受窘 (shòu jiǒng) — to be embarrassed, to be in an awkward or embarrassing situation

Definition

A formal/literary verb meaning 'to be embarrassed' or caught in an awkward spot. Stronger and more written than the everyday 尴尬; 窘 emphasizes being stuck, not just feeling uneasy.

verb
to be embarrassed, to be in an awkward or embarrassing situation

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zài zhòng rén miàn qián shòu le yí cì jiǒng.
    He was once embarrassed in front of a crowd.
  • 受窘。
    Tā yīn wèi shuō cuò huà ér gǎn dào hěn shòu jiǒng.
    She felt very embarrassed because of saying the wrong thing.
  • 受窘，。
    Zhè zhǒng chǎng miàn ràng tā yǒu diǎn shòu jiǒng, bù zhī dào gāi zěn me huí yìng.
    This kind of situation made him a bit embarrassed; he didn't know how to respond.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

受shòusuffer
窘jiǒngembarrassment

受 “suffer” plus 窘 “embarrassment” yields “be embarrassed”.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

受 possibly combines 爪 and 又 as hands with 舟 as a boat, to show handing something over.

Open 受 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 窘 →

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