dại mặt
Definition
- Adjective:
- Losing face, being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others: "dại mặt" describes the state of feeling ashamed, losing dignity, or being humiliated publicly, often due to one's own mistake or failure.
- To be put in an awkward or disgraceful situation: It refers to the experience of being in a situation that causes loss of respect or social standing.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- Anh ấy cảm thấy rất dại mặt khi bị phát hiện nói dối trước đám đông. (He felt very embarrassed/lost face when he was caught lying in front of the crowd.)
- Làm thế này chỉ khiến mình dại mặt thôi. (Doing this will only make us lose face/be humiliated.)
- Cô ấy tránh những cuộc tranh cãi vì sợ dại mặt. (She avoids arguments because she fears losing face.)
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used to describe a subjective feeling of shame and a perceived objective loss of social standing. It is deeply connected to the cultural concept of "face" (thể diện).
- It can be used to warn someone about potential social consequences: (Don't do that, it's very embarrassing/you'll lose face.)
Variants and Related Words
- Mất mặt: This is a more common and direct synonym for "losing face." While "dại mặt" strongly implies the feeling of foolishness or shame accompanying the loss, "mất mặt" can sometimes refer more neutrally to the objective fact of losing respect.
- Hành động đó khiến anh ta mất mặt. (That action made him lose face.)
- Xấu hổ: To be ashamed or embarrassed. This focuses more on the internal feeling of shame rather than the public, social aspect of "losing face."
- Tôi thật xấu hổ vì lỗi lầm của mình. (I am truly ashamed of my mistake.)
Synonyms
- Nhục nhã: Humiliated, disgraced (often stronger and more severe than "dại mặt").
- Bẽ mặt: To be put to shame, to feel abashed (very close in meaning to "dại mặt").
Related Idioms
- Dại mặt như chó chui gầm chạn: (To be as embarrassed as a dog crawling under a cupboard) – An idiom emphasizing extreme humiliation and shame.
- Sau vụ đó, hắn dại mặt như chó chui gầm chạn. (After that incident, he was utterly humiliated.)
- Chuốc lấy dại mặt: To bring embarrassment upon oneself.
- Anh ta đã chuốc lấy dại mặt vì thái độ kiêu ngạo. (He brought embarrassment upon himself due to his arrogant attitude.)