害羞 (hàixiū) — shy; bashful; to be embarrassed
HSK 3 | adjective/verb | feeling nervous or embarrassed in social situations
害羞 (hàixiū)
害羞 describes the feeling of self-consciousness, shyness, or embarrassment, particularly in social settings.
Meanings
- [adj/verb] shy; bashful; to feel embarrassed; to be timid in front of others
Example Sentences
她第一次上台表演，有点害羞。 Tā dì yī cì shàng tái biǎoyǎn, yǒudiǎn hàixiū. It was her first time performing on stage and she was a little shy.
不要害羞，大胆说出你的想法。 Bùyào hàixiū, dǎdǎn shuō chū nǐ de xiǎngfǎ. Don't be shy; boldly express your ideas.
他是个害羞的男孩，不太爱说话。 Tā shì gè hàixiū de nánhái, bù tài ài shuōhuà. He is a shy boy who doesn't talk much.
当大家看着她的时候，她害羞地低下了头。 Dāng dàjiā kàn zhe tā de shíhou, tā hàixiū de dī xià le tóu. When everyone looked at her, she shyly lowered her head.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 有点害羞 | a little shy |
| 害羞地笑 | to smile shyly |
| 不要害羞 | don't be shy |
| 害羞的性格 | a shy personality |
Memory Hook
害 means "to harm/fear" and 羞 means "shame/embarrassment." Being shy is fearing the shame of being seen.