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B2 noun 9 min read

耻辱

chǐrǔ
Examples 耻辱 in 30 Seconds
Explanation 耻辱 in your Level:
At the A1 level, you don't need to use '耻辱' (chǐrǔ) often. It is a very strong and formal word. However, it is helpful to know that it means a 'very bad feeling of shame.' Think of it like a 'super-sad' or 'super-bad' feeling when someone does something wrong. For example, if a player in a game cheats and everyone finds out, they might feel '耻辱'. At this level, just remember that '耻' means shame and '辱' means disgrace. It is much stronger than just being 'shy' (害羞). If you are shy, you are A1. If you feel '耻辱', it's a much bigger problem. You will mostly see this word in stories or news. In simple terms: 耻辱 = very big shame.
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At the A2 level, you can start to understand '耻辱' (chǐrǔ) as a noun for 'disgrace.' You might hear it in movies or read it in simple stories about heroes and villains. It is used when someone loses their 'face' (面子) in a serious way. For example, if a team loses a game 10-0, the fans might say it is a '耻辱.' You can use the phrase '感到耻辱' (feel disgrace). Remember, it's not for small things like forgetting a pen. It's for big things that make people look bad to everyone else. It's a formal word, so you won't use it with your friends while eating lunch unless you are joking about something very dramatic.
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By B1, you should be able to distinguish '耻辱' (chǐrǔ) from more common words like '丢脸' (losing face). '耻辱' is the formal noun for 'humiliation' or 'disgrace.' You will encounter it in news articles, especially those discussing history or social issues. It often appears in the pattern 'A 是 B 的耻辱' (A is a disgrace to B). For example, '背叛是朋友之间的耻辱' (Betrayal is a disgrace between friends). You should also learn the verb '洗刷' (wash away) which is often used with '耻辱.' To '洗刷耻辱' means to do something good to make people forget a past mistake or failure. This level requires understanding the social weight of the word.
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At the B2 level, '耻辱' (chǐrǔ) is a key word for discussing abstract concepts like honor, ethics, and national identity. You should understand its historical context in China, particularly the term '国耻' (national humiliation). You are expected to use it in essays or formal discussions. For instance, when debating social justice, you might describe certain behaviors as '社会的耻辱' (a disgrace to society). You should also be comfortable with collocations like '蒙受耻辱' (to suffer disgrace) and '感到莫大的耻辱' (to feel immense shame). At this level, you recognize that '耻辱' implies a breach of a deep-seated code of conduct or a significant failure of expectations.
At the C1 level, you should master the nuances of '耻辱' (chǐrǔ) in literature and high-level political discourse. You should understand how it differs from '羞耻' (moral shame) and '羞辱' (the act of humiliating). C1 learners should be able to use the word to describe complex psychological states or historical narratives. You might analyze how a character's '耻辱感' (sense of shame) drives the plot of a novel. You should also be familiar with idioms containing these characters, such as '奇耻大辱' (an extraordinary shame) or '忍辱负重' (to bear humiliation for a heavy responsibility). Your usage should reflect an understanding of the word's power to evoke collective emotion and historical memory.
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At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of '耻辱' (chǐrǔ). You can use it with precision in academic writing, legal contexts, or philosophical debates. You understand the etymological roots of the characters and how they have evolved. You can discuss the 'culture of shame' in East Asia versus 'culture of guilt' in the West using this term. You are able to detect subtle irony or sarcasm when the word is used in informal contexts. You can effortlessly use it in complex sentence structures, such as '将...视为终生耻辱' (to regard... as a lifelong disgrace). Your understanding includes the word's role in shaping national policy and public sentiment throughout Chinese history.
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Examples

耻辱 in 30 Seconds

  • 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) is a formal noun meaning disgrace or humiliation, used for serious moral or social failures.
  • It is much stronger than 'embarrassment' and is often associated with the loss of 'face' or national pride.
  • Commonly used in patterns like '感到耻辱' (feel shame) and '洗刷耻辱' (wash away disgrace).
  • Essential for understanding Chinese history, literature, and formal news reporting on sensitive topics.

