# 最为深刻的印象



## greatcz

The deepest impression of somebody is diligence and hard-working.
Is this an appropriate translation?


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## rockvivian

"XX impress me most" is better, i guess


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## xiaolijie

I don't think either of the above translations is correct. *最为深刻的印象* is _not a sentence_ but only a phrase, the equivalent in English should be : "*the deepest impression*".


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## rockvivian

*T*ranslate the meaning, not the words

*A*nd *I* think we'd better use more strong-verb-based sentences , less abstract nouns in English writing


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## greatcz

Thanks for your replies. I have decided to use "his diligence left me the deepest impression".


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## samanthalee

greatcz said:


> Thanks for your replies. I have decided to use "his diligence left me the deepest impression".


不知怎么，感觉像断句。我会说“his diligence left the deepest impression on me”。


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## snooprun

My version is "What impressed me most were his diligence and hard-working."


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## snooprun

Or you can safely say "It was his diligence and hard-working that impressed me most."


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## rockvivian

snooprun said:


> My version is "What impressed me most were his diligence and hard-working."


 

*F*or me, *I* would choose *yo*ur version

*B*ut *I* think we could improve it further, for it's better not say the same thing - diligence and hard-working - twice: What impressed me most was his hard-working (diligence is a abstruct noun compared with hard-working, *I* guess). : )


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## viajero_canjeado

Pardon my silly question, but where are "hard work and diligence" mentioned in the original? Is this just a set phrase that includes the idea of diligence without explicitly referring to it?


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## BODYholic

viajero_canjeado said:


> Pardon my silly question, but where are "hard work and diligence" mentioned in the original? Is this just a set phrase that includes the idea of diligence without explicitly referring to it?



I believe OP's concern is "Somebody's diligence & hard work leaves him/her 最为深刻的印象". He/She only needs us to translate the portion written in Chinese, the other bits merely serve as context.


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## viajero_canjeado

Thanks for clarifying, Bodyholic. Now that that's clear, I suppose I would translate it so:
His diligence is what left the most lasting impression.
His diligence is what made the biggest impression on me.


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## snooprun

viajero_canjeado said:


> Thanks for clarifying, Bodyholic. Now that that's clear, I suppose I would translate it so:
> His diligence is what left the most lasting impression.
> His diligence is what made the biggest impression on me.


Nice try, but changing "is" to "was" would be better.


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## viajero_canjeado

That would only imply that the impression was left in the past but didn't necessarily survive up to the present. "Is", on the other hand, means that the impression still exists, which gives the sentence greater force, in my opinion. Either way is grammatically acceptable, it just comes down to how the poster wishes to express him- or herself.


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## snooprun

Your explanation makes it more clearer, thanks. It do rest with how the poster wishes to express themselves.


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## Mugi

I'm glad to see viajero_canjeado avoided using "deepest"!

For a more colloquial rendering, also consider, "The thing that strikes/struck me most about him is/was his diligence [towards work/study]"


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## greatcz

viajero_canjeado said:


> Thanks for clarifying, Bodyholic. Now that that's clear, I suppose I would translate it so:
> His diligence is what left the most lasting impression.
> His diligence is what made the biggest impression on me.


Thanks for your suggestion. I think these two are much better.


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