tread the boards

• Meaning: to act on stage (esp. professionally)
• In Chinese: very close to a Chinese expression of the same meaning: 踏台板

throe

• Meaning: spasm of severe pain (as in childbirth); a condition of agonising struggle or trouble
  
• In Chinese: 絞痛
  
• Where we first met: wikipedia on the Scottish Enlightenment - ' ... the throes of the Enlightenment ... '