出洋相

• Pinyin: chū yáng xiàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 出 = to produce; 洋 = 氵 (water) + 羊 (sheep) = ocean/foreign; 相 = 木 (tree) + 目 (eye) = appearance

Meaning

To make a fool of oneself; to embarrass oneself in public.

An idiomatic expression for embarrassing oneself, especially in public or social situations. Often involves doing something ridiculous or inappropriate. Can be used self-deprecatingly or to describe others.

Examples

1. 他喝多了在公司年会上出了大洋相。 He got drunk and made a complete fool of himself at the company party.
2. 我最怕在众人面前出洋相。 I'm most afraid of embarrassing myself in front of everyone.
3. 那个演讲者忘词了，当众出了洋相。 The speaker forgot his lines and embarrassed himself in front of everyone.

Usage Guide

Context: social, embarrassment, humor

Tone: informal

Do Say

• 小心点，别在客户面前出洋相。(Be careful, don't embarrass yourself in front of the clients.)
• 今天的面试我出了好大的洋相。(I made such a fool of myself in today's interview.)

Don't Say

• 他出了一个洋相 (Don't use 一个 — say 出洋相 or 出了洋相)

Origin & History

Originally referred to imitating foreign customs poorly or inappropriately. 洋相 combines 洋 (foreign) and 相 (appearance), suggesting an awkward imitation.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal