困窘 (kùn jiǒng) — (stative verb) embarrassed, awkward (in a social situation); (stative verb) impoverished, in financial distress

Definition

Literary word that means both 'embarrassed/awkward' in social situations and 'in financial distress' — a single elevated term covering two quite different kinds of hardship.

adjective
(stative verb) embarrassedawkward (in a social situation)(stative verb) impoverishedin financial distress

Examples

  • 困窘
    Tā yīn wèi shuō cuò huà ér gǎn dào shí fēn kùn jiǒng.
    He felt very embarrassed because he said the wrong thing.
  • 困窘
    Nà duàn shí jiān tā men jiā shēng huó shí fēn kùn jiǒng.
    During that period, their family lived in great poverty.
  • 困窘
    Miàn duì zhè me duō rén de zhì wèn, tā xiǎn de hěn kùn jiǒng.
    Facing so many people's questions, she seemed very embarrassed.

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