Significado
Feeling embarrassed or losing reputation.
Contexto cultural
In Lao business, if you disagree with a superior, you should do it in a way that doesn't make them 'lose face'. Direct contradiction is seen as an attack on their 'face'. Children are taught from a young age that their behavior reflects on their parents. If a child misbehaves in public, the parents 'ເສຍໜ້າ'. Weddings are massive 'face' events. The amount of food and the number of guests are ways to 'gain face' (ໄດ້ໜ້າ). A shortage of beer would cause the host to 'ເສຍໜ້າ'. Lao Facebook culture is very active. 'Losing face' online through public arguments is common, but often people will delete posts quickly to 'save face'.
Use with 'ແທ້ໆ'
Adding 'thae thae' (really) makes you sound very natural and sincere about your embarrassment.
Don't over-apologize
In Lao culture, once you've acknowledged you 'sia na', people usually try to move on to help you save face. Don't keep bringing it up.
Significado
Feeling embarrassed or losing reputation.
Use with 'ແທ້ໆ'
Adding 'thae thae' (really) makes you sound very natural and sincere about your embarrassment.
Don't over-apologize
In Lao culture, once you've acknowledged you 'sia na', people usually try to move on to help you save face. Don't keep bringing it up.
The Smile
If someone makes a mistake and says 'Sia na' while smiling, they aren't happy; they are using the smile to mask their embarrassment.
Slang usage
Use 'Na taek' only with people your own age or younger. Never use it with your boss!
Teste-se
Fill in the blank with the correct word for 'face'.
ຂ້ອຍເຮັດຜິດ ຕໍ່ໜ້າທຸກຄົນ, ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ສຶກເສຍ____.
The idiom is 'ເສຍໜ້າ' (sia na).
Which situation best fits the phrase 'ເສຍໜ້າ'?
Which of these is 'ເສຍໜ້າ'?
Losing face requires a public failure or embarrassment.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ເປັນຫຍັງເຈົ້າຄືໜ້າແດງແທ້? B: ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າຊື່ຫົວໜ້າຜິດ, ຂ້ອຍ____ຫຼາຍ.
Calling the boss by the wrong name causes a loss of face.
Match the phrase to the intensity.
Match 'ໜ້າແຕກ' with its best description.
'ໜ້າແຕກ' is the slang version of 'ເສຍໜ້າ'.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosຂ້ອຍເຮັດຜິດ ຕໍ່ໜ້າທຸກຄົນ, ຂ້ອຍຮູ້ສຶກເສຍ____.
The idiom is 'ເສຍໜ້າ' (sia na).
Which of these is 'ເສຍໜ້າ'?
Losing face requires a public failure or embarrassment.
A: ເປັນຫຍັງເຈົ້າຄືໜ້າແດງແທ້? B: ຂ້ອຍເວົ້າຊື່ຫົວໜ້າຜິດ, ຂ້ອຍ____ຫຼາຍ.
Calling the boss by the wrong name causes a loss of face.
Match 'ໜ້າແຕກ' with its best description.
'ໜ້າແຕກ' is the slang version of 'ເສຍໜ້າ'.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNo, it's a very common and polite idiom to describe embarrassment.
Technically no, because 'face' requires an audience. Use 'sia chai' or 'hu-seuk phit' instead.
The opposite is 'dai na' (to gain face) or 'hak sa na' (to save face).
You can say 'ຂ້ອຍຂໍໂທດທີ່ເຮັດໃຫ້ເຈົ້າເສຍໜ້າ' (Khoy khor thote thee het hai chao sia na).
Yes, Thai uses 'เสียหน้า' (sia na) with the exact same meaning and tones.
Yes, organizations and families can lose face just like individuals.
No, it has nothing to do with physical beauty.
No, 'khai na' is just more intense. 'Sia na sia ta' is the more formal version.
It's a communal culture where social harmony and reputation are prioritized over individual directness.
Yes, like forgetting a pen, but it's usually for things that others notice.
Frases relacionadas
ຮັກສາໜ້າ
contrastTo save face
ໄດ້ໜ້າ
contrastTo gain face / get credit
ຂາຍໜ້າ
synonymTo be deeply ashamed
ໜ້າແຕກ
informalTo have a major fail
ໃຫ້ກຽດ
builds onTo give honor
