white lie直接翻译为白色谎言，真实含义是善意的谎言。

【例句】
He told a little white lie as his excuse for missing the party.
他撒了一个善意的小谎作为错过聚会的借口。

What's a little white lie for science?
出于探讨科学的目的，撒个善意的小谎应该不要紧吧？