慚

Internalized shame; specifically, a sense of inadequacy, unworthiness, or falling short of a standard (either one's own or that of another).

Primarily functions as a stative verb ("to feel ashamed/unworthy") or an adjective ("shameful"). It may occasionally appear as a noun referring to the feeling of shame itself. In ancient texts, when paired with 愧 (as in 慚愧), these should be treated as two distinct descriptors—inadequacy and remorse—rather than a single compound term.

Contrast with 恥 (chǐ), which often refers to social stigma or loss of face in the eyes of others, whereas 慚 is primarily an interior emotional state. Contrast with 愧 (kuì), which typically implies guilt stemming from a specific moral lapse or wrongdoing, while 慚 leans toward a feeling of being "less than" or unworthy.

The glyph 慙 (U+6159) is a common semantic variant in older texts and is generally interchangeable with 慚. Simplified variant: U+60ED.

Use caution when translating as "humiliated." While listed in dictionaries, the term typically describes a self-generated response to perceived insufficiency rather than a state imposed by an external agent of power.