The Chinese term 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) is a powerful noun that translates to disgrace, shame, or humiliation. Unlike the softer, more personal feeling of being 'shy' (害羞), 耻辱 carries a heavy weight of public dishonor or a deep internal sense of having failed a moral or social standard. It is often used in contexts involving historical events, sports defeats, personal failures that affect one's reputation, or societal taboos. In the Chinese cultural context, 'face' (面子) is paramount, and 耻辱 represents the ultimate loss of that face. It is not just a fleeting emotion but often a lasting stain on one's character or a group's history. When someone says something is a 耻辱, they are expressing a profound level of disapproval and disappointment.

Grammatical Function
耻辱 acts as a noun. It can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb (like 感到 - feel, or 蒙受 - suffer), or modified by adjectives (like 巨大的 - huge, or 莫大的 - greatest).
Emotional Intensity
This word sits at the high end of the shame spectrum. It is more intense than 'embarrassment' (尴尬) and more formal than 'losing face' (丢脸).

对他来说，作弊是一生中最大的耻辱。 (For him, cheating was the greatest disgrace of his life.)

Historically, the term is frequently invoked in Chinese history to describe periods of foreign intervention, such as the 'Century of Humiliation' (百年国耻). This historical baggage means that in political or nationalistic discourse, the word evokes strong patriotic sentiments and a call to 'wash away the shame' (洗刷耻辱). In a modern professional setting, failing a major project due to negligence might be described as a 耻辱 by a strict manager. It implies that the person should feel a deep sense of responsibility and regret for their actions.

这场惨败是球队的耻辱。 (This crushing defeat is a disgrace to the team.)

Furthermore, 耻辱 is often paired with verbs that indicate how one interacts with this shame. One might 'endure' (忍受) 耻辱, 'bring' (带来) 耻辱 to a family, or 'be buried' (蒙受) in 耻辱. It is a word that demands a reaction, usually a desire for redemption or a firm rejection of the behavior that caused the shame. In literature, it is a common theme where characters struggle to overcome a past 耻辱 to regain their standing in society.

这种行为是全人类的耻辱。 (This kind of behavior is a disgrace to all of humanity.)

Social Context
In collectivist cultures, 耻辱 often extends beyond the individual to the group, family, or nation. One person's 耻辱 can be shared by many.

他感到莫大的耻辱。 (He felt an immense sense of shame.)

我们要永远记住那段历史的耻辱。 (We must forever remember the disgrace of that period of history.)

Using 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) correctly requires understanding its role as a noun and the typical verbs it associates with. It is rarely used in casual, lighthearted conversation. Instead, it appears in formal speeches, serious literature, and critical news reporting. When you want to describe a state of being disgraced, you often use the structure 'Subject + 是 + 耻辱' or 'Subject + 感到 + 耻辱'.

Pattern: Subject + 是 + [Possessive] + 耻辱
This describes something as being a source of shame. For example: '这是我的耻辱' (This is my disgrace).

贪污是公务员的耻辱。 (Corruption is a disgrace for civil servants.)

Another common usage involves the verb 蒙受 (méngshòu), which means 'to suffer' or 'to be subjected to'. This is used for passive situations where shame is brought upon someone. Conversely, to 'wash away' or 'remove' shame, the verb 洗刷 (xǐshuā) is used, often in the context of redemption or victory after a previous loss.

Pattern: 洗刷 + 耻辱
This means to redeem oneself or clear one's name. Example: '他努力工作以洗刷过去的耻辱' (He works hard to wash away past disgrace).

他发誓要洗刷当年的耻辱。 (He swore to wash away the disgrace of that year.)

In academic or formal writing, 耻辱 can be used to describe social phenomena. Phrases like '耻辱感' (chǐrǔ gǎn - sense of shame) are common when discussing psychology or sociology. You might also see '视为耻辱' (shì wéi chǐrǔ), which means 'to regard as a disgrace'.

他们把失败视为一种耻辱。 (They regard failure as a kind of disgrace.)

When describing someone who has brought shame to a group, you might say '是...的耻辱'. This is a very harsh criticism. For example, '他是家族的耻辱' (He is the disgrace of the family) is a sentence that implies a complete break in relationship or a very serious transgression.

那是我们国家历史上最黑暗的耻辱。 (That was the darkest disgrace in our country's history.)

Common Collocations
耻辱的印记 (mark of shame), 终生耻辱 (lifelong disgrace), 感到极大的耻辱 (feel immense shame).

