mất mặt

mất mặt

Anh ấy cảm thấy mất mặt khi bị phát hiện nói dối.

Definition

  1. Verb phrase:

    • To lose face: To suffer a loss of respect, prestige, or dignity in the eyes of others; to be humiliated or embarrassed publicly, damaging one's social standing or reputation.

  2. Verb phrase (archaic/less common):

    • To disappear without a trace: To vanish or go missing, with the negative implication that the person or thing will not be seen again.
Usage Examples

  • To lose face:

    • Anh ta cảm thấy mất mặt khi bị sếp khiển trách trước cả phòng. (He felt he lost face when his boss reprimanded him in front of the whole office.)
    • Từ chối lời mời có thể khiến họ mất mặt. (Refusing the invitation could make them lose face.)

  • To disappear without a trace:

    • Chiếc đồng hồ quý của ông ấy đã đi mất mặt. (His valuable watch has disappeared without a trace.)
Advanced Usage
  • The concept of "mất mặt" is deeply tied to social hierarchy, honor, and public perception in Vietnamese culture. It is often used in contexts involving social conflict, criticism, or failure that is witnessed by others.
  • The phrase can describe a state ( - to be in a state of having lost face) or an action causing that state ( - to cause someone to lose face).
Variants and Related Words
  • Làm mất mặt (verb phrase): to cause someone to lose face, to humiliate someone.
    • Đừng làm mất mặt anh ấy ở chỗ đông người. (Don't make him lose face in a crowded place.)
Synonyms
  • To be humiliated: To be made to feel ashamed or foolish.
  • To be disgraced: To fall from favor or lose reputation.
  • To vanish: To disappear completely (for the archaic meaning).
Antonyms
  • Được mặt / Nở mày nở mặt: To gain face; to feel proud and have one's reputation enhanced.
  • Giữ thể diện: To save face; to maintain one's dignity or reputation.
Related Idioms and Expressions
  • Mất mặt như chó chết: (Vulgar) To lose face terribly; to be utterly humiliated.
  • Tiền mất, tật mang: (A related common idiom about loss) Literally "money lost, illness remains," meaning to suffer a double loss. While not directly synonymous, it shares the core concept of suffering a significant, tangible loss.