内疚感 describes the feeling of guilt or remorse, often linked to personal responsibility for a negative action.
内疚感 in 30 Seconds
- Feeling of guilt
- Remorse
- Bad conscience
How Formal Is It?
"他对自己的过失深感自责。"
"我为我所做的事情感到内疚。"
"我让你等了这么久，真有点过意不去。"
"我把你玩具弄坏了，真不好意思。"
"骗了他以后，我心里一直不舒服。"
Fun Fact
The character '疚' (jiù) itself contains the '疒' (nè) radical, which is associated with illness and disease. This visually reinforces the idea of an internal affliction.
Examples by Level
我感到内疚。
I feel guilt.
他没有内疚感。
He has no feeling of guilt.
她有一些内疚。
She has some remorse.
你感到内疚吗？
Do you feel guilty?
这让我很内疚。
This makes me very guilty.
他表现出内疚。
He showed remorse.
内疚感很重。
The feeling of guilt is strong.
她有内疚的表情。
She has a guilty expression.
他对自己的错误行为感到深深的内疚感。
He felt a deep sense of guilt for his wrong actions.
内疚感让他夜不能寐。
Guilt kept him awake at night.
我为没有帮助她而感到内疚。
I felt guilty for not helping her.
她脸上露出了内疚感。
A feeling of guilt appeared on her face.
减轻内疚感最好的方法是承认错误并改正。
The best way to alleviate guilt is to admit mistakes and correct them.
他做了一些让他感到内疚的事情。
He did something that made him feel guilty.
这种内疚感一直困扰着他。
This feeling of guilt has been bothering him.
我理解你的内疚感，但那不是你的错。
I understand your guilt, but it wasn't your fault.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
他对我感到内疚。
He feels guilty towards me.
她为自己的行为感到内疚。
She felt guilty about her actions.
我心里有很深的内疚感。
I have a deep feeling of guilt in my heart.
不要让内疚感控制你。
Don't let guilt control you.
内疚感使她夜不能寐。
Guilt made her sleepless at night.
他试图摆脱内疚感。
He tried to get rid of the feeling of guilt.
我没有一丝内疚感。
I don't have a trace of guilt.
这事让我产生了内疚感。
This matter made me feel guilty.
她脸上流露出内疚感。
A feeling of guilt showed on her face.
这种内疚感一直困扰着我。
This feeling of guilt has always bothered me.
How to Use It
Use 内疚感 (nèijiùgǎn) to describe a feeling of guilt or remorse. It's a noun and is often used with verbs like 有 (yǒu), meaning 'to have,' or 感到 (gǎndào), meaning 'to feel.' For example, 你有没有内疚感？(Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu nèijiùgǎn?) - Do you have any feeling of guilt?
A common mistake is confusing 内疚感 (nèijiùgǎn) with 内疚 (nèijiù). While both relate to guilt, 内疚 (nèijiù) can be used as an adjective (e.g., 他很内疚 - Tā hěn nèijiù - He feels very guilty) or a verb (e.g., 他内疚了 - Tā nèijiù le - He felt guilty). 内疚感 (nèijiùgǎn) specifically refers to the 'feeling' itself. Another mistake is using it for mild regret; 内疚感 implies a stronger, more significant sense of guilt.
Tips
Understanding 内疚感
内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn) is a noun that directly translates to 'feeling of guilt' or 'remorse'. It's important to remember that it often refers to a deeper, more internal sense of guilt rather than just a fleeting regret.
Breaking Down the Characters
Let's look at the characters: 內 (nèi) means inside or inner. 疚 (jiù) means guilt or remorse. 感 (gǎn) means feeling or sense. So, literally, an 'inner guilt feeling'.
Common Usage in Sentences
You'll often hear it used like this: 他心里充满了内疚感 (Tā xīn lǐ chōng mǎn le nèi jiù gǎn) – 'His heart was filled with a feeling of guilt.' or 她对自己的行为感到内疚感 (Tā duì zì jǐ de xíng wéi gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn) – 'She felt a sense of guilt about her actions.'
Expressing Guilt with 对…感到
A very common pattern is 对 + [person/thing] + 感到 + 内疚感 (duì...gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn), meaning 'to feel guilty towards...'. For example, 他对她感到内疚感 (Tā duì tā gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn) – 'He felt guilty towards her'.
Related Vocabulary: 悔恨 (huǐ hèn)
While 内疚感 is about guilt, 悔恨 (huǐ hèn) means remorse or deep regret. They are similar but not always interchangeable. 内疚感 is more about the feeling itself, while 悔恨 can imply regret over past actions.
Related Vocabulary: 后悔 (hòu huǐ)
后 (hòu) means after, 悔 (huǐ) means regret. 后悔 (hòu huǐ) is a verb meaning 'to regret'. While 内疚感 is the feeling, 后悔 is the act of regretting. For instance, 我很后悔 (Wǒ hěn hòu huǐ) – 'I really regret it'.
