摘要：“a cat in the pan” 是英语中极具贬义的口语短语，核心语义为：“叛徒、变节者”，特指“在关键时刻背叛立场、盟友或信仰，为个人利益放弃忠诚的人”，本质是通过隐喻（“锅中的猫”因受热挣扎逃脱）象征“人在压力或利益诱惑下背弃承诺”，暗含对“叛徒、变节

“a cat in the pan” 是英语中极具贬义的口语短语，核心语义为：“叛徒、变节者”，特指“在关键时刻背叛立场、盟友或信仰，为个人利益放弃忠诚的人”，本质是通过隐喻（“锅中的猫”因受热挣扎逃脱）象征“人在压力或利益诱惑下背弃承诺”，暗含对“叛徒、变节者”的尖锐的“不可原谅”地批判。如：

The party expelled the MP—he was a cat in the pan who voted against the party’s key policy after promising to support it.

该政党开除了那位议员——他是个叛徒，承诺支持政党核心政策后，却投了反对票。

The startup failed because its co-founder was a cat in the pan who stole the business plan and sold it to a rival company.

这家初创公司倒闭了，因为其联合创始人是个叛徒，偷走商业计划并卖给了竞争对手。

The two countries ended their alliance when one was exposed as a cat in the pan that had secretly made a deal with their common enemy.

当其中一国被揭露是叛徒，暗中与共同敌人达成协议后，两国终止了同盟关系。

The play’s tragic hero is betrayed by his closest friend—a cat in the pan who betrays him to gain the king’s favor."

这部戏剧的悲剧主角被他最亲密的朋友背叛——那个叛徒为了获得国王的青睐而出卖了他。

She realized he was a cat in the pan when he promised to marry her but then ran off with her wealthy cousin.

当他承诺娶她，却转而和她富有的表妹私奔时，她才意识到他是个叛徒。

Their 20-year marriage ended when she found out he was a cat in the pan who had been lying about his affair for years.

当她发现他是个叛徒，多年来一直对自己的婚外情撒谎后，他们20年的婚姻走到了尽头。

He cut off contact with Jake after Jake proved to be a cat in the pan who told his boss about his plan to quit.

当杰克被证实是个叛徒，把他打算辞职的计划告诉老板后，他断绝了和杰克的联系。

The group project got a low score because one member was a cat in the pan who didn’t do his part and lied to the teacher about the others.

这个小组项目得分很低，因为有一个成员是叛徒，不仅没完成自己的任务，还向老师撒谎诋毁其他人。

The soldier was sentenced to prison for being a cat in the pan who gave the enemy information about his unit’s movements.

这名士兵因是叛徒，向敌人泄露自己部队的行动信息而被判处监禁。

In Washington, everyone’s a cat in the pan if the price is right. Don’t mistake loyalty for friendship. 《纸牌屋》

在华盛顿，只要价码合适，每个人都是叛徒。别把忠诚和友谊混为一谈。

来源：翅膀英语一点号