害臊 (hài sào) — to feel ashamed; to be embarrassed; to be bashf… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A colloquial verb meaning 'to feel embarrassed or bashful', usually about a social faux pas or shyness. Slightly more vivid and spoken than 害羞, which leans toward shyness.

verb

to feel ashamedto be embarrassedto be bashful

Examples

害臊。
Nǐ nà yàng zuò zhēn ràng rén hài sào.
What you did really makes people feel ashamed.
害臊，。
Tā cóng lái bú hài sào, zǒng shì hòu zhe liǎn pí.
He's never embarrassed; he always has a thick skin.
，。
Tā hài guò yí cì sào, zhī hòu zài yě bù tí nà jiàn shì le.
She was embarrassed once, and after that she never mentioned it again.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

Feeling shame makes a person bashful.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

宀宀mián

Sound part声符shēngfú

丯

丯jiè害hài

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

害 was borrowed purely for its sound. Its old picture, possibly a house rafter, is unrelated to harm.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

肉肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

喿

喿zào臊sào

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

臊 pairs 肉 (meat; flesh) with 喿, which gives its sound.

Appears in

Emotions & Feelings

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