Using 没有内疚感 (méi yǒu nèi jiù gǎn)
To say someone doesn't feel guilt, you can use 没有内疚感 (méi yǒu nèi jiù gǎn). For example, 他对自己的错误没有内疚感 (Tā duì zì jǐ de cuò wù méi yǒu nèi jiù gǎn) – 'He has no feeling of guilt about his mistakes'.
Expressing Guilt as an Adjective
Although 内疚感 is a noun, you can often express a similar idea using the adjective 内疚 (nèi jiù) without the '感'. For example, 他很内疚 (Tā hěn nèi jiù) – 'He is very guilty'.
Practice with Real-Life Scenarios
Think about situations where you might feel guilt and try to construct sentences in Chinese using 内疚感. For example, 如果我迟到了，我会感到内疚感 (Rú guǒ wǒ chí dào le, wǒ huì gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn) – 'If I'm late, I'll feel a sense of guilt'.
Word Origin
Composed of '内' (nèi) meaning 'inner' or 'inside,' and '疚' (jiù) meaning 'long-standing illness' or 'distress.'
Original meaning: The combination originally conveyed a deep, internal distress or pain, akin to a chronic ailment. Over time, this distress became specifically associated with moral failing or wrongdoing, leading to the modern sense of guilt.
Sino-Tibetan, Sinitic branch (Chinese).Cultural Context
<p>In Chinese culture, '内疚感' (nèi jiù gǎn) is often tied to Confucian values emphasizing collective harmony and filial piety. A strong feeling of guilt can arise from actions that bring shame upon one's family or community, or from failing to fulfill one's duties to elders.</p><p>While individual conscience plays a role, the communal aspect of guilt is often more pronounced than in many Western cultures. It's not just about personal regret, but also about the perceived impact on one's social network.</p>
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
When someone feels bad about something they did or didn't do.
- 我感到内疚。
- 她心中充满了内疚感。
- 你没有理由感到内疚。
After making a mistake or hurting someone.
- 我对我的错误感到内疚。
- 他因为伤害了朋友而内疚。
- 这种内疚感一直困扰着我。
When discussing emotions or psychological states.
- 内疚感是一种复杂的情绪。
- 如何摆脱内疚感？
- 过度的内疚感对健康不利。
When someone feels responsible for something negative.
- 我对结果感到内疚。
- 父母对孩子的教育问题常有内疚感。
- 我为没能帮忙感到内疚。
In literature or media, describing characters' feelings.
- 主角被内疚感折磨。
- 电影刻画了人物的内疚感。
- 他内疚地低下了头。
Conversation Starters
"你上次感到内疚是什么时候？(When was the last time you felt guilty?)"
"你觉得内疚感是一种有益的情绪吗？(Do you think guilt is a beneficial emotion?)"
"你有没有因为没做某事而感到内疚？(Have you ever felt guilty for not doing something?)"
"当你的朋友感到内疚时，你会怎么做？(What do you do when your friend feels guilty?)"
"你认为人们通常为什么会感到内疚？(Why do you think people usually feel guilty?)"
Journal Prompts
描述一次你感到强烈内疚感的经历。(Describe an experience where you felt intense guilt.)
内疚感对你有什么影响？你是如何处理这种情绪的？(How does guilt affect you? How do you deal with this emotion?)
如果你能回到过去，你会改变什么来避免内疚感？(If you could go back in time, what would you change to avoid feeling guilty?)
写下一些关于内疚感的积极方面和消极方面。(Write about some positive and negative aspects of guilt.)
你有没有因为别人的期望而感到内疚？(Have you ever felt guilty because of others' expectations?)
Test Yourself 30 questions
Choose the word that means 'guilt' or 'remorse'.
内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn) specifically refers to the feeling of guilt or remorse.
Which of these situations would likely cause someone to feel 内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn)?
Breaking something valuable belonging to a friend can cause a feeling of guilt.
If someone says '我对你感到很内疚。' (Wǒ duì nǐ gǎndào hěn nèi jiù.), what are they expressing?
内疚 (nèi jiù) is the verb form of feeling guilty. This sentence means 'I feel very guilty towards you.'
If you help a friend, you will feel 内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn).
Helping a friend usually brings feelings of satisfaction, not guilt.
Making a mistake can cause someone to feel 内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn).
Mistakes, especially those that harm others, can lead to feelings of guilt.
内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn) is a positive emotion.
内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn) is generally considered a negative or uncomfortable emotion.
This sentence means 'I am a student.' The correct order in Chinese is Subject-Verb-Object.
This sentence means 'How are you?' It's a common greeting.
This is another common greeting in Chinese, literally meaning 'Have you eaten yet?'.
