Crocodile tears意思

"Crocodile tears" is an English idiom that means insincere or fake tears, especially those shed to gain someone's sympathy. The phrase is derived from an old belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their prey, which was thought to be a sign of false remorse or a cunning way to lure in more prey. In reality, crocodiles do not cry tears for emotional reasons but rather to clean their eyes or regulate the salt content in their bodies.

The expression is often used to describe someone who is pretending to be sad or sympathetic in order to deceive others or to gain an advantage in a situation. For example:

"He gave a long speech about how much he would miss everyone, but I think it was just crocodile tears—he was happy to leave the company."

In this context, "crocodile tears" implies that the person's emotional display was not genuine but rather a performance meant to manipulate others' perceptions.