Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Be shamefaced; to feel ashamed or embarrassed: To have one's face feel rough or gritty (like sand) due to a sense of shame, embarrassment, or loss of face, often from a social blunder or failure.
   • Lose face; to be humiliated: To experience a loss of dignity or respect in front of others, resulting in acute self-consciousness and discomfort.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ta cảm thấy sạn mặt khi bị phát hiện nói dối. (He felt deeply ashamed when he was caught lying.)
  • Tôi thực sự sạn mặt vì hành động thiếu suy nghĩ của mình. (I was truly humiliated by my thoughtless action.)
  • Làm hỏng việc quan trọng trước mặt sếp khiến cô ấy sạn mặt. (Failing at an important task in front of the boss made her lose face.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is informal and conveys a strong, visceral feeling of shame, often implying that the embarrassment is visible on one's face or in one's demeanor.

Variants and Related Words

• Ngượng mặt (adj): to be embarrassed, to feel shy or awkward.
  • Cô ấy ngượng mặt khi được khen ngợi trước đám đông. (She felt embarrassed when praised in front of a crowd.)
• Mất mặt (v): to lose face, a more direct synonym for a serious loss of prestige.
  • Hành động đó khiến ông ấy mất mặt hoàn toàn. (That action caused him to completely lose face.)

Synonyms

• Ashamed: feeling shame or guilt.
• Humiliated: made to feel foolish or disgraced.
• Embarrassed: feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable.
• Mortified: extremely embarrassed or ashamed.

Related Idioms

• Nóng mặt: to feel one's face get hot from anger or embarrassment.
  • Nghe lời chỉ trích, anh ấy nóng mặt. (Hearing the criticism, his face burned with embarrassment/anger.)
• Xấu hổ quá hóa giận: so ashamed that it turns into anger.
  • Sạn mặt vì thua cuộc, anh ấy quát tháo mọi người. (Ashamed from losing, he yelled at everyone—so ashamed it turned to anger.)

1. Be shamefaced; lose face