Meanings of 羞愧
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Podcast: 羞愧
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AI Study Notes for 羞愧
羞耻 (xiūchǐ) vs 羞愧 (xiūkuì): Use 羞愧 when emphasizing personal feelings of shame related to one's actions, while 羞耻 often refers to a more general sense of shame or disgrace.
Be careful not to confuse 羞愧 with just feeling embarrassed; it carries a deeper sense of moral failure. This phrase is more commonly used in formal contexts or when discussing serious emotions. A common collocation is '感到羞愧' (gǎndào xiūkuì), meaning 'to feel ashamed.'
Although 羞愧 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is important for understanding emotions in conversations. Students at this level should focus on using this word in sentences that express personal feelings or social interactions.
Learners often confuse 羞愧 with just feeling shy (羞), misusing it in contexts where embarrassment is not linked to moral failure. For example, saying '我很羞' (wǒ hěn xiū) instead of '我感到羞愧' (wǒ gǎndào xiūkuì) is incorrect.
Pronunciation of 羞愧
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Component Characters
How to say ashamed in Chinese
“ashamed” in Chinese is羞愧
羞愧 (xiu1 kui4) means to feel ashamed or embarrassed about something one has done. It conveys a sense of moral or social inadequacy, often arising from failing to meet personal or societal standards. This term is commonly used in contexts where an individual feels regret or guilt for their actions.
When to use 羞愧
Be careful not to confuse 羞愧 with just feeling embarrassed; it carries a deeper sense of moral failure. This phrase is more commonly used in formal contexts or when discussing serious emotions. A common collocation is '感到羞愧' (gǎndào xiūkuì), meaning 'to feel ashamed.'
羞愧 or something close to it
羞耻 (xiūchǐ) vs 羞愧 (xiūkuì): Use 羞愧 when emphasizing personal feelings of shame related to one's actions, while 羞耻 often refers to a more general sense of shame or disgrace.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 羞愧 with just feeling shy (羞), misusing it in contexts where embarrassment is not linked to moral failure. For example, saying '我很羞' (wǒ hěn xiū) instead of '我感到羞愧' (wǒ gǎndào xiūkuì) is incorrect.
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Frequently Asked Questions about 羞愧
While both terms relate to feelings of discomfort, 羞愧 specifically refers to shame or guilt over wrongdoing, whereas 尴尬 (gān gà) refers to awkwardness or being embarrassed in social situations.
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