英语中的有些数词在汉译时可以等值翻译。但是也有不少数词在汉语中不能等值翻译，或者完全不译出来。这种翻译处理方法是为了使汉译句子能符合汉语的表达习惯。以分分别举例说明。
（1）等值翻译：
a drop in the ocean 沧海一粟
within a stone’s throw 一箭之遥
kill two birds with one stone 一箭双雕
A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. 吃一堑，长一智。
（2）不等值翻译：
at sixes and sevens 乱七八糟
on second thoughts 再三考虑
by ones and twos 三三两两地，零零落落地
Two heads are better than one. 三个臭皮匠赛过诸葛亮
-Can you come down a little?
-Sorry, it’s one price for all.
能便宜一点吗？
对不起，不二价。
He had one over the eight after he drank only half bottle of the wine.
他才喝了半瓶酒就醉得七歪八倒了。
（3）不必译出：
One man’s meat is another man’s poison
.人各有所好。
I’ll love you three score and ten.
我会一辈子爱你的。
Ten to one he has forgotten it.
很可能他已经忘了。
His mark in math is second to none in the class.
他的数学分数在班上是名列前茅的。
She is a second Lei Feng.
她是雷锋式的人物。
I always believe my sixth sense.
我总相信我的直觉。
He talks about you nine times out of ten when we have a chitchat.
每次我们闲聊，他几乎都谈及你。
The parson officially pronounced that they became one.
牧师正式宣告他们成婚。
I used to study in France in the year one.
我早年曾在法国学习。