old hat
old hat — 慣用語
1. something that people have seen, heard, or experienced so many times that it no
老套
因重複太多次而不再有趣
something that people have seen, heard, or experienced so many times that it no longer feels new, interesting, or exciting
The CGI explosions in that 2013 action film are old hat compared with newer movies.
那部 2013 年動作片的 CGI 爆炸特效跟新電影比起來，已經是老套了。
predicate adjective: be + old hat
Hearing CEOs promise net-zero by 2050 without a clear plan is old hat at energy summits.
聽 CEO 在能源高峰會上承諾 2050 年淨零排放卻沒有明確計畫，這套說法已經很老套了。
To most teenagers, the school's strict dress code is old hat and not worth debating.
對大部分青少年來說，學校嚴格的服裝規定已經很老套、不再值得討論了。
Rodrigo said the guided tour felt old hat after his third visit to the museum.
Rodrigo 說第三次參觀同一間博物館後，導覽行程就變得很老套了。
The line 'follow your dreams' is old hat to anyone who heard a graduation speech.
「追隨你的夢想」這句話，對任何聽過畢業演講的人來說都是陳腔濫調。
The joke about lazy cats was old hat to Yael after the third office party.
那個關於懶貓的笑話在第三次公司派對後對 Yael 來說已經老掉牙了。
Soraya thought the phrase 'think outside the box' was old hat in design studios.
Soraya 認為「跳脫框架思考」這句話在設計工作室裡已經成了陳腔濫調。
In Chiara's grief-support group, 'it is not the end of the world' is old hat by week two.
在 Chiara 的哀傷支持團體裡，「這不是世界末日」這句話到第二週就已經是老套了。
- outdated
more formal; can describe objects, technology, or ideas
- behind the times
less common than 'old hat'; focuses on failing to keep up with modern trends
- passé
French loanword; used mainly in fashion and culture contexts, more sophisticated sounding
- stale
emphasises lack of freshness or originality; works for jokes, ideas, and news
- cutting-edge
describes something at the forefront of new developments
- fresh
emphasises novelty and originality
文法句型
be + old hat + (to + person)
用法筆記
Typically used as a predicate adjective after the verb 'be'. The subject is usually an event, trend, activity, piece of information, or repeated saying/joke — not a person. Common in spoken and informal written English. Also applies to clichés, slogans, and overused expressions that have lost their impact through repetition.
常見錯誤
2. no longer considered stylish, modern, or suitable for the present time because i
過時；落伍
不再時尚或不符合時代潮流
no longer considered stylish, modern, or suitable for the present time because it belongs to an earlier period
A management style built on long meetings and printed memos is old hat today.
以漫長會議和紙本備忘錄為基礎的管理風格，在現在已經過時了。
pattern: be + old hat + in this [era]
Wearing a suit and tie to a casual tech startup these days is old hat.
在休閒風的新創公司穿西裝打領帶，現在已經落伍了。
Eve said her grandmother's recipes were tasty but the cooking methods were old hat.
Eve 說她祖母的食譜很好吃，但那些烹調方法已經過時了。
Using a paper map instead of a phone app is old hat for most drivers.
對現在大多數駕駛來說，用紙本地圖而不用手機導航 APP，已經落伍了。
- outdated
more neutral; can describe technology, clothes, or ideas without sounding dismissive
- antiquated
stronger and more formal; suggests something is not just old but out of touch with modern needs
- old-fashioned
direct synonym; can be positive or negative depending on context
文法句型
be + old hat
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 focuses on boredom from repetition ('boring because you have seen or heard it too often'); sense 2 focuses on being outdated or out of style regardless of repetition ('not fashionable anymore'). An old-fashioned hat from the 1960s may be 'old hat' (sense 2) even if you have never seen one before.