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

• 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。
• 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。
• 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』。
• Would you want a white lie told to you?
  你想听到一个善意的谎言吗？
• But mama said it wasjust a little white lie.
  但妈妈说一些大话不要紧。
• That child told his mother a white lie.
  阿谁小孩背他妈妈讲了个小谎。
• 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。
• He has told a white lie.
  他说了个白色的谎。
• I cannot shake my dependency on the white lie, because I was brought up to be nice.
  我不会让善意的谎言动摇了我的诚信，因为我从小就被教育要成为一个好人。
• This is a white lie.
  译成“这是个善意的谎言”。