a pat on the back

IPA/ɐ pˈat ɒnðə bˈak/
IPA/ɐ pˈæt ɔnðə bˈæk/

a pat on the back — idiom

1. something said or done to let someone know they did well and deserve praise.

1.慣用語B2
釋義

something said or done to let someone know they did well and deserve praise.

例句

The coach gave Sofia a pat on the back after her first goal.

give + person + a pat on the back

After months of extra shifts, Faisal deserved a pat on the back.

deserve a pat on the back

同義詞
  • praise

    the plain general word for saying someone did well

  • compliment

    often used for spoken praise in a particular moment

  • commendation

    more formal, often used in official settings

反義詞
  • criticism

    focuses on what someone did badly instead of well

  • rebuke

    a stronger and more formal expression of disapproval

文法句型

give + person + a pat on the back

deserve/get a pat on the back for + noun/doing something

用法筆記

Usually appears with verbs such as give, get, and deserve. It refers to praise for a good result, not to literally touching someone's back.

常見錯誤

❌The nurse gave the patient a pat on the back to help him cough.
✅The nurse patted the patient's back to help him cough.
💡the idiom means praise, not a real touch on someone's back.