1
a euphemism for sth
常用来解释某一表达的真实含义。也可写作“a euphemism for [名词]”。
The term 'passed away' is a euphemism for 'died'.
“过世”是“去世”的委婉说法。
委婉语；委婉说法
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
委婉语；委婉说法
euphemism
The term 'passed away' is a euphemism for 'died'.
“过世”是“去世”的委婉说法。
用委婉词句替代更冒犯、直白或粗俗的表达
The use of a word or phrase to replace another one that is more offensive, blunt or vulgar.
委婉语
an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh
用作委婉替代的词句
A word or phrase that replaces another in this way.
'Passed away' is a gentle euphemism for 'died'.
“Passed away”是“died”的温和委婉说法。
She used the euphemism 'between jobs' to explain why she was unemployed.
她用“between jobs”这个委婉说法来解释自己失业的原因。
Customers often prefer euphemisms like 'pre-owned' to the word 'used'.
顾客往往更喜欢“pre-owned”这类委婉说法，而不是“used”这个词。
常用来解释某一表达的真实含义。也可写作“a euphemism for [名词]”。
The term 'passed away' is a euphemism for 'died'.
“过世”是“去世”的委婉说法。
强调为避免冒犯或尴尬而选择委婉表达。后接具体表达时可用“use a euphemism for/about sth”。
Instead of saying 'he lost his job', she used a euphemism.
她没有直接说“他失业了”，而是用了委婉说法。
用于说明某词在特定语境中承担委婉语的功能，常与介词for连用。也可说“as a euphemism for sth”。
The word 'downsizing' is used as a euphemism for firing people.
“精简”一词被用作解雇员工的委婉说法。
Not this
It is euphemism to say she is 'plump' instead of 'fat'.
Use this
It is euphemistic to say she is 'plump' instead of 'fat'.
euphemism 是名词，意为“委婉语”，而“it is ... to say”结构需要形容词作表语，因此应使用形容词 euphemistic（委婉的）。
Not this
He used 'pass away' as a euphemism of dying.
Use this
He used 'pass away' as a euphemism for dying.
英语中 euphemism 表示“……的委婉语”时搭配介词 for，而不是把汉语的“的”直译为 of。
Not this
There are many euphemism in English.
Use this
There are many euphemisms in English.
euphemism 是可数名词，在 many 后须用复数形式 euphemisms。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
…的委婉说法
The phrase "passed away" is a euphemism for "died."
短语“passed away”是“died”的委婉说法。
使用委婉语
She used a euphemism to avoid saying the word "fired."
她用了一个委婉语，避免直接说“解雇”这个词。
礼貌的委婉说法
He offered a polite euphemism for his boss's bad decision.
他用了一个礼貌的委婉说法来评价老板的糟糕决定。
政治委婉语
War is often described with political euphemisms.
战争常常用政治委婉语来描述。
不过是…的委婉说法
"Downsizing" is just a euphemism for getting rid of workers.
“精简规模”不过是裁掉员工的委婉说法。
因此，政治语言在很大程度上不得不由委婉语、循环论证和纯粹的含糊其辞构成。
This quote is from George Orwell's 1946 essay 'Politics and the English Language,' where he warns that political language uses euphemism and vague phrasing to make lies sound truthful.
这句引文出自乔治·奥威尔1946年的文章《政治与英语语言》，他在其中警告说，政治语言利用委婉语和含糊措辞让谎言听起来像是真话。
Use euphemism naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记 euphemism 时想：eu 像‘优’，用更优（好听）的话替掉刺耳的词，如把‘死’说成‘走了’。
语域：mixed 常见场景：discussing language、formal writing、media analysis euphemism 多用于讨论语言表达本身，比较常见于正式写作、媒体评论或语言教学中；日常口语里也会用到。整体属于中性偏正式的词，不宜笼统说它只用于某个场合。
eulogy and euphoria match the initial "eu" /ju/ of euphemism; criticism, optimism, pessimism, and organism match its final "-ism" /ɪzəm/ suffix. None fully rhymes with /ˈjufəˌmɪzəm/, since euphemism stresses the first syllable and the other words have different stress or endings.
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.