不愧是 (worthy of the name)

• Pinyin: búkuìshì
• Formation: Subject + 不愧是 / 不愧为 + Title / Reputation
• Hanzi breakdown: 愧 = 忄(heart) + 鬼 (ghost) — feeling haunted by shame in one's heart

Meaning

The expression 不愧是 is used to praise someone or something as truly deserving of a certain title, reputation, or status. It conveys admiration and affirmation that the subject fully lives up to expectations.

不愧是 literally means 'not ashamed to be' — implying the subject has no reason to feel unworthy of the label that follows. It is always used in a positive, commendatory sense. The variant 不愧为 is more formal and literary, often seen in news articles and official praise. Unlike 果然 which confirms an expectation, 不愧是 specifically affirms that someone deserves a reputation or title through demonstrated quality. It cannot be used sarcastically or negatively in standard usage. The pattern is often used after witnessing impressive performance, skill, or character.

Examples

1. 他的演讲赢得了全场掌声，不愧是资深的外交官。 His speech won applause from the entire audience — truly worthy of being a seasoned diplomat.
2. 这道菜色香味俱全，不愧是国宴级别的厨师。 This dish is perfect in color, aroma, and taste — truly worthy of a state-banquet-level chef.
3. 不愧是在北京长大的，对这座城市的历史如数家珍。 Truly worthy of having grown up in Beijing — she knows the city's history inside and out.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, commendatory

Tone: admiring

Do Say

• 不愧是留学回来的，英语说得跟母语一样流利。
• 不愧是从事了三十年教育的老师，对学生的心理了解得非常透彻。
• 这篇论文论证严密，不愧为该领域的权威之作。

Don't Say

• 他不愧是最差的学生。(不愧是 is exclusively commendatory — it cannot be used for negative attributes or criticism) → 他果然是班上成绩最差的。
• 不愧是下雨了，路很滑。(不愧是 affirms that someone or something deserves a title, not that a situation matches a cause — use 果然 for confirming expectations about events) → 果然下雨了，路很滑。

Origin & History

不愧 combines 不 (not) and 愧 (ashamed, guilty). The expression dates back to classical Chinese literature, where 无愧 (without shame) described those who lived up to moral ideals. The modern 不愧是 retains this sense of 'truly deserving' in a commendatory context.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal