俗话说得好“江山易改本性难移”，我们来看看“本性”的英语怎么表达？

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. （希特勒在大选稳操胜券的情况下，原形毕露。）

He was friendly to me at first but he showed his true colors when we were both up for the same promotion. （开始他对我很好，但当我俩都被视作晋升候选人时，他原形毕露。）

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. （她看起来非常好斗，但是她实际上是个很怕事的人。）

I think he's a genuinely nice guy underneath it all. （我认为他骨子里是个非常好的人。）

He likes to show people his tough side, but underneath it all, he's a decent person. （他喜欢在人前展示自己粗暴的一面，但实际上，他是个彬彬有礼的人。）

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. （我觉得她骨子里是个非常有野心的人。）

Yeah, sometimes he can be really nice and polite but, I tell you, deep down he's an animal! （虽然他有时候真的非常有礼貌，但是，他实际上非常野蛮！）

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. （她骨子里是个游子，你别指望她会定下来。）

Paul was an easy-going fellow at heart who wanted only to enjoy himself. （保罗实际上是个非常随和、遵循快乐至上的人。）

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

备注：''make-up''是英式英语的拼法，美式英语常作''makeup''。

例：

It's not in their make-up to accept defeat. （他们就是不爱服输。）

This behavior is part of our genetic make-up rather than our cultural conditioning. （这种行为习惯是我们骨子里带出来的，不是后天养成的。）

be part of somebody's make-up

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

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. （他性格文静，深受同事喜爱。）

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

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. （他生性不爱冒险。）

My girlfriend has a rather unforgiving nature so I don't think that I'll tell her. （我女朋友生性爱记仇，所以我决定不告诉她。）

She was surprised to learn he had a romantic side to his nature. （得悉他还有浪漫的一面，让她很惊讶。）

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

She's generous by nature. （她生性慷慨。）