Definition

1. Adjective (Idiomatic):
   • To be shamefaced; to lose face: To feel deep shame, embarrassment, or humiliation, often causing one's facial expression to become dark, gloomy, or sullen. It describes a state of being disgraced or having one's dignity damaged in front of others.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Bị mắng sạm mặt trước mọi người. (To be shamefaced because of a scolding in front of others.)
  • Anh ta sạm mặt khi bị phát hiện nói dối. (He was shamefaced when he was caught lying.)
  • Cô ấy sạm mặt vì thất bại công khai. (She lost face because of the public failure.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase "sạm mặt" is almost exclusively used in a figurative, emotional sense to describe a reaction to humiliation. It is not used to describe a literal change in skin complexion due to sun exposure, which would be "da sạm".

Variants and Related Words

• Mất mặt (v): to lose face.

  • Hành động đó khiến anh ấy mất mặt hoàn toàn. (That action made him completely lose face.)

• Xấu hổ (adj): to be ashamed, embarrassed.

  • Cậu bé cảm thấy xấu hổ vì lỗi của mình. (The boy felt ashamed of his mistake.)

Synonyms

• Ashamed: feeling shame or guilt.
• Humiliated: made to feel foolish or disgraced.
• Mortified: extremely embarrassed or ashamed.

Related Idioms

• Chui xuống đất: (to want to) crawl into a hole; to be extremely embarrassed.

  • Tôi xấu hổ đến mức muốn chui xuống đất. (I was so ashamed I wanted to crawl into a hole.)

• Nóng mặt: to feel one's face grow hot with embarrassment or anger.

  • Nghe lời chỉ trích, anh ấy nóng mặt. (Hearing the criticism, his face burned with embarrassment.)

1. Be shamefaced, lose face
   • Bị mắng sạm mặt trước mọi người
     To be shamefaced because of a scolding in front of others