noun
shyness; embarrassment; bashfulness
Refers to the feeling of being shy, embarrassed, or self-conscious, often in a cute or endearing way. Commonly used in compounds like 照れ隠し (hiding embarrassment) or 照れ笑い (embarrassed laugh).
See also: 照れる
彼は照れ笑いを浮かべた。
He gave an embarrassed smile.
照れ隠しに、つい大きな声を出してしまった。
To hide my embarrassment, I ended up speaking loudly.
Noun form of the verb 照れる (to be shy/embarrassed), which is related to 照る (to shine) and originally referred to blushing or being flushed.