“代人受过”常见的英文表达有 “take the blame for someone else” 或 “be a scapegoat” 。
“take the blame for someone else”：字面意思是“为别人承担责备”，直接体现了代替他人承受过错或责任的含义，语义清晰、易于理解。例如：He was forced to take the blame for his colleague's mistake.（他被迫为同事的错误代人受过 。）
“be a scapegoat”： “scapegoat” 原指犹太教在赎罪日仪式中送往旷野的替罪羊，后引申为“替罪羊，代人受过者” ，所以 “be a scapegoat” 形象地表达出成为他人错误承担者的意思。例如：She didn't want to be a scapegoat for the failed project.（她不想为这个失败的项目代人受过。 ）