a bitter pill

• 苦药丸,不能不做的苦事,不得不忍受的屈辱

a bitter pill的用法和样例：

例句

1. The baby spat out the bitter pill.
   婴孩把苦药丸吐了出来。
2. The President regarded recognition as an unpleasant pill which we should both have to swallow.
   总统认为承认问题是一颗两国非吞下去不可的苦药丸，他希望我们应该一起吞下。