What Does 'A Slap on the Wrist' Mean? (よく使う英語慣用語句） -N0.542-

What Does 'A Slap on the Wrist' Mean? (よく使う英語慣用語句)

Introduction:
Have you ever seen someone do something wrong but only get a very light punishment? In English, we often call that “a slap on the wrist.”

1. What Does 'A Slap on the Wrist' Mean?
A “slap on the wrist” means a mild or weak punishment for something that might deserve stronger consequences. It suggests that the person didn’t suffer much for their mistake.

2. When to Use It
Use this phrase when someone receives only a small penalty or light scolding for their bad behavior.

Example:
A: He cheated on the test, but the teacher just gave him a warning.
B: That’s just a slap on the wrist!

3. 日本語の同じような表現
日本語では、「軽いお咎め」や「形だけの処罰」、「甘い処分」といった表現が近いです。本来ならもっと厳しく罰せられるべきなのに、軽い注意で済んだ場合に使います。

Conclusion:
When someone gets only a small punishment for something serious, you can say they got “a slap on the wrist.” It’s a critical way to point out that the consequences were too light.

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