背叛朋友是莫大的耻辱。 (Betraying a friend is a huge disgrace.)

You are most likely to encounter 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) in contexts that involve high stakes, history, or strong moral judgment. It is not a word for buying groceries or chatting about the weather. Instead, it appears in the following spheres of Chinese life:

News and Politics
Chinese state media often uses this word when discussing historical grievances or international relations. Terms like '国耻' (guóchǐ - national humiliation) are very common in textbooks and documentaries about the 19th and early 20th centuries.

铭记历史，勿忘耻辱。 (Remember history, do not forget the disgrace.)

In the world of sports, fans and commentators use 耻辱 to describe an unexpectedly poor performance. If a top-tier national team loses to a much weaker opponent, the headlines will likely use this word to express the collective disappointment of the fans. It highlights the gap between expectation and reality.

Literature and Film
Traditional and modern Chinese literature often revolves around themes of honor and shame. A character might spend an entire novel trying to redeem themselves from a '耻辱' caused by a youthful mistake or a family scandal. In period dramas (Wuxia or historical), the concept of '雪耻' (xuěchǐ - to avenge or wipe out shame) is a major plot driver.

这场失利对他来说是难以忍受的耻辱。 (This loss was an unbearable disgrace for him.)

In legal or ethical discussions, 耻辱 is used to describe crimes or behaviors that are considered particularly heinous or damaging to social order. For example, human trafficking or severe corruption might be described as a 'social disgrace' (社会的耻辱).

他的一生都笼罩在失败的耻辱中。 (His whole life was shrouded in the disgrace of failure.)

Educational Contexts
Teachers might use the word to emphasize the seriousness of academic dishonesty. '作弊是学生的耻辱' (Cheating is a student's disgrace) is a phrase used to instill a strong moral compass in students.

我们绝不能让这种耻辱再次发生。 (We must never let this disgrace happen again.)

One of the most frequent mistakes English speakers make when using 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) is confusing it with other words for shame or embarrassment. Because English often uses the word 'shame' for both minor social awkwardness and major moral disgrace, learners tend to over-apply 耻辱 to situations where it is too strong.

Mistake 1: Confusing 耻辱 with 害羞 (hàixiū)
害羞 means 'shy' or 'bashful'. If you say '我觉得很耻辱' when you are just shy about meeting new people, it will sound like you have committed a terrible crime. Use 害羞 for shyness.

❌ 我因为没带作业感到耻辱。
✅ 我因为没带作业感到不好意思。 (I feel embarrassed/sorry for not bringing homework.)

Another common error is failing to distinguish between 耻辱 (the noun 'disgrace') and 羞辱 (xiūrǔ), which is often used as a verb meaning 'to humiliate someone'. While they share the character '辱', their grammatical roles differ. You *suffer* 耻辱, but you *actively* 羞辱 someone else.

Mistake 2: Grammatical Misuse
Learners sometimes try to use 耻辱 as a verb. Remember that 耻辱 is a noun. If you want to say 'He disgraced me', you would use '他羞辱了我' or '他让我蒙受了耻辱'.

❌ 他耻辱了我。
✅ 他羞辱了我。 (He humiliated me.)

Furthermore, 耻辱 is often too formal for daily life. Using it to describe a small mistake, like forgetting a friend's birthday, makes the speaker sound melodramatic. In such cases, 丢脸 (diūliǎn - to lose face) or 尴尬 (gāngà - awkward) are much more appropriate.

❌ 忘记约会是我的耻辱。
✅ 忘记约会让我很尴尬。 (Forgetting the date made me feel awkward.)

Mistake 3: Confusing with 羞耻 (xiūchǐ)
羞耻 is closer to the internal 'sense of shame' or 'shamefulness'. While often interchangeable, 羞耻 focuses more on the moral feeling, while 耻辱 focuses on the objective state of being disgraced in the eyes of others.

In Chinese, there are several words that touch upon the concept of shame, each with its own nuance and level of formality. Understanding the difference between 耻辱 (chǐrǔ) and its synonyms will help you express yourself more precisely.

羞耻 (xiūchǐ)
This is very close to 耻辱 but focuses more on the internal moral conscience. You might feel 羞耻 for a small lie. 耻辱 is usually larger and more public. 羞耻 often appears as an adjective ('shameful').

