心虚 (xīn xū) — to have a guilty conscience; to lack self-confidence (due to awareness of one's shortcomings)
Definition
心虚 describes an uneasy, inward feeling — usually a guilty conscience (about something you did) or a diffident self-doubt (about your ability). The two senses share the same unease but differ in cause: wrongdoing vs. lack of confidence.
adjective
to have a guilty conscienceto lack self-confidence (due to awareness of one's shortcomings)
Examples
- ，心虚。Tā shuō huà shí yǎn shén duǒ shǎn, míng xiǎn shì xīn xū le.He avoided eye contact while speaking — clearly he had a guilty conscience.
- ，心虚，。Dì yī cì shàng tái yǎn jiǎng, tā xīn lǐ hěn xīn xū, dàn yìng zhe tóu pí jiǎng wán le.The first time he gave a speech on stage, he felt very insecure inside, but he forced himself to finish.
- 心虚，。Zuò zéi de rén zǒng shì xīn xū, tīng dào jǐng dí jiù jǐn zhāng.Thieves always have a guilty conscience — they get nervous when they hear a siren.
Appears in
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