丢面子

面子 ('face' = social standing, reputation) is a central organizing concept of Chinese social life — sociologist 林语堂 (Lin Yutang) called it 'the most delicate standard by which Chinese social intercourse is regulated'. Losing face (丢面子) means publicly forfeiting respect; giving face (给面子) is letting someone save it. Compare 没面子 (not have face), 要面子 (need face / be vain), 撑面子 (keep up appearances).

Verb-object construction. The two parts can split: 丢了大面子 ('lost a lot of face'), 丢什么面子 ('what's there to be embarrassed about?'). Antonyms: 长面子 (zhǎng miànzi, 'gain face') and 给…面子 (gěi… miànzi, 'show respect to / cut some slack to').