自惭形秽
自惭形秽 (zì cán xíng huì) literally means “ashamed of one's appearance” and expresses “feeling inferior”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving life philosophy.
Also searched as: zi can xing hui, zi can xing hui,自惭形秽 meaning, 自惭形秽 in english
Feeling inferior
Pronunciation: zì cán xíng huì Literal meaning: Ashamed of one's appearance
Origin & Usage
Wang Ji was a handsome man and knew it. The New Account of Tales of the World says that whenever he saw his nephew Wei Jie he would sigh 珠玉在侧，觉我形秽 — with pearl and jade beside me, I am aware of how coarse I look. The idiom supplies the word he left out: shame (惭) at one's own (自) form (形) being coarse (秽) next to another's. Wei Jie's looks were famous enough that crowds gathered to see him, and he died young — the wits said of being stared to death. The phrase describes being diminished by proximity rather than by any criticism, which is what makes it so recognisable.
Examples
English: "She felt self-conscious and ashamed when she compared herself to her more accomplished peers."
Chinese: 她看到更优秀的同龄人时，自惭形秽。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about life philosophy
得意忘形
dé yì wàng xíng
Become carried away by success
Learn more →
形影不离
xíng yǐng bù lí
Inseparable; always together
Learn more →
夜郎自大
yè láng zì dà
Overestimate oneself
Learn more →
庸人自扰
yōng rén zì rǎo
Creating unnecessary troubles for oneself
Learn more →
自由自在
zì yóu zì zài
Completely free and unrestrained
Learn more →
顺其自然
shùn qí zì rán
Let nature take its course
Learn more →
自食其果
zì shí qí guǒ
Reap what one sows; suffer consequences
Learn more →
无地自容
wú dì zì róng
Extremely ashamed; wish to disappear
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 自惭形秽 mean in English?
自惭形秽 (zì cán xíng huì) literally translates to “Ashamed of one's appearance” and is used to express “Feeling inferior”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Life Philosophy category.
When is 自惭形秽 used?
Situation: She felt self-conscious and ashamed when she compared herself to her more accomplished peers.
What is the pinyin for 自惭形秽?
The pinyin pronunciation for 自惭形秽 is “zì cán xíng huì”.