence. Silence. Silence.他到一个户外公用电话亭，先给芝加哥、又给纽约、旧金山打了电话。
(4) As a place to live， it left much to be desired. As a secret training base for a revolutionary new plane， it was an excellent site， its remoteness effectively masking its activity.作为居住的地方，这里有许多不足之处，但作为改革性的新飞机秘密训练基地，却是非常理想的。因为它地处边陲，人们不易发觉其中的活动。
(5) The pictures that linger in his mind， called up in a moment by such sensations as the smell of roses or of new-mown hay， are of a simpler nature.然而，萦绕心头的画面，那些一经嗅到玫瑰花香或新鲜干草的气息便会倏地闯入记忆的情景，其实并不复杂。
(6) As he sipped his coffee， he opened a still damp morning paper; and began reading.他一面喝咖啡，一面翻开油墨未干的晨报，看了起来。
(7) Father's attitude toward anybody who wasn't his kind used to puzzle me.以前我总不懂父亲为什么对那些脾气跟他不一样的人采取那么个态度。
(8) Sadly， Edward died before he could see the new church， but his beautiful tomb is still there， with the tombs of the Kings and Queens of England who came after him.遗憾的是，爱德华未能看见新教堂就去世了，但是他那幽雅的坟墓和嗣后的英国国王和王后的坟墓还都留在那里。
(二)英语反面表达转换为汉语正面表达
(1) You can't be too careful.你要特别小心。
(2) The significance of these incidents wasn't lost on us.这些事件引起了我们的重视。
(3) Such flights couldn't long escape notice.这类飞行迟早会被人发觉的。
(4) The human system can hold out for a while against the gas from a leaking，damped-down coal stove， but soon after unconsciousness comes death.煤气若是从封上火的煤炉漏出，人体可以忍受一些时候，但人昏迷之后，不用很久就会死亡。
(5) But there is another story， a family saga， that may turn out to be important to unlocking the mystery of what actually happened between Lewinsky and the President.但是，莱温斯基和总统之间究竟发生了什么事，另外一个故事，即家史，最终对解开这个谜十分重要。
(6) Maintaining credibility requires confronting potential adversaries with the objective，unambiguous facts of our counter-balancing military capabilities， our political strengths and economic advantages， and our clear resolution to use these for our defense if necessary.保持这种可靠性需要以下客观的、明确的事实来对付潜在的对手：我们达到平衡的军事能力、我们的政治实力和经济优势以及我们必要时使用这些手段进行自卫的毫不含糊的决心。