耻

恥

chǐ

止 + 耳

Definitions

chǐ (noun) shame; disgrace

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 耳 represents the meaning and 止 represents the sound. Simplified form of 恥.

Semantic: 耳 Phonetic: 止

About

耻 is a phonosemantic compound in which 耳 (ěr, "ear") carries the meaning and 止 (zhǐ) gives the sound. It is the simplified form of the traditional 恥, which paired the 心 (xīn, "heart/mind") component with 耳. The character denotes shame, disgrace, humiliation, and loss of face. The ear links the concept to a physical reaction, the reddening of ears when embarrassed or the act of hearing criticism, connecting a bodily response to the inner experience of shame.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他感到十分耻辱。

Tā gǎndào shífēn chǐrǔ.

He feels very ashamed.

这是一种无耻的行为。

Zhè shì yī zhǒng wúchǐ de xíngwéi.

This is a shameless act.

不要以失败为耻。

Bùyào yǐ shībài wéi chǐ.

Do not be ashamed of failure.

他的行为让全家蒙耻。

Tā de xíngwéi ràng quánjiā méng chǐ.

His behavior brought shame to the whole family.

她因说谎而感到羞耻。

Tā yīn shuōhuǎng ér gǎndào xiūchǐ.

She felt ashamed for lying.

面对错误他毫无羞耻之心。

Miànduì cuòwù tā háo wú xiūchǐ zhī xīn.

Facing the mistake, he has no sense of shame.

如果你知道羞耻就应该道歉。

Rúguǒ nǐ zhīdào xiūchǐ jiù yīnggāi dàoqiàn.

If you know shame, you should apologize.

尽管他取得了成功但过去的无耻行为仍被记得。

Jǐnguǎn tā qǔdé le chénggōng dàn guòqù de wúchǐ xíngwéi réng bèi jìde.

Although he achieved success, his past shameless behavior is still remembered.

Related Characters

Component: 止

Component: 耳

耻