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| 罪恶感 [2025/08/13 10:44] – created xiaoer | 罪恶感 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== zuì'ègǎn: 罪恶感 - Sense of Guilt, Guiltiness ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** 罪恶感, zuiegan, sense of guilt in Chinese, feeling guilty Chinese, guilt vs shame Chinese, 内疚, 羞耻感, Chinese psychology, Chinese emotions, moral feelings in Chinese | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the meaning and cultural significance of **罪恶感 (zuì'ègǎn)**, the Chinese term for a "sense of guilt." This page explores its powerful meaning, rooted in the characters for "crime" and "evil," and explains how it's used in modern China. Discover the crucial difference between guilt (**罪恶感**) and shame (**羞耻感, xiūchǐgǎn**) in Chinese culture, and learn how to express this complex emotion accurately with practical examples and avoid common mistakes. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** zuì'è'gǎn | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 6 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** The feeling of moral self-reproach or consciousness of having done something wrong; a sense of guilt. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **罪恶感 (zuì'ègǎn)** is the internal feeling you get when you believe you have violated a moral, ethical, or even legal code. It's that heavy weight on your conscience that says, "I did a bad thing." The final character, **感 (gǎn)**, emphasizes that this is a *sense* or *feeling*, making it a psychological state. It's a strong word, often implying a serious transgression. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **罪 (zuì):** Crime, sin, guilt. The top part of the character (罒) originally depicted a net, and the bottom part (非) meant "wrong" or "mistake." Together, it symbolizes being caught in a net for wrongdoing. | |
| * **恶 (è):** Evil, wicked, bad. This character represents something morally reprehensible or foul, the direct opposite of good (善 shàn). | |
| * **感 (gǎn):** To feel, a sense, a sensation. This character is composed of 咸 (xián) over 心 (xīn - heart/mind). It signifies a feeling or influence that touches the heart. | |
| Combining these characters—**罪(crime) + 恶(evil) + 感(feeling)**—creates a literal and powerful term: a "crime-and-evil feeling." This structure highlights the seriousness of the emotion, linking it directly to a breach of moral or criminal law. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In many Western cultures, "guilt" is a foundational concept in psychology and morality, often tied to individual conscience and personal responsibility. **罪恶感 (zuì'ègǎn)** in Chinese shares this internal aspect, but its expression and triggers are deeply influenced by China's collectivist social fabric. | |
| The most important cultural distinction is between **guilt (罪恶感)** and **shame (羞耻感 xiūchǐgǎn)**. | |
| * **罪恶感 (Guilt):** Is more internal and action-focused. It's the feeling "I **did** a bad thing." It relates to one's own conscience and moral compass (良心 liángxīn). You can feel `罪恶感` even if nobody else knows what you did. | |
| * **羞耻感 (Shame):** Is more external and self-focused. It's the feeling "I **am** a bad person" in the eyes of others. It is tied to social judgment, loss of face (面子 miànzi), and letting down one's group (family, company, etc.). | |
| In China, where group harmony and social expectations are paramount, the line can blur. An action that harms the group's reputation can trigger intense personal `罪恶感` because the individual has failed in their social duty. For example, disappointing one's parents might be framed not just as a personal failure but as a violation of filial piety (孝 xiào), leading to a profound sense of guilt. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| While a strong and somewhat formal term, **罪恶感 (zuì'ègǎn)** is used in a variety of modern | |