辱 (rǔ) - Disgrace, humiliation, insult & to bring shame upon

辱Tone 3

rǔ ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

儒三

辱 · rǔ

Disgrace, humiliation, insult;

to bring shame upon;

to be insulted or humiliated;

also used in classical Chinese as a humble self-reference.

Disgrace, humiliation, insultto bring shame uponto be insulted or humiliated

Usage highlights

HumiliationTo insultTo suffer humiliationDisgrace and humiliationTo bring shame upon one's countryTo disgrace one's mission

Synonyms

  • 耻— shame, disgrace
  • 羞— shame, bashfulness

Antonyms

  • 荣— glory, honor
  • 誉— reputation, praise

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt deeply humiliated (受辱).
  • The insult was unbearable (侮辱).
  • She would rather die than suffer disgrace (宁死不辱).
  • In ancient letters, one might refer to oneself humbly as 'your servant' (辱).

Collocations

  • Humiliation(耻辱)
  • To insult(侮辱)
  • To suffer humiliation(受辱)
  • Disgrace and humiliation(屈辱)
  • To bring shame upon one's country(辱国)
  • To disgrace one's mission(辱命)

Idioms

  • Tolerate humiliation to carry out an important mission(忍辱负重)
  • Endure humiliation as part of a stratagem(忍辱含垢)
  • Bring disgrace upon oneself(奇耻大辱)
  • A dead body is not to be insulted(辱尸)
  • Bring shame to one's ancestors(辱没门楣)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The concept of 'face' (面子) is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, making avoidance of disgrace (辱) a significant social concern.
  • In classical texts and correspondence, 辱 was used as a humble term for oneself or one's actions when addressing a superior.
  • Enduring humiliation for a greater cause (e.g., 忍辱负重) is often portrayed as a virtue of resilience and strategic patience in Chinese narratives.

FAQ