你做过什么让你感到“内疚感”的事情？请写一小段话描述。
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
我曾经因为没有完成朋友的请求而感到内疚。我知道我应该帮助他，但我当时太忙了。
请用“内疚感”造一个句子，描述一种你对某事感到抱歉的情况。
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
当我看到我弟弟因为我的玩笑而生气时，我心里充满了内疚感。
描述一下，当你感到“内疚感”的时候，你通常会怎么做？
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
当我感到内疚感的时候，我通常会向对方道歉，并尝试弥补我的错误。
小明为什么会感到内疚感？
Read this passage:
小明忘记了妈妈的生日，这让他心里充满了内疚感。他决定第二天一早去花店买一束鲜花送给妈妈，希望能得到妈妈的原谅。他知道自己不应该忘记这么重要的日子。
小明为什么会感到内疚感？
文章中明确提到“小明忘记了妈妈的生日，这让他心里充满了内疚感。”
文章中明确提到“小明忘记了妈妈的生日，这让他心里充满了内疚感。”
文中“内疚感”出现的原因是什么？
Read this passage:
当他发现自己不小心说错了话，伤害了朋友时，一种强烈的内疚感涌上心头。他知道友谊的可贵，所以他立刻决定去向朋友道歉。
文中“内疚感”出现的原因是什么？
文章中提到“他发现自己不小心说错了话，伤害了朋友时，一种强烈的内疚感涌上心头。”
文章中提到“他发现自己不小心说错了话，伤害了朋友时，一种强烈的内疚感涌上心头。”
为了减轻内疚感，她打算怎么做？
Read this passage:
那个晚上，她因为没有告诉家人真相而感到内疚。这种感觉让她彻夜难眠。她知道诚实是最重要的，她决定第二天一早就把所有的事情都说出来。
为了减轻内疚感，她打算怎么做？
文章中写道“她知道诚实是最重要的，她决定第二天一早就把所有的事情都说出来。”这表明她打算说出真相。
文章中写道“她知道诚实是最重要的，她决定第二天一早就把所有的事情都说出来。”这表明她打算说出真相。
The correct order is to put '他对所做的事情' (he, concerning what he did) before '感到内疚感' (felt guilty).
'她的内疚感' (her guilt) is the subject, followed by '让她' (made her) and '无法入睡' (unable to sleep).
The structure is '没有人想' (nobody wants to) followed by '带着内疚感生活' (live with guilt).
她因为说了谎话，心里充满了___。
说谎后通常会感到内疚。
当你做错了事，伤害了别人，可能会产生___。
伤害他人后会感到懊悔和内疚。
医生没有能救活病人，他对此感到深深的___。
医生未能挽救生命，会因此产生强烈的内疚。
做了好事，帮助了别人，会感到内疚感。
做好事通常会带来快乐和满足感，而不是内疚感。
如果一个人感到内疚，他可能会试图弥补自己的过失。
内疚感常常会促使人们改正错误或寻求原谅。
内疚感是一种积极的情绪，有助于个人成长。
虽然内疚感不舒服，但它能促使人反思错误并改进，因此在一定程度上是积极的。
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
内疚感 describes the feeling of guilt or remorse, often linked to personal responsibility for a negative action.
- Feeling of guilt
- Remorse
- Bad conscience
Understanding 内疚感
内疚感 (nèi jiù gǎn) is a noun that directly translates to 'feeling of guilt' or 'remorse'. It's important to remember that it often refers to a deeper, more internal sense of guilt rather than just a fleeting regret.
Breaking Down the Characters
Let's look at the characters: 內 (nèi) means inside or inner. 疚 (jiù) means guilt or remorse. 感 (gǎn) means feeling or sense. So, literally, an 'inner guilt feeling'.
Common Usage in Sentences
You'll often hear it used like this: 他心里充满了内疚感 (Tā xīn lǐ chōng mǎn le nèi jiù gǎn) – 'His heart was filled with a feeling of guilt.' or 她对自己的行为感到内疚感 (Tā duì zì jǐ de xíng wéi gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn) – 'She felt a sense of guilt about her actions.'
Expressing Guilt with 对…感到
A very common pattern is 对 + [person/thing] + 感到 + 内疚感 (duì...gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn), meaning 'to feel guilty towards...'. For example, 他对她感到内疚感 (Tā duì tā gǎn dào nèi jiù gǎn) – 'He felt guilty towards her'.
Example
他为自己的错误感到深深的内疚感。
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
More emotions words
有点
A1A little; somewhat; rather.
一点
A1A little; a bit; slightly.
可恶
A2Hateful; detestable; abominable.
心不在焉
A2Absent-minded; preoccupied.
接受地
A2Acceptingly; receptively.
成就感
B1Sense of achievement; fulfillment.
撒娇
A2To act like a spoiled child; to act cute.
上瘾
B1To be addicted to something.
沉迷
A2To be addicted to; to be engrossed in.
敬佩
B1Admiration; respect; reverence.
