commiserations
commiserations — 慣用語
1. used to tell someone that you feel sad for them because they have just had a dis
惋惜；慰問
對他人失敗或挫折表示同情
used to tell someone that you feel sad for them because they have just had a disappointing experience, especially losing a competition, failing a test, or not getting something they wanted
Commiserations to Hyun on losing the chess final — you played very well.
Hyun，輸了西洋棋決賽我們很惋惜——你已經下得很好了。
commiserations + to + person + on + event
After Gita failed her university exam, Bao sent a card of commiserations.
Gita 大學考試沒通過之後，Bao 寄了一張慰問卡給她。
My commiserations to the whole team after their narrow defeat in the semi-final.
你們在準決賽中險敗，我對整支球隊表示惋惜。
When Emre failed his driving test the third time, his friends offered their warm commiserations.
Emre 第三次沒考過駕照時，他的朋友們紛紛表達溫暖的慰問。
Chidi sent his commiserations to Stefan after the art competition results came out.
藝術比賽結果公布後，Chidi 向 Stefan 表達了惋惜之意。
- condolences
used for bereavement or serious loss; more formal than commiserations
- sympathies
broader in meaning; can be used for any kind of misfortune including death
- congratulations
the opposite — used to celebrate someone's success rather than express sympathy for their failure
文法句型
(my) commiserations + on/for + [noun/event]
commiserations + to + [person]
用法筆記
Always appears in the plural form, even when addressing one person. Unlike 'condolences', which is used for death or serious loss, 'commiserations' is for non-fatal setbacks such as losing a game, failing a test, or having an application rejected.
常見錯誤
commiserations — 動詞
- commiserationspresent simple I / you / we / they
- commiserationses3rd person singular
- commiserationsing-ing form
- commiserationsedpast simple
1. to show someone that you understand they are disappointed or sad, often because
同感惋惜
與人一同表達失望或難過
to show someone that you understand they are disappointed or sad, often because you have had the same disappointing experience yourself, by talking to them about it together
The coach commiserated with Gabriela after she missed the championship-winning shot.
Gabriela 沒投進致勝球之後，教練對她表達了同情的慰問。
commiserate + with + person + after + event
Sofie and her colleagues commiserated with each other when their project lost its funding.
Sofie 和同事們的計畫失去經費時，彼此互相安慰。
Adina called her cousin to commiserate over both being turned down for the same job.
Adina 打電話給表姊，兩人互相安慰——她們都被同一份工作拒絕了。
The two runners commiserated with one another on the grass after neither finished the race.
兩位跑者都沒有跑完全程，於是在草地上互相安慰。
- condole with
more formal and less common, especially used for bereavement
- sympathise with
more general; does not imply a shared experience
文法句型
commiserate + with + [person]
commiserate + with + [person] + about/over + [event]
用法筆記
This sense is intransitive and requires 'with' before the person. The subject and the person after 'with' are usually both affected by the same disappointment, making it a mutual act of sympathy.
常見錯誤
2. to feel deep sadness or pity for another person because of their pain, bad luck,
憐憫；同情
對他人苦難感到悲傷
to feel deep sadness or pity for another person because of their pain, bad luck, or difficult situation
The poet deeply commiserated the homeless families sleeping under the bridge in winter.
詩人深深同情那些冬天睡在橋下的無家可歸的家庭。
transitive commiserate + person — no preposition
In his diary, the captain commiserated the sailors lost at sea during the terrible storm.
船長在日記中憐憫那些在可怕暴風雨中喪生的船員。
The nurse silently commiserated the young patient who cried every time her mother left.
護士默默地同情那個每次母親離開就哭的小病人。
The narrator commiserates the soldiers wounded in a distant war, though he never fought himself.
敘事者同情那些在遠方戰爭中受傷的士兵，儘管他從未上過戰場。
文法句型
commiserate + [person]
用法筆記
This transitive sense is rare in modern English. Unlike Sense 1 ('commiserate with'), it does not imply that the speaker shares the same misfortune — the speaker simply feels pity from the outside. It is mostly found in literary or formal writing.