The New Dictionary.
Search dictionary
Chinese/Dictionary entry

羞于启齿

xiū yú qǐ chǐdictionary entry
DEFINITION CC-CEDICT
to be too shy to speak one's mind (idiom)
Sources & editorial notes

Reference definitions: CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source release 2026-10-27T01:55:52Z. Imported 2026-10-27. Definition wording and meaning order are retained. Recognized pronunciation references are displayed with tone marks; the original source record is available below.

Source record: cd-2666d99227f49182. Source SHA-256: bbc4b27f26bee1a262f4d7939667a040c7857c7fc0200a2fa7a86d3352a09eae.

Original source entry:

羞於啟齒 羞于启齿 [xiu1 yu2 qi3 chi3] /to be too shy to speak one's mind (idiom)/

Reference definitions and teaching material have separate provenance.

Reference information

The definitions above are from CC-CEDICT. Examples and usage notes are available on selected entries.

Character information

View the individual characters. Their meanings do not necessarily explain the meaning of the whole word.

Other forms in these source records: 羞於啟齒

  • 羞
    xiū

    shy / ashamed / shame / bashful / delicacies

  • 于
    yú

    to go / to take / sentence-final interrogative particle / (of time or place) in / at / on / (indicating any indirect relation) to / toward / vis-à-vis / with regard to / for / (indicating a source) from / out of / (used in comparison) than / (used in the passive voice) by

    Yú

    surname Yu

  • 启
    qǐ

    to open / to start / to initiate / to enlighten or awaken / to state / to inform

    Qǐ

    Qi son of Yu the Great 禹[Yǔ], reported founder of the Xia Dynasty 夏朝[Xià Cháo] (c. 2070-c. 1600 BC)

  • 齿
    chǐ

    (bound form) tooth / (bound form) to regard as worthy of mention

Reference definitions from CC-CEDICT.