苦果,原本是佛教用语,字面意思是bitter fruit,比喻不能不同意的痛苦结果(A situation or result that is unpleasant but must be accepted),与英文谚语a bitter pill to swallow意思相似。常用表达如,自食苦果( eat the bitter fruit of ones own making)。
尽管后来他成了事业有成的老板,以前的犯罪前科终究让他尝到了苦果。
Although he subsequently1 became a successful businessman, his criminal past caught up with him.
我做出了错误的决定只得自食苦果。
I had to pay the penalty2 for the wrong decisions I made.