congratulations
congratulations — noun
1. words or a written message telling someone that you are pleased about something
words or a written message telling someone that you are pleased about something good that has happened to them, such as a success, a new baby, or a wedding.
Mei-Lin sent her warmest congratulations to the newlyweds along with a bouquet of peonies.
The mayor offered his congratulations to every student who had earned a scholarship this year.
offer + congratulations to [recipient]
A flood of congratulations appeared on her social media page after the announcement.
Please pass on my congratulations to your brother for finishing his medical training.
Lien read every single card of congratulations that arrived after the gallery opening.
- best wishes
more general; used for future happiness rather than past achievement
- compliments
more formal and less personal; often used in written notes
- condolences
expression of sympathy for loss or misfortune
文法句型
congratulations + on + something
send/give/offer + congratulations
用法筆記
Always used in plural form when referring to the expression itself. Singular 'congratulation' only appears in the fixed phrase 'congratulation is in order' or very formal contexts.
常見錯誤
2. the action of telling someone you are happy about their success or good fortune,
the action of telling someone you are happy about their success or good fortune, often shown through words, gestures, or shared celebration.
The warm congratulations of the crowd made the young pianist feel truly appreciated.
the + congratulations + of [group]
Dr. Okafor accepted the congratulations of his colleagues with quiet humility.
The ceremony ended with a round of warm congratulations from every table in the hall.
Nothing feels better than the genuine congratulations of people you have worked alongside for years.
- praise
broader; can refer to admiration for qualities, not just achievements
- acclaim
more formal and public, often involving an audience or media
- commendation
formal praise, often official or recorded
- criticism
expression of disapproval or fault-finding
文法句型
the + congratulations + of [someone]
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense treats 'congratulations' as an uncountable activity or process. It typically appears with a determiner ('the congratulations of…') rather than as a direct object of 'send' or 'offer'.
常見錯誤
congratulations — idiom
1. a word you say to express happiness and praise for someone's achievement, specia
a word you say to express happiness and praise for someone's achievement, special occasion, or good luck — for instance, after a graduation, a wedding, a new job, or a child's birth.
"Congratulations!" shouted Diego's teammates as he scored the winning goal in the final minute.
"Congratulations on your engagement!" said Yuki, hugging her best friend outside the restaurant.
"Congratulations on…!" — followed by noun for the reason
The teacher wrote "Congratulations to everyone who passed" on the whiteboard in bright green ink.
"Congratulations, you have been selected for the exchange program!" read the email from the university.
Kwame grinned and said, "Congratulations to all of you — this award belongs to the whole team."
文法句型
Congratulations [on/for] + noun phrase
Congratulations! [exclamation alone]