(1) ①compliment on意为“(就……)恭维;赞扬(某人)”。
- Many people compliment us on the way we've trained our children.
许多人恭维我们培养孩子的方式。 - They all complimented him on the success he had just achieved.
他们都称赞他刚取得的新成就。
②有时不用on,而用for。
- I compliment you for the excellent work you've done.
我很是赞许你所做的出色工作。
(2) ①congratulate on/upon, felicitate on/upon是“就……(向某人)道贺;祝贺”,后者更正式,但不太常用。
- I sent him a telegram, congratulating him on his new marvelous discovery.
我给他发了一份电报,就他新取得的卓越发现给予祝贺。 - I am writing to congratulate you with all my heart on your appointment as CEO of your firm.
我写信衷心祝贺你被任命为贵公司的首席执行官。
②congratulate oneself (on)是“感到幸运、庆幸”之意。
- We congratulated ourselves on our escape/on having escaped unhurt.
我们为能逃脱/为安然无恙地逃脱而感到庆幸。 - We can congratulate ourselves on our good luck in finding the right house so quickly.
我们为我们这么快就能找到合适房子的好运感到庆幸。