“look back on”是一个常用的英语动词短语,核心含义是“回顾;回忆(过去的人、事、经历)”,强调对往事的“重新审视”或“追忆”,带有一定的情感色彩(如怀念、感慨、遗憾等)。
侧重“主动回想过去的经历”,常隐含“现在对过去的反思或情感投射”。例如:
回忆童年往事 → look back on one’s childhood
回顾大学时光 → look back on one’s college years
反思过去的决定 → look back on a past decision
“on”是介词,因此后面需接名词、代词或动名词(不能接动词原形)。
接名词:I often look back on our time together.(我常回忆我们一起的时光。)
接代词:She looked back on it as the best day of her life.(她把那一天当作人生中最美好的日子来回忆。)
接动名词:He looks back on meeting his wife as the turning point of his life.(他把遇见妻子的时刻视为人生的转折点。)
通过“with + 情感词”表达回顾时的感受(如怀念、自豪、遗憾等),是最常用的扩展结构。
with fondness(满怀深情):My grandma looks back on her youth with great fondness.(奶奶满怀深情地回忆她的青春。)
with pride(自豪地):We look back on our team’s victory with pride.(我们自豪地回顾球队的胜利。)
with regret(遗憾地):I look back on that mistake with deep regret.(我对那个错误深感遗憾。)
with nostalgia(怀旧地):Many people look back on the 1990s with nostalgia.(很多人怀旧地回忆90年代。)
一般现在时:表示“习惯性回顾”(常与often、usually等频率副词连用)。
Example: She often looks back on her travels.(她常回忆自己的旅行。)
一般过去时:表示“过去某时的回顾”。
Example: Yesterday, we looked back on our school days.(昨天我们回顾了学生时代。)
现在完成时:强调“到目前为止的回顾”(常与already、ever等词连用)。
Example: I have never looked back on that experience with joy.(我从未愉快地回忆过那段经历。)
主语通常是人(只有人能主动“回顾”往事),不能用于被动语态。
❌ The past was looked back on by her.(错误)
✅ She looked back on the past.(正确)
与近义词的区别:
reflect on:更强调“反思、深思”(侧重理性分析);
recall/remember:更侧重“想起、记起”(侧重记忆的提取);
look back on:更侧重“回顾整个经历”(带有情感或时间的跨度)。
1、 When I look back on my first job, I realize how much I grew.(当我回顾第一份工作,我意识到自己成长了很多。)
2、 They look back on their wedding day with tears of joy.(他们回忆婚礼当天,喜极而泣。)
3、 Don’t look back on the past with anger—focus on the present.(别带着愤怒回顾过去,要专注当下。)
总之,“look back on”是表达“回忆往事”的常用短语,关键是结合具体的过去对象和情感色彩,让表达更生动。