"心术不正",如何用英语描述这样的人?

生活中难免会遇到一些“心口不一”的人,嘴上一套一套,背地里花样繁多,对于这类“心术不正”的人,用英语如何形容呢?

1. not have one’s heart in the right place

去掉not的时候,是指人心地善良,那么加上否定,那就是说这人坏透了,心术不正。

He doesn’t have his heart in the right place. He would find every opportunity to stab in the back of others.

他的心术不正,动不动就在别人的背后捅刀子。

2. stab in the back

这个很好理解,就是在人背后捅刀子,暗箭伤人,背叛某人的意思。

I was very hurt when Jane made those stupid remarks about me. I had not expected a stab in the back from her.

珍妮说了那些关于我的傻话令我很伤心。我没想到她会背后说人坏话。

3. have an ax to grind

这句话的字面意思是让斧头“让斧头磨一磨”,据说是出自富兰克林的故事:富兰克林幼年时,在院子里遇到一个带有斧头的陌生人,那人称赞院子里那个磨石(grindstone)很好,想看看它好不好使,便花言巧语的让他转动磨石,而那人就在上面磨利自己的斧头。现在用来形容某人别有用心,心怀叵测。

She always has an ax to grind. You should take whatever she says with a pinch of salt.

她总是心怀叵测,对她说的话你得多留神 。

4. bad-mouth somebody

bad是很坏的意思,如果bad-mouth某个人,也就是说某人的坏话,破坏某人的名声,那说话的人肯定也不是什么好人。

Parents shouldn't bad-mouth each other in front of the kids.

离异的父母不应该在孩子们面前说彼此的坏话。

I’ve never badmouthed anyone.

我从来没说过任何人的坏话。

5. speak with one’s tongue in one’s cheek

指言不由衷,假惺惺的说话。

I feel sick of her. She always speaks with her tongue in her cheek.

我特别讨厌她。她说话总是假惺惺的。

6. smite with the tongue

这句是指血口喷人,诽谤他人。

Don't offend her. She always smites with the tongue.

千万别得罪她,她经常血口喷人。

7. beat about the bush

据说从前英国贵族打猎时,会先派人进树林,用树枝敲打树,好让鸟类或小动物因受惊吓而跑出。后来 beat around the bush 演变成“拐弯抹角”、“旁敲侧击”或“说话绕圈子”等意。

Stop beating about the bush. Just tell me what has happened.

别兜圈子了,快告诉我们发生什么事了。