He used a phrase I hate: "You have to be cruel to be kind."

他用了一句我讨厌的习语：“要想善良，就得残忍。”

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

A writer spends many hours going over and over a scene—changing a phrase here, a word there.

作家花许多个小时反复润色一个场景—这儿改个短语，那儿改个单词。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

youdao

Keith titled the album after a phrase in the one cover song he included on the collection, Radney Foster's "I'm In."

VOA: standard.2009.04.19

So what it might be would be a phrase that has struck one as if for the first time.

因此这种支点也许是,某人刚刚想到的一个短语。

普林斯顿公开课 - 人性课程节选

But maybe even before we can recognize the syntax of music, we have to figure out what a phrase is.

但是也许在我们认识音乐的句法之前,我们需要先弄清这些乐句是什么

耶鲁公开课 - 聆听音乐课程节选

This December there has been a phrase that has been much in the news: First responders.

CNN: In the new year, be a first responder

Mr. Barry took only one piano lesson and didn't fare well as a phrase-turner.

WSJ: Girl Groups' Go-to Guy | Jeff Barry | Cultural Conversation by Marc Myers

There was a phrase back then that was used in politics: the Silent Majority.

CNN: Billy Graham's other voice