这种行为令人感到羞耻。 (This kind of behavior makes one feel ashamed.)

Then there is 羞辱 (xiūrǔ), which is primarily a verb. It means the act of humiliating someone else, often intentionally. If someone insults you in public, they are 羞辱-ing you, and you are suffering 耻辱.

丢脸 (diūliǎn)
Literally 'losing face'. This is the informal, everyday way to say 'embarrassed' or 'disgraced'. It is used among friends and family for things like tripping in public or failing a test. 耻辱 is much more formal.

别在客人面前给我丢脸！ (Don't make me lose face in front of the guests!)

For an even more formal or literary tone, you might encounter 垢 (gòu - stain/filth) or 辱 (rǔ - disgrace). These are often parts of idioms, like 忍辱负重 (rěnrǔ fùzhòng - to endure humiliation for a greater cause). There is also 难堪 (nánkān), which describes a situation that is 'hard to bear' due to embarrassment or awkwardness.

尴尬 (gāngà)
This means 'awkward'. It is the best word for when you say the wrong thing or have spinach in your teeth. It lacks the moral weight of 耻辱.

那个场面非常尴尬。 (That scene was very awkward.)

Lastly, consider the word 侮辱 (wǔrǔ), which means 'insult'. It is focused on the verbal or physical act of showing disrespect. While 耻辱 is the result, 侮辱 is the action. If someone 侮辱-s your country, you feel it is a 耻辱.

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Examples by Level

1

他不听话，是耻辱。

He is not obedient; it is a disgrace.

Simple Subject + 是 + Noun structure.

2

那是他的耻辱。

That is his disgrace.

Possessive '他的' modifying '耻辱'.

3

我感到耻辱。

I feel disgraced.

Verb '感到' + Noun '耻辱'.

4

这不耻辱。

This is not a disgrace.

Negative '不' before the noun (common in short spoken phrases).

5

他是耻辱吗？

Is he a disgrace?

Question form using '吗'.

6

大耻辱！

A big disgrace!

Adjective '大' modifying '耻辱'.

7

不要耻辱。

Don't be a disgrace.

Negative imperative '不要'.

8

这是耻辱的事情。

This is a disgraceful thing.

'耻辱' used as an attributive modifying '事情'.

1

输掉比赛是球队的耻辱。

Losing the game is the team's disgrace.

Gerund-like phrase as the subject.

2

他觉得那次失败是耻辱。

He feels that failure was a disgrace.

Verb '觉得' introducing a clause.

3

我们不能忘记这个耻辱。

We cannot forget this disgrace.

Modal verb '不能' + '忘记'.

4

他给家人带来了耻辱。

He brought disgrace to his family.

Structure '给...带来...'

5

这种行为是莫大的耻辱。

This kind of behavior is a great disgrace.

Adjective '莫大' (great/immense) modifying '耻辱'.

6

他不想再受这种耻辱。

He doesn't want to suffer this disgrace again.

Verb '受' (suffer/receive) + '耻辱'.

7

那是个耻辱的时刻。

That was a disgraceful moment.

Adjectival use with '的'.

8

他在耻辱中生活。

He lives in disgrace.

Prepositional phrase '在...中'.

1

他努力工作，想洗刷过去的耻辱。

He works hard, wanting to wash away past disgrace.

Serial verb construction with '洗刷'.

2

对一个战士来说，投降是最大的耻辱。

For a soldier, surrendering is the greatest disgrace.

Prepositional phrase '对...来说'.

3

他的谎言被揭穿后，他感到了深深的耻辱。

After his lie was exposed, he felt deep disgrace.

Passive structure '被揭穿' + '感到了...'

4

这种腐败现象是政府的耻辱。

This kind of corruption is a disgrace to the government.

Abstract noun as subject.

5

他忍受着耻辱，等待反击的机会。

He endured the disgrace, waiting for a chance to fight back.

Aspect marker '着' indicating ongoing state.

6

我们应该把这种行为视为耻辱。

We should regard this behavior as a disgrace.

Structure '把...视为...'.

7

他的一生都因为那件事而蒙受耻辱。

His whole life suffered disgrace because of that incident.

Structure '因为...而...'.

8

没有什么比失去荣誉更耻辱的了。

Nothing is more disgraceful than losing honor.

Comparative structure '没有什么比...更...'.

