"understatement" in Chinese (Simplified)

• 轻描淡写

Definition

“轻描淡写”是指用轻松、委婉的方式表达，让事情听起来比实际情况要轻或不严重，常用来制造幽默效果。

Usage Notes (Chinese (Simplified))

常用于英式幽默，表达方式巧妙，实际意思通常比字面上更严重，如‘not bad’实际是很好的意思。与“委婉语（euphemism）”不同，后者是用较温和的词表达敏感内容。

Examples

Calling the huge storm 'a bit of rain' is an understatement.

把狂风暴雨说成‘下点小雨’是**轻描淡写**。

Saying the test was 'not too hard' is an understatement if everyone failed.

如果大家都没及格，称考试‘不是太难’就是**轻描淡写**。

To say the movie was 'okay' is an understatement if you really loved it.

如果你很喜欢这部电影，说‘还可以’就是**轻描淡写**。

It’s an understatement to say he was surprised—he was completely shocked!

说他很惊讶都是**轻描淡写**了——他其实彻底震惊了！

Saying the concert was 'pretty good' is quite the understatement—it was amazing!

说音乐会‘还不错’简直是**轻描淡写**——太精彩了！

Calling the trip 'a bit stressful' is a major understatement—it was a disaster!

说旅行‘有点紧张’其实非常**轻描淡写**——简直是灾难！