B1 adjective Neutral #4,000 most common 1 min read

羞愧

xi1u ku3i /xiū kuì/

Shame and remorse stemming from actions that violate personal or social standards.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Feeling shame and remorse for wrongdoing.
  • Deep negative emotion due to moral/social violations.
  • Expresses self-disappointment and embarrassment.

Overview

羞愧(xiū kuì)是一个形容词,用来描述一个人因为自己的行为、言语或思想感到内疚、惭愧和丢脸。这种感觉通常源于违反了道德标准、社会规范或个人良心。它是一种深刻的自我否定和负面情绪体验。

羞愧通常用作谓语或定语。作为谓语时,它描述主语的状态,例如“他感到很羞愧”。作为定语时,它修饰名词,例如“羞愧的表情”、“羞愧的沉默”。它也可以与“地”连用作状语,修饰动词,例如“他羞愧地低下了头”。

羞愧常常出现在承认错误、面对批评、揭露丑闻、考试不及格、辜负他人期望等场景。例如,一个学生考试作弊被发现后,可能会感到羞愧;一个不小心犯了严重错误的人,在得到他人原谅后,也可能心存羞愧。

内疚主要指因为做了对不起他人的事而感到不安和自责,侧重于良心上的谴责。羞愧则更侧重于因自身行为不当而产生的羞耻感和在他人面前抬不起头的感觉。

惭愧和羞愧都表示内疚和不好意思,但羞愧的程度通常更深,带有更多的丢脸和难为情。惭愧可能更多地是对自己未能达到某种标准或期望的遗憾。

丢脸更偏向于在他人面前感到难堪、没面子,通常是因为做了不体面或令人嘲笑的事情。羞愧则包含丢脸的成分,但更强调内心的自责和道德上的反省。

Examples

1

得知自己被骗了,他感到十分羞愧,觉得自己太傻了。

everyday

Upon realizing he had been scammed, he felt deeply ashamed, thinking how foolish he had been.

2

面对公众的质疑,这位官员羞愧地辞去了职务。

formal

Facing public scrutiny, the official shamefully resigned from his post.

3

他做了对不起朋友的事,心里一直很羞愧,不知道怎么面对。

informal

He did something that wronged his friend and felt very ashamed, not knowing how to face him.

4

研究人员对未能及时发现实验中的偏差表示羞愧。

academic

The researchers expressed shame for failing to detect the experimental deviation in time.

Common Collocations

感到羞愧 feel ashamed
羞愧难当 overwhelmed with shame
羞愧地低下头 hang one's head in shame

Common Phrases

无地自容

too ashamed to show one's face

无颜面对

ashamed to face

面红耳赤

blush crimson (often from shame or embarrassment)

Often Confused With

羞愧 vs 惭愧

'Shame' (羞愧) often implies a stronger sense of disgrace and embarrassment, particularly in front of others, while 'remorse' (惭愧) can be a more internal feeling of regret and self-reproach for not meeting expectations.

羞愧 vs 内疚

'Shame' (羞愧) is about feeling disgraced due to one's actions, often involving a loss of face. 'Guilt' (内疚) is more about the inner feeling of responsibility and distress from having done something wrong, especially if it harmed others.

Grammar Patterns

感到羞愧 (gǎn dào xiū kuì) - to feel ashamed 羞愧地 (xiū kuì de) + verb - adverbially, doing something shamefully 羞愧的 (xiū kuì de) + noun - adjective, shameful

How to Use It

Usage Notes

Use '羞愧' when describing a strong feeling of shame or disgrace resulting from one's actions. It is often accompanied by physical manifestations like lowering one's head. The term carries a significant negative emotional weight. It is generally used to describe personal feelings rather than objective states.


Common Mistakes

Do not confuse '羞愧' (shame) with simple embarrassment or shyness. Ensure the context involves a wrongdoing or a socially inappropriate action that leads to a feeling of disgrace. Avoid using it to describe positive achievements.

Tips

💡

Understand the Depth of Shame

Recognize that '羞愧' implies a strong sense of embarrassment and self-disappointment, often linked to moral failings.

⚠️

Avoid Excessive Self-Blame

While acknowledging wrongdoing is important, dwelling excessively on shame can be detrimental to mental well-being.

🌍

Cultural Emphasis on 'Face'

In Chinese culture, losing 'face' (面子) is closely related to feelings of shame, making '羞愧' a significant social emotion.

Word Origin

The character '羞' (xiū) relates to shame and blushing, while '愧' (kuì) means ashamed or disgraced. Together, '羞愧' strongly conveys the feeling of being ashamed and mortified.

Cultural Context

In many East Asian cultures, including Chinese culture, maintaining 'face' (面子) is important. Actions that cause one to lose face often lead to strong feelings of '羞愧'. This cultural value can intensify the experience and expression of shame.

Memory Tip

Imagine someone 'xiū' (修) - fixing something, but they broke it badly, making them 'kuì' (愧) - ashamed and wanting to hide.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

羞愧更侧重于因行为不当而感到的羞耻和难堪,尤其是在他人面前。内疚则更侧重于因做了对不起他人的事而产生的良心不安和自责。

当你意识到自己做错了事、说了不该说的话,或者做了不光彩的行为,并且认为这些行为有违道德或让你在他人面前失了面子时,就会感到羞愧。

“羞愧”通常是贬义词,因为它描述的是一种负面情绪和对自身行为的不满。但从积极角度看,能够感到羞愧也表明一个人有道德感和是非观。

首先要承认错误并承担责任,然后从中吸取教训,努力改正。同时,也要学会自我原谅,明白人非圣贤,孰能无过,重要的是未来的行动。

Test Yourself

fill blank

他因为考试作弊被发现,感到非常______。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 羞愧

作弊是错误行为,被发现后会感到惭愧和丢脸,用“羞愧”最合适。

multiple choice

以下哪个句子正确使用了“羞愧”?

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 知道自己错了,他羞愧地低下头。

“羞愧”表示因错误或不光彩行为而感到的惭愧,通常伴随低头等动作。选项A和D不符合语境,选项B将成功与羞愧联系起来是错误的。

sentence building

用“羞愧”、“承认”、“错误”造句。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 他羞愧地承认了自己的错误。

这个句子结构完整,语意清晰,表达了因承认错误而感到羞愧的状态。

Score: /3

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