The Chinese word 失礼 (shīlǐ) is a compound formed by combining two characters: 失 (shī), meaning "to lose", "to lack", or "to err", and 礼 (lǐ), meaning "propriety", "ritual", or "etiquette". Together, they create a meaning that is more than the sum of its parts, specifically denoting a lapse in proper manners or social conduct, to be impolite, disrespectful, or to commit a breach of etiquette. It describes a state or action where one has figuratively "lost" or fallen short of the expected standards of 礼, resulting in rudeness or an apology-worthy social faux pas, as in the common phrase "多有失礼" (duō yǒu shīlǐ, "please excuse my rudeness").