JLPT N1Written, formalAdmiring

に恥はじないworthy of; living up to

Someone carries a name, a title or a tradition, and what they do lives up to it. About other people it is written praise. About yourself it is a pledge.

praise

彼かの女じょは、名めい誉よ市し民みんの称しょう号ごうに恥はじない貢こう献けんを続つづけている。

She continues to make contributions worthy of the title of honorary citizen.

a pledge

代だい表ひょうとして、国くにの名なに恥はじない行こう動どうを取とることを誓ちかいます。

As a representative, I pledge to conduct myself in a way that upholds my country's good name.

How to form it

Noun + に恥はじない (+ noun)

Usually before a noun. For a pledge, に恥はじないよう（に）, "so as to be worthy of".

Before it: Something with honor attached, and already theirs: 名な (a name), 称しょう号ごう (a title), 賞しょう (a prize), 伝でん統とう (a tradition). Very often 〜の名なに恥はじない.
Where you'll meet it: Sports pages, reviews, award citations, company statements, acceptance speeches.
In conversation: People say さすが〜だ: さすがチャンピオンだ, "that's a champion for you".

In use

彼かれは最さい後ごまで攻せめ続つづけ、王おう者じゃの名なに恥はじない戦たたかいを見みせた。

He kept attacking to the very end, and fought as a champion should.

新しん館かんは、大だい学がくの名なに恥はじない研けん究きゅう環かん境きょうを備そなえている。

The new building offers a research environment worthy of the university's name.

今年ことしの公こう演えんは、劇げき団だんの長ながい伝でん統とうに恥はじない。

This year's production lives up to the company's long tradition.

Two things to know

It praises, though 恥はじる is "be ashamed"

With に, 恥はじない is "does nothing to shame": the name is honored. "Isn't ashamed of" takes を: 過か去こを恥はじない.

About yourself, it is a pledge

To say your own work lives up to a great name is boasting. About yourself it looks ahead, with よう or a word of hoping or promising. Speeches often have the older 恥はじぬ.

この賞しょうの名なに恥はじぬよう、今こん後ごも努ど力りょくを重かさねてまいります。

I will go on working hard, so as to be worthy of this award.

私わたしたちは、先せん代だいが築きずいた信しん用ように恥はじない会かい社しゃでありたい。

We want to be a company worthy of the trust the previous generation built up.

に恥はじない or にふさわしい?

王おう者じゃの名なに恥はじない戦たたかいだった。

It was a fight worthy of the champion's name.

He holds the title, and did it credit.

王おう者じゃにふさわしい戦たたかいだった。

It was a fight fit for a champion.

The plainer "fitting for". It also suits someone who hasn't the title yet: 次つぎの社しゃ長ちょうにふさわしい人ひと.

Close neighbours

に値するN2

"Deserves": the thing has earned praise or attention. There is no name to live up to.

この研けん究きゅうは高たかく評ひょう価かするに値あたいする。

This research deserves high praise.

だけあって・だけのことはあるN2

Spoken praise, "as you'd expect from": the quality is put down to who they are.

さすがプロだけあって、仕し事ごとが速はやい。

Just what you'd expect from a professional: the work gets done fast.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

決けっ勝しょうでの演えん技ぎは、王おう者じゃの名なに恥はじない。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is the speaker doing?

母ぼ校こうの名なに恥はじぬよう、全ぜん力りょくで戦たたかいます。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

に can also mark who you would be ashamed in front of: 良りょう心しんに恥はじない (with a clear conscience), 自じ分ぶんに恥はじない.

自じ分ぶんに恥はじない生いき方かたをしたい。

I want to live in a way I need not be ashamed of.

More sentences

私わたしたちは、百ひゃく年ねんの伝でん統とうに恥はじない製せい品ひんを届とどけてまいります。

We will go on delivering products that live up to our hundred-year tradition.

彼かれらの救きゅう援えん活かつ動どうは、表ひょう彰しょうに恥はじないものだった。

Their relief work was worthy of the commendation.

今こん回かいの受じゅ賞しょう作さくは、国こく際さい文ぶん学がく賞しょうに恥はじない完かん成せい度どだ。

This year's winning work has a polish worthy of the international literary prize.