📖 Meaning
To feel unworthy of praise, honor, or a gift being offered. It conveys humble modesty, implying the recipient believes they do not deserve such recognition. Commonly used as a polite response to compliments or generous treatment.
📜 Origin Story
The phrase comes from a Qing dynasty literary work, 'Liu Liu Village Album' (刘柳村册子) by Zheng Xie (郑燮), the famous painter and calligrapher also known as Zheng Banqiao. In the text, Zheng records that Prince Shun (慎郡王), styled Ziqiongya Daoren (紫琼崖道人), presented him with a poem of praise. Zheng quotes the prince's elegant lines about music and pearls, then writes '愧不敢当, 然亦佳句' — he felt ashamed and could not accept such praise, yet acknowledged the lines were indeed beautiful. Over time the expression became a standard humble formula.
💡 Example Usage
您如此夸奖，实在愧不敢当。
I truly do not deserve such high praise from you.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 愧不敢当
- Pinyin: kuì bù gǎn dāng
- Literal Translation: ashamed, not, dare, accept
- Category: Attitude
- Characters: 4