Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Ashamed / Embarrassed: The feeling of shame, shyness, or acute self-consciousness arising from awareness of having done something foolish, dishonorable, or improper, or from being in an awkward situation.
   • Bashful / Shy: A sense of modesty or timidity that causes one to feel reluctant to draw attention to oneself.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Cậu bé cảm thấy hổ ngươi vì hành động của mình. (The boy felt ashamed of his actions.)
  • Cô ấy hổ ngươi không dám nhìn thẳng. (She was too bashful to look directly.)
  • Tôi thực sự hổ ngươi khi bị phát hiện. (I was truly embarrassed to be caught.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "hổ ngươi" is considered more literary and formal than the more common synonyms "xấu hổ" or "ngượng". It often conveys a deeper, more profound sense of shame or a dignified sense of modesty.

Variants and Related Words

• Hổ thẹn (adj): A direct synonym meaning to feel ashamed or mortified. It is also formal/literary.
  • Ông ấy cảm thấy hổ thẹn với tổ tiên. (He felt ashamed before his ancestors.)

Synonyms

• Ashamed: Feeling shame or guilt.
• Embarrassed: Feeling self-conscious, awkward, or ashamed.
• Bashful: Reluctant to draw attention to oneself; shy.
• Abashed: Embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.

Related Idioms

• While "hổ ngươi" itself is not typically part of a fixed idiom, the concept is central to expressions like:
  • Không biết hổ ngươi: To have no shame; to be shameless.

    • Hắn ta nói dối mà không biết hổ ngươi. (He lies without any shame.)