How do you use "Fly in the ointment" in a sentence?

The only fly in the ointment is the price. There's just one fly in the ointment. It would be perfect except for this fly in the ointment.

Fly in the ointment

Q: What does "Fly in the ointment" mean?

A small problem that spoils something otherwise good. A 'fly in the ointment' is a small flaw that ruins an otherwise good thing—like a dead fly in expensive perfume. The minor defect disproportionately spoils the whole.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Neutral

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含义: A small problem that spoils something otherwise good.

破坏原本美好事物的小问题；美中不足。

Un pequeño problema que estropea algo que de otro modo sería bueno.

本来良いものを台無しにする小さな問題。玉に瑕。

좋은 것을 망치는 작은 문제. 옥에 티.

A 'fly in the ointment' is a small flaw that ruins an otherwise good thing—like a dead fly in expensive perfume. The minor defect disproportionately spoils the whole.

'fly in the ointment（药膏里的苍蝇）'是一个破坏原本美好事物的小缺陷——就像昂贵香膏里的一只死苍蝇。这个小小的瑕疵不成比例地毁了整体。

Una 'fly in the ointment' (mosca en el ungüento) es un pequeño defecto que arruina algo bueno, como una mosca muerta en un perfume caro. El defecto menor estropea el conjunto de forma desproporcionada.

「fly in the ointment（軟膏の中のハエ）」は、本来良いものを台無しにする小さな欠点です——高級な香油に入った死んだハエのように。小さな欠陥が全体を不釣り合いに台無しにします。

'Fly in the ointment'는 원래 좋은 것을 망치는 작은 결함을 가리킵니다. 비싼 향수에 빠진 죽은 파리처럼, 사소한 결점이 전체를 불균형적으로 망칩니다.

例句

The only fly in the ointment is the price.
唯一美中不足的是价格。
El único pero es el precio.
唯一の難点は値段だ。
유일한 흠은 가격이다.
There's just one fly in the ointment.
只有一个美中不足的地方。
Solo hay una pega.
一つだけ問題がある。
딱 하나 문제가 있다.
It would be perfect except for this fly in the ointment.
要不是这个小问题就完美了。
Sería perfecto si no fuera por esta pega.
この一つの問題がなければ完璧なのに。
이 한 가지 문제만 아니면 완벽할 텐데.

发音

/flaɪ ɪn ðiː ˈɔɪntmənt/

用法指南

语境: problems, flaws, drawbacks

语气: concerned, qualifying

✓ 正确说法

Fly in the ointment
美中不足
la pega
玉に瑕
옥에 티
The only fly in the ointment
唯一的瑕疵
el único pero
唯一の難点
유일한 흠

常见错误

About a small problem spoiling something good

起源与历史

From Ecclesiastes 10:1 in the Bible: 'Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour.' A small contamination ruins the whole product.

词源: Biblical: dead flies contaminate perfumer's ointment

最早记录: Biblical origin (Ecclesiastes)

文化背景

Era: Biblical onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Bible, Ecclesiastes

Regional notes: English-language universal.

变体

Fly in the ointmentA fly in the ointment