字面直译为“有一颗内疚的良心”,实际表示:因做了错事、撒谎或伤害他人而感到“内疚、问心有愧、良心不安”(强调“良心层面的自我谴责”,比普通的“feel guilty”更突出“道德上的不安”)。
该短语是主谓宾结构,核心搭配为:
常可通过介词短语补充“内疚的原因”,常见搭配:
about sth:因某事内疚
for doing sth:因做了某事内疚
1、 基础用法:
After cheating on the exam, Tom had a guilty conscience for days.
(考试作弊后,汤姆好几天都良心不安。)
2、 补充原因(about sth):
She has a guilty conscience about forgetting her mom’s birthday.
(她因忘记妈妈的生日而感到内疚。)
3、 补充原因(for doing sth):
He couldn’t sleep well because he had a guilty conscience for lying to his best friend.
(他因为对好朋友撒谎而良心不安,睡不好觉。)
4、 否定/相反表达:
If you tell the truth, you’ll have a clear conscience(问心无愧).
(如果你说实话,就会问心无愧。)
feel guilty(感到内疚,更口语化)
be ashamed(感到羞愧,侧重“羞耻感”)
have remorse(感到悔恨,更正式,强调“后悔”)
总结:"have a guilty conscience" 是描述“道德层面自我谴责”的常用短语,适合表达“做了违背良心的事后的不安”,搭配介词短语可明确内疚的原因,是日常和书面都常用的表达。