江山易改本性難移

俗話說得好“江山易改本性難移”，我們來看看“本性”的英語怎么表達？

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1. true colors: if someone shows their true colors they do something that shows what they are really like, when they have been pretending to be something different

例：

With the elections safely behind him, Hitler began to show his true colors. （希特勒在大選穩(wěn)操勝券的情況下，原形畢露。）

He was friendly to me at first but he showed his true colors when we were both up for the same promotion. （開始他對我很好，但當我倆都被視作晉升候選人時，他原形畢露。）

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2. underneath: if someone is nice, jealous, frightened etc. underneath, they really are nice, jealous, or frightened even though their behavior shows a different character

例：

I know that she seems very aggressive, but underneath she's really quite shy. （她看起來非常好斗，但是她實際上是個很怕事的人。）

I think he's a genuinely nice guy underneath it all. （我認為他骨子里是個非常好的人。）

He likes to show people his tough side, but underneath it all, he's a decent person. （他喜歡在人前展示自己粗暴的一面，但實際上，他是個彬彬有禮的人。）

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3. deep down: if someone is cruel, dishonest, good etc. deep down, that is their true character even though they hide this in their usual behavior

例：

Deep down, I think she's really very ambitious. （我覺得她骨子里是個非常有野心的人。）

Yeah, sometimes he can be really nice and polite but, I tell you, deep down he's an animal! （雖然他有時候真的非常有禮貌，但是，他實際上非常野蠻?。?/span>

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4. at heart: if you are a particular type of person at heart, that is your true character even though you may sometimes think you are different

例：

She's a traveler at heart. You'll never get her to settle down. （她骨子里是個游子，你別指望她會定下來。）

Paul was an easy-going fellow at heart who wanted only to enjoy himself. （保羅實際上是個非常隨和、遵循快樂至上的人。）

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5. make-up: someone's character - use this especially to say that someone's character is completely fixed and they cannot change it or control it

備注：''make-up''是英式英語的拼法，美式英語常作''makeup''。

例：

It's not in their make-up to accept defeat. （他們就是不愛服輸。）

This behavior is part of our genetic make-up rather than our cultural conditioning. （這種行為習慣是我們骨子里帶出來的，不是后天養(yǎng)成的。）

be part of somebody's make-up

Stubbornness has always been a significant part of his makeup. （她骨子里就是很倔強的。）

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6. temperament: the emotional part of someone's character, especially how likely they are to become angry, happy, sad etc.

例：

His calm, quiet temperament made him popular with his colleagues. （他性格文靜，深受同事喜愛。）

My father and I got along very well, having very similar temperaments. （我和爸爸性情相近，相處得很好。）

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7. nature: someone's character - use this especially to say whether someone is naturally good or bad, gentle or severe etc.

例：

Kindness and sympathy were in his nature. （他本性善良，富有同情心。）

It was not in his nature to take risks. （他生性不愛冒險。）

My girlfriend has a rather unforgiving nature so I don't think that I'll tell her. （我女朋友生性愛記仇，所以我決定不告訴她。）

She was surprised to learn he had a romantic side to his nature. （得悉他還有浪漫的一面，讓她很驚訝。）

by nature (=use this when saying what someone's usual character is)

She's generous by nature. （她生性慷慨。）