羞

xiū

丑 + 羊

Definitions

xiū (adjective) shy; bashful

xiū (adjective,noun) ashamed; shame

xiū (noun) delicacies

Etymology

Depicts a hand (丑) holding sheep meat (羊). Based on the original meaning "offer a delicacy", now written as 饈. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.

About

羞 combines 羊 (sheep) above and 丑 (chǒu) below. The lower component originally depicted a hand, so the character showed a hand holding sheep meat, conveying "to offer a delicacy". This original sense is now written as 饈. Later, 羞 was borrowed phonetically for the unrelated word meaning shame or embarrassment, which became its primary use.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个小女孩很害羞。

zhè gè xiǎo nǚhái hěn hàixiū.

This little girl is very shy.

他感到十分羞愧。

tā gǎndào shífēn xiūkuì.

He feels very ashamed.

这种行为真羞耻。

zhè zhǒng xíngwéi zhēn xiūchǐ.

This kind of behavior is really shameful.

她羞得满脸通红。

tā xiū dé mǎn liǎn tōnghóng.

She was so shy that her face turned red all over.

他的笑容有些羞涩。

tā de xiàoróng yǒuxiē xiūsè.

His smile is somewhat shy.

因为失败，他羞于见人。

yīnwèi shībài, tā xiū yú jiàn rén.

Because of failure, he is ashamed to see people.

尽管他羞怯，但还是发表了演讲。

jǐnguǎn tā xiūqiè, dàn háishì fābiǎo le yǎnjiǎng.

Although he was shy, he still gave a speech.

看到自己的错误，他心中充满了羞愧和悔恨。

kàndào zìjǐ de cuòwù, tā xīnzhōng chōngmǎn le xiūkuì hé huǐhèn.

Seeing his own mistake, his heart was filled with shame and regret.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 丑

Component: 羊

Example Words