恼羞成怒

惱羞成怒

nǎoxiū-chéngnù

idiom HSK 7-9 #29,233

Meanings

1 to fly into a rage out of shame
2 to become angry from embarrassment

Characters

Examples

他被揭穿后恼羞成怒。

Tā bèi jiēchuān hòu nǎoxiūchéngnù.

He flew into a rage after being exposed.

别恼羞成怒，这只是个玩笑。

Bié nǎoxiūchéngnù, zhè zhǐshì ge wánxiào.

Don't get angry out of embarrassment — it's just a joke.

Tips

memory

恼 (annoyed) + 羞 (ashamed) + 成 (become) + 怒 (angry) — annoyance and shame become anger. The emotion escalation is built right into the characters.

Stroke Order

恼 nǎo

羞 xiū

成 chéng

怒 nù