折杀 (zhéshā): to be undeserving (of an honor…

Meanings

1 to be undeserving (of an honor or kindness)
2 to humbly decline excessive praise / treatment ("you flatter me too much")

Characters

折

kill (here: intensifier, "to death")

Examples

您这样夸奖，真是折杀我了。

Nín zhèyàng kuājiǎng, zhēn shì zhéshā wǒ le.

Such praise really is more than I deserve.

老人家亲自来送，可折杀晚辈了。

Lǎo rénjiā qīnzì lái sòng, kě zhéshā wǎnbèi le.

For an elder to see me off in person — that’s far too much for a junior like me.

Tips

culture

A modest deflection: "you’re shortening my lifespan with such treatment". Rooted in the folk belief that receiving honors you don’t deserve uses up (折) one’s 福 (good fortune) or longevity. Almost always appears as 折杀我了 / 折杀晚辈了, paired with 真是 or 可.

register

Old-fashioned, polite/formal register — common in period drama, traditional courtesies, and writing. Modern equivalents: 不敢当 / 您过奖了.