忸怩

niǔní
adjective #30,896

Meanings

  1. 1 bashful
  2. 2 shy
  3. 3 blushing
  4. 4 ill at ease
  5. 5 embarrassed

Examples

HSK 4
Bié niǔní le, dàfang yìdiǎn!
Stop being shy - be more confident!
HSK 7-9
Tā niǔní de dīxià le tóu.
She bashfully lowered her head.

Tips

memory
Both characters take the heart radical , signaling an inner emotional state. The well-known phrase 忸怩作态 means "to put on a coy, affected manner" - used disapprovingly of someone who acts falsely shy.
register
Slightly literary; in everyday speech 害羞 ("shy") is more common. 忸怩 carries an extra nuance of being awkwardly self-conscious, often paired with body language like fidgeting or looking down.

Stroke Order

niǔ