Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Disgraced; dishonored: Feeling or causing a state of shame, humiliation, or loss of respect due to a degrading action or situation.
   • Humiliating: Describing an event or action that causes a strong sense of shame or embarrassment.

2. Noun:

   • Flesh; meat (archaic/classical literary): The soft substance of a body, as opposed to bone. This meaning is primarily found in classical Sino-Vietnamese compounds and literary contexts.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Thất bại trước đối thủ yếu hơn thật là nhục. (Losing to a weaker opponent is truly humiliating.)
  • Anh ta cảm thấy vô cùng nhục khi bị phát hiện nói dối. (He felt deeply disgraced when caught lying.)

• Noun (archaic):

  • Câu chuyện đề cao tình cốt nhục. (The story emphasizes the bond of flesh and bone [family ties].)

Advanced Usage

• The concept of "nhục" is deeply tied to face, honor, and social standing in Vietnamese culture. It often carries a stronger moral and social weight than the English word "embarrassed."
• It is frequently contrasted with "vinh" (glory, honor), as in the concept "vinh nhục" (glory and disgrace).

Variants and Related Words

• Nhục nhã (adj): Humiliated, shameful. An intensified form of "nhục."

  • Bị la mắng trước đám đông khiến cô ấy nhục nhã. (Being scolded in public made her feel humiliated.)

• Quốc nhục (n): National humiliation; a disgrace to the nation.

  • Sự kiện đó được coi là một mối quốc nhục. (That event is considered a national humiliation.)

• Nhục thể (n, literary): The physical body; the flesh (often in philosophical or religious contexts).

Synonyms

• Disgrace: Loss of reputation or respect.
• Humiliation: The action of humiliating or the state of being humiliated.
• Shame: A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
• Dishonor: A state of shame or disgrace.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Chịu nhục: To endure humiliation; to swallow one's pride.

  • Để giữ hòa khí, anh ấy đành chịu nhục. (To keep the peace, he had to endure the humiliation.)

• Rửa nhục: To wipe out a disgrace; to avenge a humiliation.

  • Trận thắng này để rửa nhục cho lần thua trước. (This victory is to wipe out the disgrace from the previous loss.)

• Nhục đến xương tủy: Disgrace that penetrates to the marrow (an extreme, deep-seated humiliation).

• Thà chết còn hơn chịu nhục: (Better to) die than suffer dishonor. A proverb emphasizing the high value placed on honor.

adj

1. to be disgraced; dishonoured
   • thà chết còn hơn chịu nhục
     death before dishonour

noun

1. oflesh
   • cốt nhục
     bone and flesh