Definition
好意思 is a stative verb meaning 'to have the nerve to do something inappropriate'. You'll almost always see it in negative constructions (不好意思, meaning 'sorry' or 'excuse me', is a different word) or in rhetorical questions challenging someone's audacity, e.g. 你还 好意思说? ('How dare you say that?'). It's not used in positive statements; instead, use 敢 ('dare') for positive 'dare'.
s.v.
to have the nerve (to do something)to be brazen enough to
Examples
- ，好意思？Nǐ zuò le cuò shì, hái hǎo yì si lái pīpíng wǒ?You made a mistake and still have the nerve to criticize me?
- ，好意思？Tā zǒng chídào, zěnme hǎo yì si shuō biérén ne?He is always late — how does he have the nerve to talk about others?
- ，好意思！Jiè le qián bù huán, nǐ zhēn shì hǎo yì si a!You borrowed money and didn't pay it back — you really have some nerve!
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