恥をかく

• Reading: はじをかく
• Romaji: haji wo kaku
• Kanji breakdown: 恥 (haji/chi) — shame, embarrassment
• Pronunciation: /ha.dʑi.o.ka.kɯ/

Meaning

To be embarrassed; to lose face; to make a fool of oneself in front of others.

An idiomatic expression using かく (to incur/suffer). Unlike 恥じる (internal shame), 恥をかく focuses on public embarrassment — the social dimension of shame. Very common in everyday conversation.

Examples

1. 人前で恥をかいて、顔が真っ赤になった。 I made a fool of myself in front of everyone and turned beet red.
2. 準備不足だと恥をかくことになるよ。 If you're not prepared, you'll end up embarrassing yourself.
3. 彼は大勢の前で恥をかかされた。 He was publicly humiliated in front of a large crowd.

Usage Guide

Context: social situations, presentations, daily life

Tone: cautionary

Origin & History

Compound of 恥 (shame) and かく, an older verb meaning 'to suffer' or 'to incur.' Reflects the Japanese cultural emphasis on social face and public perception.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal