“sheep”在英语里指“绵羊”，“a grass-eating farm animal that is kept for its wool and its meat”；英文的sheep具有汉语“羊”的“善”与“羞”，

 

“goat”是指“山羊”,“an animal a little like a sheep that can climb steep hills and rocks”。goat富含贬义：act the goat（行为愚蠢）、old goat（老色鬼）。

 

所以，生肖“羊”应该选择“sheep”译名。

 

 

Separate the sheep from the goats 区分绵羊和山羊→辨别好人坏人（Divide things in two groups, those things that have value and those things that are less valuable / worthless）

 

I had rather be a tick in a sheep than such a valiant¹ ignorance. 我宁愿做羊身上的虱子，不愿做这种没有头脑的勇士。

 

Return to one's sheep/muttons回到本题

 

A lost sheep 迷途的羔羊

 

One might as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb. 偷一只大羊和偷一只小羊都会被吊死——不做二不休

 

Set the wolf to keep the sheep 请狼来看羊，引狼入室

 

A wolf in sheep's clothing 披着羊皮的狼

 

A scapegoat² 替罪羊

 

to be as mild as a lamb 温顺如羔羊；

 

play the goat 举止轻浮；

 

follow like sheep 盲从；

 

sheep without a shepherd 乌合之众；

 

make sheep's eyes at somebody 愚笨地向某人献殷勤；

 

a sheep in a tiger's skin 羊质虎皮(outwardly strong)；

 

cast sheep's eyes at sb. 对某人抛媚眼；

 

stand out like a camel in a flock of sheep 鹤立鸡群。

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