1

那次外交失败被视为国家的耻辱。

That diplomatic failure was regarded as a national disgrace.

Passive '被视为' with a complex noun phrase.

2

他无法面对这种奇耻大辱。

He could not face this extraordinary shame.

Use of the idiom '奇耻大辱'.

3

在这个文化中，贫穷并不被看作是耻辱。

In this culture, poverty is not seen as a disgrace.

Negative passive '不被看作是'.

4

他在公众面前蒙受了极大的耻辱。

He suffered immense disgrace in front of the public.

Quantifier '极大的' (immense).

5

我们要铭记历史，洗刷国耻。

We must remember history and wash away national humiliation.

Formal four-character phrasing style.

6

这种不公平的待遇是对人权的耻辱。

This unfair treatment is a disgrace to human rights.

Prepositional '对...的' modifying '耻辱'.

7

他宁愿死也不愿承受这种耻辱。

He would rather die than endure this disgrace.

Structure '宁愿...也不愿...'.

8

他的背叛给整个组织留下了耻辱的印记。

His betrayal left a mark of disgrace on the entire organization.

Metaphorical '耻辱的印记' (mark of shame).

1

这种深刻的耻辱感贯穿了他的整个文学创作。

This profound sense of shame permeated his entire literary creation.

Abstract '耻辱感' as the subject.

2

在这个案例中，法律的缺失被视为文明的耻辱。

In this case, the lack of law was seen as a disgrace to civilization.

Formal academic tone.

3

他试图通过慈善事业来洗刷早年的耻辱。

He attempted to wash away his early disgrace through charitable work.

Structure '通过...来...'.

4

那种被社会抛弃的耻辱是他永远的痛。

The disgrace of being abandoned by society was his eternal pain.

Complex noun phrase as subject.

5

历史将永远铭记这一耻辱的篇章。

History will forever remember this disgraceful chapter.

Personification of '历史'.

6

他无法摆脱家族历史中那段耻辱的阴影。

He could not escape the shadow of that disgraceful period in family history.

Metaphorical '耻辱的阴影' (shadow of disgrace).

7

这种对弱者的欺凌是现代社会的莫大耻辱。

This bullying of the weak is a great disgrace to modern society.

Strong moral judgment in formal writing.

8

他以一种近乎自虐的方式来回应内心的耻辱。

He responded to his internal shame in a near-masochistic way.

Adverbial phrase '以...的方式'.

1

这桩丑闻不仅是个人的悲剧，更是整个体制的耻辱。

This scandal is not only a personal tragedy but also a disgrace to the entire system.

Coordinating conjunctions '不仅...更是...'.

2

我们需要从哲学的角度去审视这种耻辱的本质。

We need to examine the essence of this disgrace from a philosophical perspective.

Academic '从...的角度去审视'.

3

这种集体的耻辱记忆成为了民族凝聚力的来源。

This collective memory of disgrace became a source of national cohesion.

Complex psychological and sociological concept.

4

他拒绝接受任何形式的羞辱，即便那意味着更多的耻辱。

He refused to accept any form of humiliation, even if it meant more disgrace.

Distinguishing between '羞辱' (act) and '耻辱' (state).

5

那段历史充满了屈辱与耻辱，但也孕育了变革。

That period of history was full of humiliation and disgrace, but it also gave birth to change.

Parallel nouns '屈辱' and '耻辱'.

6

这种对真理的背叛被学术界视为永恒的耻辱。

This betrayal of truth is regarded by the academic community as an eternal disgrace.

Passive voice '被...视为' with an abstract object.

7

他的一生都在与那种根深蒂固的耻辱感作斗争。

He spent his entire life fighting against that deeply rooted sense of shame.

Idiomatic '根深蒂固' (deeply rooted).

8

这种制度化的歧视无疑是人类文明进程中的耻辱。

This institutionalized discrimination is undoubtedly a disgrace in the process of human civilization.

High-level social commentary.

Common Collocations

感到耻辱
洗刷耻辱
莫大的耻辱
蒙受耻辱
视为耻辱
耻辱感
终生耻辱
历史的耻辱
家族的耻辱
刻骨铭心的耻辱

Common Phrases

国耻

— National humiliation. Specifically refers to historical periods of foreign aggression.

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This Word in Other Languages

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