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慚愧に堪えない (ざんきにたえない) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, i-adjective
deeply ashamed ; overwhelmed with shame
A formal, literary expression used to convey profound personal shame or remorse, often in apologies or confessions. The phrase is somewhat stiff and not used in casual conversation.
ざん
愧き
に
堪た
え
ませ
ん
。
I am overwhelmed with shame for causing you trouble.
Written forms 慚ざん 愧き に 堪た えない
Standard kanji spelling using 慚愧 and 堪. 慚愧 is a literary compound meaning 'shame'.
慙ざん 愧き に 堪た えない
Variant using 慙愧, an alternative form of 慚愧. Both are used in formal writing.
慚ざん 愧き にたえない
Common variant with 堪 written in kana. Slightly less formal but still literary.
慙ざん 愧き にたえない
Variant combining 慙愧 and kana たえない.
Kanji 慙 ashamed, humiliated, shameful 堪 withstand, endure, support Similar words 恥は ずかしい 恥ずかしい is a common, everyday adjective for 'embarrassed' or 'ashamed', while 慚愧に堪えない is a formal, literary expression for profound shame.
申もう し 訳わけ ない 申し訳ない expresses apology and regret, often used in polite speech. 慚愧に堪えない conveys a deeper, more personal sense of shame and is much more formal.
Etymology 慚愧 (zanki) is a Sino-Japanese compound meaning 'shame' or 'remorse', combined with に堪えない (ni taenai), a formal negative potential form of 堪える (taeru, 'to bear'), literally 'cannot bear the shame'. The phrase is a set expression in formal Japanese.
