羞 (xiū) - Shame, embarrassment & to feel ashamed

羞Tone 1

xiū ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

信嫣

羞 · xiū

Shame, embarrassment;

to feel ashamed;

shy;

bashful;

also used in the sense of delicacies or fine food (archaic).

Shame, embarrassmentto feel ashamedshy

Usage highlights

ShyShameEmbarrassmentTo feel ashamedTo humiliateShameful

Synonyms

  • 耻— disgrace, shame
  • 愧— guilty conscience, ashamed
  • 惭— feel ashamed

Antonyms

  • 荣— honor, glory
  • 傲— pride, arrogance
  • 豪— bold, heroic

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt ashamed of his mistake (感到羞耻).
  • She was too shy to speak in public (害羞).
  • Don't be embarrassed to ask questions (不要羞于提问).
  • This behavior brings shame to the family (羞辱家门).

Collocations

  • Shy(害羞)
  • Shame(羞耻)
  • Embarrassment(羞愧)
  • To feel ashamed(羞惭)
  • To humiliate(羞辱)
  • Shameful(羞耻的)

Idioms

  • Too ashamed to show one's face(羞于见人)
  • Shame and resentment(羞愤)
  • Make someone feel ashamed(使人羞惭)
  • Shame prevents one from speaking(羞于启齿)
  • Old fool who married a young bride(老牛吃嫩草 - implying shame)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, 'face' (面子) is important, and shame (羞) is a powerful social emotion that regulates behavior.
  • The character originally depicted offering a sheep (羊) with hands (丑), suggesting the presentation of fine food, which later extended to feelings of shame when offerings were inadequate.
  • Confucian ethics emphasize the importance of shame as a moral compass for proper conduct.

FAQ