Chinese word

过意不去

Pronunciation

Pinyinguò yì bù qù

Meaning

  • idiomfeel bad

Example

你给我买了东西，我有点过意不去。nǐ gěi wǒ mǎi le dōng xī wǒ yóu diǎn guò yì bú qù

You bought me something, and I feel a little bad.

Illustration for 过意不去 (feel bad)

More examples

同事们替我加班，我感到过意不去。tóng shì men tì wǒ jiā bān wǒ gǎn dào guò yì bú qù

My coworkers worked overtime for me, so I feel bad.

Core concept

Another person's favor is a weight the mind cannot simply set down.

Common phrases

  • 感到过意不去gǎn dào guò yì bú qù

    feel sorry

  • 有点过意不去yóu diǎn guò yì bú qù

    feel a little sorry

  • 对别人过意不去duì bié rén guò yì bú qù

    feel sorry toward others

Similar words

无以为报wú yǐ wéi bào: Feeling unable to repay someone's kindness adequately and not knowing how to return the favor.
受之有愧shòu zhī yǒu kuì: Feeling ashamed or sorry when accepting someone's kindness or praise.

Definition in Chinese

表示因接受别人的好意而心里不安或羞愧，说话时带有歉意与拘谨。biǎo shì yīn jiē shòu bié rén de hǎo yì ér xīn lǐ bù ān huò xiū kuì shuō huà shí dài yǒu qiàn yì yǔ jū jǐn

Word origin

过意不去 (guòyìbùqù, "feel unable to put the feeling aside") developed from the established word 过意 (guòyì, "feel uneasy") into a conventional idiom for social discomfort after a favor.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may read an apology as a response to wrongdoing, but this expression commonly appears when the speaker has received help or a gift.

Other meanings

  • feel embarrassedidiom
  • feel sorryidiom

Opposites

Word lists with this word