Describes language that says a hard or embarrassing thing in a soft, indirect way, so that nobody is shocked or upset. If someone dies and you say they 'passed away', that is euphemistic. If a company fires 300 people and calls it 'downsizing' or 'letting people go', that is euphemistic too.

Describes language用來形容那種語言 that says a hard or embarrassing thing把困難或尷尬的事 in a soft, indirect way用溫和、間接的方式說出來, so that nobody is shocked or upset讓大家都不會被嚇到或不開心。If someone dies如果有人過世 and you say they 'passed away'而你說他們'passed away'(過世了), that is euphemistic那就是euphemistic。If a company fires 300 people如果一家公司裁掉三百人 and calls it 'downsizing' or 'letting people go'卻稱之為'downsizing'(縮編)或'letting people go'(請人離開), that is euphemistic too那也是euphemistic。

The word covers the whole range: gentle kindness at a funeral, polite avoidance of anything to do with the toilet or the body or sex, and — very often — the dressing-up of bad news by governments, companies and armies. It is an adjective, and it sits in front of nouns like 'term', 'expression', 'phrase', 'language', or after 'be': 'a euphemistic term for prison', 'the report was very euphemistic'.

The word covers the whole range這個字涵蓋的範圍很廣: gentle kindness at a funeral喪禮上溫柔的體貼, polite avoidance of anything to do with the toilet or the body or sex禮貌地避開跟廁所、身體、或性有關的事, and — very often — the dressing-up of bad news by governments, companies and armies而且很常見的是政府、公司、軍隊把壞消息包裝起來。It is an adjective它是形容詞, and it sits in front of nouns like 'term', 'expression', 'phrase', 'language'常放在'term'、'expression'、'phrase'、'language'這類名詞前面, or after 'be'或放在'be'後面: 'a euphemistic term for prison'像'a euphemistic term for prison'(監獄的委婉說法), 'the report was very euphemistic'或'the report was very euphemistic'(這份報告很委婉)。

Note the feeling it carries. When you say a phrase is euphemistic, you are usually standing back and pointing at it, and quite often you are being a bit critical — you are saying the words are softer than the truth.

Note the feeling it carries注意它帶的語氣。When you say a phrase is euphemistic當你說一句話是euphemistic, you are usually standing back and pointing at it你通常是站在旁邊指出它, and quite often you are being a bit critical而且常常帶點批評——you are saying the words are softer than the truth你是在說這些話比事實更軟。

So the word itself is mildly negative in most modern writing, even though the polite instinct behind euphemism can be genuinely kind. Careful writers hear that edge; a lot of learners use the word as if it were neutral and are surprised when a reader takes it as a complaint.

So所以 the word itself這個字本身 is mildly negative在大部分現代寫作裡帶點輕微的負面, in most modern writing, even though the polite instinct behind euphemism can be genuinely kind儘管委婉背後那種禮貌的本能可以是真心善意的。Careful writers細心的作者 hear that edge聽得出那種尖銳; a lot of learners很多學習者 use the word as if it were neutral卻把這個字當中性字用, and are surprised而感到驚訝 when a reader takes it as a complaint當讀者把它當成抱怨的時候。