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March 24, 2026
羞xiū(xiu1)
The character 羞 (xiū) primarily conveys feelings of shyness or shame. It is often used in contexts where someone feels embarrassed about their actions or is reluctant to engage in social situations due to a lack of confidence. This term can reflect both personal feelings of shame as well as a broader sense of modesty in social interactions.
Strokes10Radical羊Frequency#6774DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, feelings of 羞 play an important role in social interactions, where modesty and humility are often valued over overt self-promotion. The concept of 'face' (面子) is closely related to feelings of shame and pride, making this character relevant in discussions about social etiquette.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sheep (羊) feeling shy, hiding behind a bush. The character 羞 combines the radical for sheep (羊) with a component that suggests a sense of feeling or emotion, emphasizing the bashfulness associated with the sheep. Picture this shy sheep saying 'xiū' as it peeks out, embodying the sound and meaning.
Meanings of 羞
xiū(xiu1)
1shy
2ashamed
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About 羞
羞Simplified
10Strokes
羊Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6774Frequency Rank
Podcast: 羞
Podcast: 羞
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AI Study Notes for 羞
Quick Contrast
羞 (xiū) vs 害羞 (hài xiū) — use 羞 for a broader sense of shame, while 害羞 specifically refers to shyness.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 羞 with similar-sounding characters like 休 (xiū, to rest) and should be careful with pronunciation. It is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but may carry a heavier emotional weight in formal discussions about honor or reputation. Common collocations include 羞愧 (xiūkuì, to feel ashamed) and 羞涩 (xiūsè, bashful).
HSK Study Tips
Although 羞 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to themes of feelings and emotions found in HSK levels 2 and 3. Students should focus on its emotional connotations and practice using it in sentences that express personal feelings or social situations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 羞 with the character 休 (xiū, to rest), leading to incorrect phrases such as '我很羞' (I am very shy), where they should say '我很羞涩'. Another mistake is using it in overly casual contexts where a more formal expression of shame is appropriate.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 羞
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Knowing 羞 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
The character 羞 (xiū) primarily conveys feelings of shyness or shame. It is often used in contexts where someone feels embarrassed about their actions or is reluctant to engage in social situations due to a lack of confidence. This term can reflect both personal feelings of shame as well as a broader sense of modesty in social interactions.
When to use 羞
Learners often confuse 羞 with similar-sounding characters like 休 (xiū, to rest) and should be careful with pronunciation. It is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but may carry a heavier emotional weight in formal discussions about honor or reputation. Common collocations include 羞愧 (xiūkuì, to feel ashamed) and 羞涩 (xiūsè, bashful).
羞 or something close to it
羞 (xiū) vs 害羞 (hài xiū) — use 羞 for a broader sense of shame, while 害羞 specifically refers to shyness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 羞 with the character 休 (xiū, to rest), leading to incorrect phrases such as '我很羞' (I am very shy), where they should say '我很羞涩'. Another mistake is using it in overly casual contexts where a more formal expression of shame is appropriate.
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羞
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Grammar Patterns of 羞
羞 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
I was something of a wallflower; I was terribly shy.
2
她意识到自己做了什么后羞红了脸。
tā yì shí dào zì jǐ zuò le shí mó hòu xiū hóng le liǎn。
She turned scarlet from embarrassment, once she realized what she had done.
3
性感迷人的沃顿小姐对我羞涩地会心一笑。
xìng gǎn mí rén de wò dùn xiǎo jiě duì wǒ xiū sè dì huì xīn yī xiào。
The luscious Miss Wharton gave me a demure but knowing smile.
4
心中有羞愧感，有时候甚至无地自容。
xīn zhōng yǒu xiū kuì gǎn， ， yǒu shí hòu shèn zhì wú dì zì。
There is a sense of shame, sometimes carried to extremes.
5
她小时候是个羞怯的丑小鸭。
tā xiǎo shí hòu shì gè xiū qiè de chǒu xiǎo yā。
She was a shy, ugly duckling of a child.
6
他是个离群索居、胆小羞怯的家伙。
tā shì gè lí qún suǒ jū、 、 dǎn xiǎo xiū qiè de jiā。
He is a reclusive, timorous creature.
7
帕梅拉对自己那些脏话和伤人的言辞一点也不感到羞愧。
pà méi lā duì zì jǐ nà xiē zāng huà hé shāng rén de yán cí yī diǎn yě bù gǎn dào xiū kuì。
Pamela was unrepentant about her strong language and abrasive remarks.
8
他不是个不知羞耻的人，他只是个专业人士。
tā bù shì gè bù zhī xiū chǐ de rén， ， tā zhī shì gè zhuān yè rén。
He was not a dishonourable man, he was merely a professional.
9
她那平时很害羞的儿子已经开始与人交往了。
tā nà píng shí hěn hài xiū de ér zǐ yǐ jīng kāi shǐ yǔ rén jiāo wǎng le。
Her normally shy son had come out of his shell.
10
当人们追问她的私生活时，她羞涩地笑了笑。
dāng rén mén zhuī wèn tā de sī shēng huó shí， ， tā xiū sè dì xiào le。
She smiles coyly when pressed about her private life.
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Word Family of 羞
Compounds3
馐xiu1food, meal; to eat; to offer
饈xiu1food, meal; to eat; to offer
鱃
Words Containing This Character20
害羞hàixiūshy
羞xiūshy
羞辱to baffle
羞耻xiūchǐ(a feeling of) shame羞恥
羞愧xiūkuìashamed
羞涩shy羞澀
恼羞成怒nǎoxiūchéngnùto fly into a rage out of humiliation惱羞成怒
娇羞bashful嬌羞
羞怯shy
囊中羞涩to be embarrassingly short of money囊中羞澀
遮羞布G-string
含羞草mimosa
羞答答bashful
遮羞to hush up a scandal
不知羞耻brazen不知羞恥
怕羞coy
闭月羞花lit. hiding the moon, shaming the flowers (idiom)閉月羞花
羞愤indignant羞憤
羞惭a disgrace羞慚
羞恼resentful羞惱
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 羞
What does 馐 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 羞
羞 (xiū) generally refers to the feeling of shame or shyness, while 害羞 (hàixiū) specifically means 'to be shy' or 'to feel bashful.' 害 (hài) adds the meaning of causing or being affected by, making 害羞 a more colloquial way to express being shy.
Yes, 羞 (xiū) can be used to describe someone as shy or bashful in terms of their personality. For example, you can say '她是一个羞涩的人' (tā shì yī gè xiū sè de rén), meaning 'She is a shy person.' This usage emphasizes their demeanor in social situations.
羞 (xiū) means 'shy' or 'ashamed' in Chinese. It can also refer to feelings of shame or bashfulness. Additionally, it is a variant of the characters 饈 or 馐, which refer to delicacies or fine foods.
You can use 羞 (xiū) in a sentence to express shyness or embarrassment. For example, you might say '她感到很羞' (tā gǎndào hěn xiū), which means 'She feels very shy.' This character often conveys a sense of modesty or timidity.
Common phrases include 羞愧 (xiūkuì, to feel ashamed) and 羞涩 (xiūsè, bashful).
It is pronounced as 'xiū,' with a high-level tone.
While it usually has negative connotations, it can be used positively to describe modesty in certain cultural contexts.
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