bitter pill to swallow

1. 不得不忍受的苦事
   It was really a bitter pill to swallow at that time.

   在當時，那真是一件不得不忍受的苦事。

Bitter pills may have wholesome effects.

1. 良藥苦口。

sugar the pill

1. 使苦事容易被接受
   Whenever he wants to borrow money from me, he will try to sugar the pill by saying that he will return the money very soon.

   每次他來向我借錢，總是花言巧語，說很快就會把錢還我。

a bitter pill (for)

1. 難以忍受的、不愉快的或丟臉的……

• a bitter pill
  an unpleasant or painful necessity.
• sugar (or sweeten) the pill
  make an unpleasant or painful necessity more palatable.