humbug
humbug — 名詞
- humbugsingular
- humbugsplural
1. Language, behaviour, or ideas that are deliberately dishonest and meant to trick
欺騙；騙局
故意誤導他人的言行
Language, behaviour, or ideas that are deliberately dishonest and meant to trick or fool people.
Mei-Lin saw through the politician's humbug and refused to believe his promises.
美玲看穿了那位政治人物的欺騙，拒絕相信他的承諾。
see through + humbug — recognising deception
The advertisement was full of humbug about the health benefits of the sugary drink.
那則廣告充滿了關於含糖飲料健康益處的騙局。
full of humbug — describing dishonest content
Local journalists exposed the company's humbug about cleaning up the river.
當地記者揭穿了該公司在清理河川方面的謊言。
Kwame dismissed the offer as humbug designed to swindle elderly homeowners.
Kwame 認為那項方案是為了欺騙年長屋主而設計的騙局。
Theo warned his friend not to fall for the door-to-door salesman's humbug.
Theo 警告他的朋友不要相信那位推銷員的欺騙之詞。
文法句型
humbug + about + topic
full of humbug
see through + humbug
用法筆記
Frequently appears in political or commercial contexts where someone is accused of saying one thing while doing another. Often paired with 'utter', 'complete', or 'sheer' as intensifiers.
常見錯誤
2. A firm, boiled sweet with a strong peppermint taste and two coloured stripes on
硬薄荷糖
條紋狀的薄荷硬糖
A firm, boiled sweet with a strong peppermint taste and two coloured stripes on the outside.
At the corner sweet shop, Amira picked two striped humbugs from the glass jar for herself and her little brother.
在街角那間糖果店裡，Amira 從玻璃罐中拿了兩顆條紋硬薄荷糖，自己和弟弟各一顆。
a humbug — countable singular
Every Sunday after church, Grandpa reached into his coat pocket and offered the children a handful of peppermint humbugs.
每個星期天做完禮拜後，爺爺都會從外套口袋掏出一把薄荷硬糖分給孩子們。
handful of humbugs
The old sweet shop sold humbugs wrapped in twisted wax paper.
那間老字號糖果店賣的硬薄荷糖是用扭轉蠟紙包裝的。
Omar sucked on a humbug to freshen his breath after lunch.
Omar 含了一顆硬薄荷糖來清新午餐後的口气。
- boiled sweet
general category; not necessarily mint-flavoured or striped
- peppermint
refers to flavour, not the specific striped appearance
文法句型
a humbug
humbugs
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In the United States this candy is usually called a 'peppermint swirl' or simply a 'hard mint candy'.
常見錯誤
3. A person who claims to hold strong moral principles but whose actions reveal a l
偽君子
言行不一的虛偽之人
A person who claims to hold strong moral principles but whose actions reveal a lack of genuine honesty.
The charity director was a humbug who pocketed donations meant for homeless families.
那位慈善機構主管是個偽君子，把捐給無家可歸家庭的款項據為己有。
Sofia called her boss a humbug after he preached honesty but lied to clients.
Sofia 罵她的老闆是偽君子，因為他嘴上講誠信卻對客戶說謊。
called someone a humbug
The local newspaper exposed the mayor as a humbug who preached honest government while secretly taking bribes from construction companies.
當地報紙揭露市長是個偽君子——嘴上講清廉政府，背地裡卻收營造公司的賄賂。
The green committee director proved a humbug, pocketing money from the logging he condemned.
那位綠色委員會主任證明了自己是個偽君子，一邊譴責伐木，一邊從中收錢。
- saint
informal; person of genuine moral character
文法句型
a humbug
described as a humbug
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with 'hypocrite' but carries an older, more theatrical flavour. In modern English it is less common than 'hypocrite' and often used with a touch of humour or literary style.
常見錯誤
4. A critical exclamation directed at someone who spoils a festive or cheerful occa
胡說；無聊
對節慶歡樂事物的厭惡叫喊
A critical exclamation directed at someone who spoils a festive or cheerful occasion by complaining, famously associated with Charles Dickens' character Ebenezer Scrooge.
"Bah! Humbug!" grumbled Mr. Finch when his wife turned on the Christmas songs.
「呸！胡說！」Finch 先生咕噥著，因為太太放起了聖誕歌曲。
Bah! Humbug! — full exclamation from Dickens
Every year Uncle Diego shouts "Humbug!" before refusing to join the holiday party.
