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

• Not at home is a familiar white lie.
  不在家是人所熟知的一句谎话。
• Most of us will probably admit to the occasional little white lie.
  大多数人或许都承认，我们偶尔说些善意的谎言。
• Who among us hasn't told a little white lie?
  我们中的谁没说过小小的善意的谎话？
• That child told his mother a white lie.
  阿谁小孩背他妈妈讲了个小谎。
• Would you want a white lie told to you?
  你想听到一个善意的谎言吗？
• Sometimes it saves a lot of trouble to tell a white lie.
  有时候撒个小谎会节省许多麻烦。
• This is a white lie.
  译成“这是个善意的谎言”。
• 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。
• 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。
• 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』。