怩 (ní): (in 忸怩) bashful

Meanings

他忸怩地站在那里，不知道说什么。

Tā niǔní de zhàn zài nàlǐ, bù zhīdào shuō shénme.

He stood there bashful, not knowing what to say.

没必要忸怩，大家都很友好。

Méi bìyào niǔní, dàjiā dōu hěn yǒuhǎo.

There was no need to feel shy; everyone was very friendly.

usage

怩 only occurs in 忸怩. The two characters together describe a shy, awkwardly self-conscious manner.

radical

忄 xīn

heart; feeling

The heart radical, side form of 心, marks an inner feeling. Here it pairs with its partner 忸 to express bashfulness.

phonetic

尼 ní

Buddhist nun

Supplies the sound ní exactly. The same phonetic drives 泥 and 呢 in this sound family.

怩 ní