Meaning and Usage
The adjective 恥ずかしい (はずかしい) expresses feelings of embarrassment, shame, or shyness. It is commonly used when someone feels self-conscious about a mistake, a social situation, or when apologizing.
Common Contexts
- Making mistakes or doing something socially awkward.
- Speaking or performing in front of others.
- Expressing humility or regret when apologizing.
Collocations and Patterns
- 恥ずかしいです: polite form to express embarrassment.
- 恥ずかしいけど: "It's embarrassing, but..." used to soften statements.
- 〜て恥ずかしい: used after verbs to indicate feeling embarrassed about an action.
Usage Tips
When using 恥ずかしい, the speaker often implies a desire to be understood or forgiven for their embarrassment. It is a common word in everyday conversation and is polite enough for most social situations. Avoid confusing 恥ずかしい with 悲しい (sad); they have very different meanings.
Summary
恥ずかしい is a versatile adjective to express embarrassment or shame in various social contexts, from casual to polite speech.