恼羞成怒

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: nǎo xiū chéng nù
• English Translation: To become angry out of embarrassment; to fly into a rage
• Idiom Composition: 「恼」（To be annoyed or upset）＋「羞」（Embarrassed, ashamed）＋「成」（To become）＋「怒」（To be angry）
• Meaning: To become angry and retaliate out of embarrassment or confusion when one's mistakes or faults are pointed out. It describes the reaction of turning shame over lost face into anger.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「恼羞成怒」 contains the following nuances:

• Emotional shift: Describes the transformation of feelings such as embarrassment or awkwardness into anger.
• Self-defense mechanism: Suggests a psychological self-defense mechanism where one refuses to admit their mistakes or weaknesses.
• Losing temper: Refers to reacting to criticism not with reflection but by attacking the other party in anger.
• Issue of face: Implies that anger arises as a reaction to the loss of 'face,' an important concept in Chinese culture.

3. Usage

「恼羞成怒」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Describing behavior: Used to describe someone who becomes angry and argues or acts aggressively after being embarrassed.
  • Example:「他因为自己的失误被领导批评，结果恼羞成怒，当场和领导吵了起来。」
    （He was criticized by his boss for his mistake and as a result, flew into a rage and argued with the boss on the spot.）
• Explaining psychological state: Used to explain the internal psychological state of anger arising from embarrassment or confusion.
  • Example:「她被揭露了作弊行为，恼羞成怒地否认一切。」
    （She was exposed for cheating and became angry out of embarrassment, denying everything.）
• Evaluating personality: Sometimes used to describe a person who quickly loses their temper and refuses to admit their faults.
  • Example:「他这个人，一被批评就恼羞成怒，根本听不进去别人的意见。」
    （That person flies into a rage as soon as he is criticized and refuses to listen to others' opinions.）

Additional Examples:

1. 面对记者的尖锐提问，他恼羞成怒，拒绝回答。
   （Faced with sharp questions from reporters, he became angry out of embarrassment and refused to answer.）
2. 她在比赛中失利，面对队友的安慰，却恼羞成怒，转身离开了。
   （She lost the match and, when comforted by her teammates, became angry out of embarrassment and frustration and walked away.）
3. 他因为自己的谎言被揭穿，恼羞成怒地离开了聚会。
   （His lie was exposed, and he flew into a rage and left the party.）
4. 小明被老师发现了他的恶作剧，他恼羞成怒，把责任推给了别人。
   （Xiao Ming was caught by the teacher for his prank, and he became angry out of embarrassment, shifting the blame to others.）
5. 面对众人的嘲笑，他恼羞成怒，大声地为自己辩解。
   （Facing everyone's ridicule, he flew into a rage and loudly defended himself.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Face culture: In Chinese culture, 'face' (mianzi) is highly valued. Losing face is considered a great shame, and '恼羞成怒' is understood as a behavior arising from the psychological need to protect one's face.
• Negative connotation: The idiom is usually used in a negative context, implying an immature attitude where one refuses to admit faults and tries to cover them up with anger.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 怒不可遏 (nù bù kě è): Unable to restrain one's anger.
  • 愤愤不平 (fèn fèn bù píng): Indignant and dissatisfied.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 心平气和 (xīn píng qì hé): Calm and composed.
  • 泰然自若 (tài rán zì ruò): Calm and unperturbed.

6. Summary

'恼羞成怒' is an idiom that skillfully expresses the human psychological reaction of turning embarrassment into anger, rooted in the Chinese cultural concept of 'face.' When using this idiom, it is important to understand the complex emotions behind the anger, not just the anger itself. Additionally, this idiom is often used to criticize selfish and immature attitudes, so care should be taken regarding the context and audience when using it.