Subject : I was simply making a tongue-in-cheek remark.

第一， 迷你对话

A: Is that true that you wanna go with me for a trip around the US?

你说打算和我去美国，是真的吗？

B: I was simply making a tongue-in-cheek remark.

我并不是认真的。

第二， 地道表达

tongue-in-cheek

1. 解词释义

Tongue-in-cheek用来形容一件事情，那件事情听起来似乎是很严肃的，但实际上不是认真的，半开玩笑的。Make a tongue-in-cheek remark的意思就是“说话虚情假意的，说话不算数的”。

2. 拓展范例

e.g. Don't be fooled by all his complimentary remarks as they were all tongue-in-cheek.

别让他的恭维话给糊弄住--那些话可当不得真。

第三， 视野拓展

类似用法：with one’s tongue in one’s cheek：虚情假意地

e.g. He was saying that with his tongue in his cheek.

他只不过是虚情假意说说罢了。

e.g. There's a look on Jan's face that makes me think he's speaking with his tongue in his cheek.

从简的表情看来，我觉得他话中有话。

e.g. He threatened to write to the newspapers about it, but I think he had his tongue in his cheek.

他威胁说要写信给报纸，不过我想他只是说说而已。

e.g. She knew that his elaborate gallantries and his florid speeches were all done with his tongue in his cheek.

她知道，他那些假意的殷勤和花言巧语都是嘴皮子上的东西。