每年 Diego 叔叔都會大喊一聲「無聊！」然後拒絕參加聖誕派對。
The old man muttered "Humbug!" as children sang carols outside his window.
老人低聲抱怨「胡說！」，孩子們正在窗外唱聖誕歌。
When asked about the office party, Santi replied with a firm "Humbug!"
被問到辦公室派對時，Santi 堅定地回答了一聲「無聊！」
- "Rubbish!"
less literary, used in British English to dismiss something as worthless
- "Nonsense!"
general dismissal without the festive connotation
文法句型
Bah! Humbug!
shout/mutter 'Humbug!'
用法筆記
This sense is directly tied to Scrooge's catchphrase in 'A Christmas Carol' (1843). Outside of the Christmas context, it can be used humorously to express grumpy rejection of any cheerful event.
常見錯誤
5. Silly, empty, or pretentious speech or writing that lacks real meaning or value.
廢話；空話
空洞無價值的言論
Silly, empty, or pretentious speech or writing that lacks real meaning or value.
The celebrity fitness magazine was complete humbug — every page promised fast weight loss without a single scientific study behind it.
那本名人健身雜誌完全是廢話——每一頁都標榜快速減重，卻沒有任何科學研究佐證。
complete humbug — intensifier collocation
Amara refused to read any more of the pretentious humbug in that fashion blog.
Amara 拒絕再看那本時尚部落格裡矯揉造作的胡言亂語。
The biology professor dismissed the theory as romantic humbug with no scientific basis.
那位生物學教授批評這個理論是沒有科學根據的天真胡言。
In the talk show interview, the actor's claims about her miracle skincare range were utter humbug with no medical proof.
在那場脫口秀中，那位演員關於她神奇保養品系列的說法完全是空話，根本沒有醫學證據。
文法句型
utter humbug
pretentious humbug
complete humbug
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (DECEPTIVE TALK): sense 5 describes content that is silly or valueless but not necessarily intended to deceive. A writer may sincerely produce humbug without meaning to trick anyone.
常見錯誤
humbug — 動詞
- humbugpresent simple I / you / we / they
- humbugs3rd person singular
- humbuging-ing form
- humbugedpast simple
1. To deliberately mislead or cheat someone using dishonest words or actions, often
欺騙；哄騙
用謊言誤導他人
To deliberately mislead or cheat someone using dishonest words or actions, often to gain money or an advantage.
The salesman tried to humbug the elderly couple into buying a worthless insurance policy.
推銷員試圖哄騙那對老夫婦購買一份毫無價值的保單。
humbug someone into doing something
Vikram felt ashamed after the fraudster humbugged him out of his life savings.
Vikram 被騙子騙走了畢生積蓄，感到十分羞愧。
humbug someone out of something
Linh realised too late that an impostor had humbugged her with fake documents.
Linh 發現得太晚了——一名冒牌貨用偽造文件欺騙了她。
Nobody could humbug old Mrs. Yamamoto — she saw through every trick.
沒有人能騙得了山本太太——她一眼就能看穿任何伎倆。
文法句型
humbug + someone + into + doing something
humbug + someone + out of + something
用法筆記
This verb is relatively rare in modern English and sounds literary or old-fashioned. 'Swindle' and 'con' are far more common alternatives in everyday speech. The verb is often used in narrative or humorous contexts.
常見錯誤
2. To keep asking someone for money or a favour until they agree, in a way that fee
纏著要錢
反覆糾纏索取金錢
To keep asking someone for money or a favour until they agree, in a way that feels pushy or unfair.
The children humbugged their father for coins to buy ice cream.
孩子們纏著爸爸要錢買冰淇淋。
Santi humbugged his uncle for weeks until he finally received the loan.
Santi 纏著叔叔好幾個星期，最後終於拿到了那筆錢。
humbug someone for something
The exhausted street vendor humbugged every tourist for a few coins to buy himself a meal.
疲憊的街頭小販纏著每個遊客要幾枚硬幣，好給自己買頓飯吃。
The little boy humbugged his mother all morning for a toy from the shop window.
小男孩纏著媽媽整個早上，要她買櫥窗裡的玩具。
文法句型
humbug + someone + for + something
用法筆記
This is an old-fashioned and very rare sense, limited almost entirely to British English. 'Pester', 'badger', or 'nag' are far more common in modern usage. The sense may be misunderstood by American readers.