How do you use "Snake in the grass" in a sentence?

Don't trust him — he's a real snake in the grass. She seemed so nice, but turned out to be a snake in the grass. That business partner was nothing but a snake in the grass.

Snake in the grass

American Slang Term American ★★★★☆ Common informal

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意味: A deceitful, untrustworthy person who hides their true nature.

隐藏本性的阴险、不可信的人；伪君子。

Una persona falsa y poco fiable que oculta su verdadera naturaleza.

本性を隠す卑劣で信用できない人。裏切り者。

본심을 숨기는 비열하고 믿을 수 없는 사람. 배신자.

Calling someone a 'snake in the grass' means they're sneaky and two-faced — friendly to your face but harmful behind your back. In the rural South where actual snakes in grass are a real danger, the metaphor carries extra weight. It's one of the strongest character insults in Southern speech.

说某人是'snake in the grass'意思是他们阴险狡诈、两面三刀——当面和善，背后使绊子。在南方乡村，草丛里的蛇是真实的危险，所以这个比喻更有分量。这是南方话中最严厉的品格攻击之一。

Llamar a alguien 'snake in the grass' significa que es rastrero y tiene dos caras: amable de frente pero dañino a tus espaldas. En el Sur rural, donde las serpientes entre la hierba son un peligro real, la metáfora tiene un peso extra. Es uno de los insultos más graves al carácter en el habla sureña.

誰かを「snake in the grass」と呼ぶのは、その人がこそこそしていて二枚舌であることを意味する——表面上は親しげだが、裏では害を及ぼす。草むらに本物の蛇が潜んでいることが現実的な危険である南部の田舎では、この比喩はさらに重みを増す。南部の話し言葉で最も強い人格批判の一つ。

누군가를 'snake in the grass'라고 부르는 것은 그 사람이 교활하고 이중적이라는 뜻이다 — 앞에서는 친절하지만 뒤에서는 해를 끼친다. 실제로 풀숲의 뱀이 위험한 남부 시골에서 이 비유는 더 큰 무게를 지닌다. 남부 언어에서 가장 강한 인격적 모욕 중 하나이다.

例文

Don't trust him — he's a real snake in the grass.
别信他——他是个不折不扣的伪君子。
No te fíes de él, es una auténtica serpiente.
あいつを信用するな——本当に腹黒いやつだから。
그를 믿지 마 — 진짜 뒤통수치는 놈이야.
She seemed so nice, but turned out to be a snake in the grass.
她看起来人挺好的，结果却是个暗中使坏的人。
Parecía muy simpática, pero resultó ser una víbora traicionera.
彼女はとても感じが良さそうだったのに、実は裏切り者だった。
그녀는 정말 좋은 사람처럼 보였는데, 알고 보니 배신자였다.
That business partner was nothing but a snake in the grass.
那个生意伙伴完全就是个笑面虎。
Aquel socio comercial no era más que un traidor con piel de cordero.
あのビジネスパートナーは完全に腹黒い裏切り者だった。
그 사업 파트너는 완전히 뒤통수치는 놈이었다.

発音

使い方ガイド

場面: betrayal, distrust, warnings, character judgments

トーン: suspicious, condemning

✓ 正しい言い方

He's a snake in the grass.
他是个伪君子。
Es una serpiente.
He's a snake in the grass.（あいつは腹黒いやつだ）
그는 뒤통수치는 놈이야.
Watch out for snakes in the grass.
当心那些笑面虎。
Cuidado con las serpientes.
Watch out for snakes in the grass.（裏切り者に気をつけろ）
배신자를 조심해.

✗ 間違った言い方

Don't use casually — calling someone a snake in the grass is a serious accusation of betrayal
不要随意使用——说某人是snake in the grass是对背叛行为的严重指控
No se usa a la ligera; llamar a alguien serpiente es una acusación seria de traición
軽々しく使わない——snake in the grassと呼ぶのは裏切りに対する深刻な非難
가볍게 쓰지 말 것 — 누군가를 snake in the grass라고 부르는 것은 배신에 대한 심각한 비난이다

起源と歴史

From the Latin 'latet anguis in herba' (a snake lurks in the grass) in Virgil's Eclogues (37 BC). The expression was adopted into English and became especially popular in the rural South where encounters with hidden snakes are a genuine hazard.

文化的背景

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: Throughout the South

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