Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Ashamed: Feeling shame, guilt, or embarrassment because of one's own actions, shortcomings, or situation.
   • Shy / Bashful: Feeling self-conscious, timid, or easily embarrassed, often in social situations.

2. Verb (to be/become):

   • To be ashamed: To experience a feeling of shame.
   • To be embarrassed: To feel self-conscious and awkward.

Usage Examples

• Adjective/State:

  • Tôi cảm thấy rất xấu hổ về hành động của mình. (I feel very ashamed of my actions.)
  • Cô bé ấy rất xấu hổ, không dám nói trước đám đông. (That girl is very shy and dares not speak in front of a crowd.)

• Verb:

  • Anh ấy xấu hổ vì đã thua một đứa trẻ. (He is ashamed because he lost to a child.)
  • Đừng xấu hổ, hãy tự tin lên! (Don't be embarrassed, be more confident!)

Advanced Usage

• The feeling of can be directed at oneself () or felt in relation to others ( - ashamed in front of friends).
• It can describe a temporary state due to a specific event or a more inherent character trait (shyness).

Variants and Related Words

• Hổ thẹn (v/n): A more literary synonym for feeling shame or disgrace.
• Ngượng ngùng (adj): To feel awkward, sheepish, or mildly embarrassed, often in a less serious context than .
• Mắc cỡ (adj): Very similar to , meaning shy or bashful.

Synonyms

• Ashamed: Feeling shame or guilt.
• Embarrassed: Feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable.
• Shy: Being reserved or having/showing nervousness in social situations.
• Bashful: Socially shy or timid.

Related Idioms and Expressions

• Xấu hổ chín mặt: Literally "to be ashamed until nine faces," meaning to be extremely ashamed.
• Chết vì xấu hổ: Literally "to die of shame," meaning to be mortified or deeply embarrassed.
• Mặt dày: Literally "thick-faced," meaning shameless (the opposite of ).

verb

1. to be ashamed