white lie

英 [ˌwaɪt ˈlaɪ]

美 [ˌwaɪt ˈlaɪ]

n.  (尤指为避免伤害他人感情的)善意的谎言，小谎

牛津词典

noun

• （尤指为避免伤害他人感情的）善意的谎言，小谎
  a harmless or small lie, especially one that you tell to avoid hurting sb

柯林斯词典

• 善意的谎言
  If you refer to an untrue statement as awhite lie, you mean that it is made to avoid hurting someone's feelings or to avoid trouble, and not for an evil purpose.

英英释义

noun

• an unimportant lie (especially one told to be tactful or polite)

双语例句

• Can't you just tell a small white lie so you don't hurt his feelings?
  我知道不容易，可你那么聪明我相信你一定能回答出来。
• We don't want to hurt her, so we tell her a white lie.
  我们没有念伤害她，所以编了一个大话。
• I told her a white lie when I said that I had to leave because I had a headache.
  我说我头痛必须先走，那是对她撒了个无伤大雅的谎。
• Okay, so you caught me in a small white lie for pedagogical sake.
  好的，所以你捕捉到我，以教育目的用了个善意的谎言。
• I told a white lie when I told Jennie her boyfriend was good-looking.
  我告诉珍妮说她男朋友很好看，说了个善意的谎。
• White lie accomplishes some positive good or at least avoids some evil.
  『善意的谎言完成某一正面好或至少避免某一罪恶』。
• But in this sense, what does the term a white lie mean?
  善意的谎言是什么意思呢？
• So you mum won't have to yell, a white lie.
  那妈妈就不会骂你了，一个善意的谎言。
• Even though Sarah's haircut was really ugly, James told her a white lie by saying it was a good change.
  虽然萨拉的发型真的很难看，詹姆斯对她撒了善意的谎言，说这是个很好的改变。
• I told my wife a white lie saying that she looked fabulous in her new clothes.
  我对太太撒了个善意的谎言，称赞她穿上新衣好看极了。