diu1 jan4 jin6 ngaan5丟人現眼丢人现眼
Jyutpingdiu1 jan4 jin6 ngaan5
Yaledīu yàhn yihn ngáahn
Definition
To lose face or make a fool of oneself in public.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Focuses on the loss of face caused by public behavior that brings shame upon oneself or one's group. It carries a strong sense of moral or social judgment, often used to scold someone for acting inappropriately in front of others. Unlike simple embarrassment, this implies a visible spectacle that invites public scrutiny.
Examples
Stop making a fool of yourself here.
What he did was truly shameful and embarrassing.
Related words
Common phrases
really shameful
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple feeling of being shy or embarrassed, but it specifically describes actions that cause a loss of reputation in public. It is a harsh criticism rather than a description of an internal emotional state.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
