Embarrassment
Idioms, Stage 4chunk 8 of 22Feelings & temper
Self-conscious feelings: it shows on your face, sheepish, it stings to hear, want to disappear.
- kao ni deruyour feelings show on your faceliterally “it comes out on the face”
- kimari ga waruifeel awkward, sheepishliterally “the settling is bad”
- mimi ga itaiit stings to hear (because it's true)literally “my ears hurt”
- ana ga attara hairitaiso embarrassed I want to disappearliterally “if there were a hole, I'd want to get in it”
Mix-ups kimari ga warui (sheepish) vs the other '... warui' idioms (kimi ga warui, munakuso warui).
kao ni deru
polite kao ni demasu
“it comes out on the face”
your feelings show on your face
Feelings leaking onto your face in spite of you. It's used about yourself (sugu kao ni deru taipu) and to tease others (kao ni deteru yo). Kao ni kaite aru is the stronger 'it's written all over your face'.
Keep it hidden: kao ni dasanai. Of drink: sugu kao ni deru (go red).
watashi, sugu kao ni deru n da yo ne.
My face always gives me away.
私、すぐ顔に出るんだよね。
watashi, sugu kao ni deru n desu yo.
Everything I feel shows on my face.
私、すぐ顔に出るんですよ。
Written 顔に出る · かおにでるHeard 27× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside me ni mieteru, ichimoku ryouzen, kao ni kaite aruMain list deru (Stage 1)
kimari ga warui
polite kimari ga warui desu
“the settling is bad”
feel awkward, sheepish
The awkward feeling of being caught out or having to face people after a slip, often in the past: uso ga barete kimari ga warukatta. Batsu ga warui means the same but is said less, and in everyday talk most people just say kimazui; hazukashii is plain embarrassment.
Also said without ga: kimari warui. Everyday word: kimazui (what younger speakers say). Same meaning, rarer: batsu ga warui.
uso ga barete, sugoku kimari ga warukatta.
My lie got found out and I felt so sheepish.
嘘がバレて、すごくきまりが悪かった。
ima kara okurete hairu no wa, chotto kimari ga warui desu ne.
It's a bit awkward to walk in late now.
今から遅れて入るのは、ちょっときまりが悪いですね。
Written きまりが悪い · きまりがわるいHeard 20× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesLearn alongside ana ga attara hairitaiMain list warui (Stage 1), sugoku (Stage 1), chotto (Stage 1), hazukashii (Stage 4)
mimi ga itai
polite mimi ga itai desu
“my ears hurt”
it stings to hear (because it's true)
In English: hit close to home
Said ruefully, often with a wry laugh, when criticism or advice applies to you: sore wa mimi ga itai, or mimi ga itai hanashi. It can also mean a literal earache, so context decides.
Literal sense too: an earache.
sore iwareru to mimi ga itai na.
Ouch, that hits close to home.
それ言われると耳が痛いな。
sore wa mimi ga itai desu ne.
That one stings a bit.
それは耳が痛いですね。
Written 耳が痛い · みみがいたいHeard 7× in 3.17 million lines of film and TV subtitlesMain list itai (Stage 2)
ana ga attara hairitai
polite ana ga attara hairitai desu
“if there were a hole, I'd want to get in it”
so embarrassed I want to disappear
In English: I wish the ground would swallow me up
The stock reaction after embarrassing yourself, often half-joking: hazukashikute ana ga attara hairitai. It's a fixed form and only used for your own feelings.
Partner phrase: kao kara hi ga deru (face burning with shame).
hazukashikute, ana ga attara hairitai.
I'm so embarrassed I want to crawl into a hole.
恥ずかしくて、穴があったら入りたい。
hazukashikute, ana ga attara hairitai kimochi desu.
I'm so embarrassed I could just disappear.
恥ずかしくて、穴があったら入りたい気持ちです。
Written 穴があったら入りたい · あながあったらはいりたいHeard too rare in film subtitles to countLearn alongside kimari ga waruiMain list hazukashii (Stage 4), -tara (Stage 2), -tai (Stage 2)