愧

feel ashamed, shy

Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

Kun'yomi

はじ.る
はじ.らう
はずかし.める
とが.める

Meaning

愧 centers on a painful self-awareness of one's own shortcomings or wrongs: feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or shy because of a sense of having fallen short.

Most common words using 愧

愧死きし
dying of shame; being so ashamed one wants to die
愧赧きたん
blushing with embarrassment
慙愧ざんき
shame; compunction; remorse; humiliation
慚愧にたえないざんきにたえない
deeply ashamed (of oneself); overwhelmed with shame
無愧むぎ
shameless

Explore all words using 愧 →

Study

Etymology

愧 combines 忄 (heart/mind) with 鬼, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest a ghostly or fearful quality to the shame. The exact historical development is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

The heart radical 忄 beside 鬼 (ghost/demon) suggests a heart haunted by a ghost of past actions, making you feel ashamed and shy.

Reading mnemonic

For キ, imagine a key that unlocks a hidden shame: key -> キ, and your heart feels the weight of that shame.