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

• You've probably felt the difference between a "little white lie" and what I think of as a black hole secret, the kind that absorbs and darkens everything around it.
  大概你已经体验过”小谎言“和那种我认为是”黑洞“的秘密（那种会吸入，并阴暗化它周围一切的秘密）这两者之间的区别了。
• But mama said it wasjust a little white lie.
  但妈妈说一些大话不要紧。
• I'd rather tell my mother a white lie than tell her the truth and upset her.
  我宁可向妈妈撒个小谎，也不愿把真相告她，让她心中不安。
• 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。
• 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。
• Would you want a white lie told to you?
  你想听到一个善意的谎言吗？
• Sometimes our Lord permits of a little white lie.
  有时，我们的上帝允许说一点点光明正大的谎言。
• Sample Sentence: He told a white lie when his father asked where he was going.
  例句：当他爸爸问他要去哪儿时，他撒了一个善意的谎言。
• 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』。
• 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。