愧 (kuì) — (bound form) ashamed; guilty
Definition
愧 is a bound form meaning 'ashamed / guilty' — it always combines with another character (e.g. 惭愧, 愧疚) rather than standing alone. Synonyms like 羞 target the social feeling; 愧 leans toward conscience and inner guilt.
bound form
(bound form) ashamedguilty
Examples
- ，。Kǎo shì méi kǎo hǎo, wǒ hěn cán kuì.I didn't do well on the exam, so I feel very ashamed.
- ，。Tā zuò shì guāng míng lěi luò, wèn xīn wú kuì.He acts openly and honestly, with a clear conscience.
- 。Tā duì céng jīng de xíng wéi gǎn dào shēn qiè de kuì jiù.She felt deep guilt over her past actions.
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.