自愧弗如 zì kuì fú rú feel oneself inferior

Explanation

自愧弗如是一个成语，意思是自感不如别人而内心惭愧。它形容一个人谦虚、不自满，也表达了对别人的敬佩。

Zikui furu is an idiom that means to feel inferior to others and feel ashamed in one's heart. It describes a person's humility and lack of complacency, and also expresses admiration for others.

Origin Story

战国时期，齐国有个名叫邹忌的大臣，他长得非常英俊，有一天，他穿戴整齐，对着镜子端详自己的容貌，然后问妻子：“我和城北徐公比，谁更美？”妻子回答说：“您比徐公美多了！”邹忌又去问他的妾，妾也说他比徐公美。第二天，邹忌去拜访一位朋友，也问了同样的问题，朋友也说他比徐公美。然而，当邹忌在街上偶然遇到城北徐公时，他仔细观察了徐公，才发现徐公比自己长得更漂亮。邹忌回到家后，仔细反思了这件事，他意识到妻子、妾和朋友都因为害怕得罪他而奉承他，所以才说他比徐公美。邹忌从这件事中明白了为人处世要诚实、客观，不能盲目自大，也不应该轻视别人。因此，他从此更加谦虚谨慎，并以此告诫自己和臣下，要虚心学习，不断进步。这个故事告诫人们要正确认识自己，要以客观的态度对待自己和他人的长处与短处，时刻保持谦虚谨慎的态度。

zhan guo shiqi, qi guo you ge ming jiao zou ji de dacheng, ta zhang de feichang yingjun, you yitian, ta chuan dai zhengqi, dui zhe jingzi duanxiang ziji de rongmao, ranhou wen qizi: “wo he cheng bei xu gong bi, shui geng mei?” qizi huida shuo: “nin bi xu gong mei duole!” zou ji you qu wen ta de qie, qie ye shuo ta bi xu gong mei.diertian, zou ji qu bai fang yi wei pengyou, ye wenle tongyang de wenti, pengyou ye shuo ta bi xu gong mei.ran er, dang zou ji zai jieshang ou ran yuda cheng bei xu gong shi, ta zixizhi guancha le xu gong, cai faxian xu gong bi ziji zhang de geng piaoliang. zou ji huidao jia hou, zixizi fansheng le zhe jianshi, ta yishi dao qizi, qie he pengyou dou yinwei haipa daofei ta er fengcheng ta, suo yi cai shuo ta bi xu gong mei. zou ji cong zhe jianshi zhong mingbai le wei ren chushi yao chengshi, keguan, buneng mangmu zida, ye buyinggai qingshi bieren. yinci, ta congci gengjia qianxu jinshen, bing yi ci gaojie ziji he chenxia, yao xuxin xuexi, buduan jinbu. zhege gushi gaojie renmen yao zhengque renshi ziji, yao yi keguan de taidu duidai ziji he ta ren de changchu yu duanchu, shike baochi qianxu jinshen de taidu.

During the Warring States period in China, there was a minister named Zou Ji in the kingdom of Qi. He was very handsome. One day, he dressed up and looked at his appearance in the mirror, then he asked his wife: “Who is more handsome, me or Xu Gong from the north of the city?” His wife replied: “You are much more handsome than Xu Gong!” Zou Ji also asked his concubine, and the concubine said the same. The next day, Zou Ji visited a friend and asked the same question, and the friend also said that he was more handsome than Xu Gong. However, when Zou Ji happened to meet Xu Gong on the street, he carefully observed Xu Gong and found that Xu Gong was indeed more handsome than himself. After returning home, Zou Ji carefully reflected on this matter. He realized that his wife, concubine, and friend had flattered him out of fear of offending him, so they said he was more handsome than Xu Gong. Zou Ji learned from this experience to be honest and objective, not to be blindly complacent, and not to underestimate others. Therefore, from then on, he became more humble and cautious, and he used this to warn himself and his ministers to humbly learn and constantly improve. This story warns people to correctly understand themselves, to take an objective attitude towards their own strengths and weaknesses and those of others, and to always maintain a humble and cautious attitude.

Usage

常用于表达对他人能力或成就的赞赏和自我反思。

chang yong yu biao da dui taren nengli huo chengjiu de zanshang he ziwo fansheng

Often used to express appreciation for others' abilities or achievements and self-reflection.

Examples

• 论能力，我自愧弗如；论资历，我自愧弗如。

  lun nengli, wo zi kui fu ru; lun zili, wo zi kui fu ru.

  In terms of ability, I am inferior to him; in terms of seniority, I am inferior to him.

• 与他相比，我自愧弗如。

  yu ta xiangbi, wo zi kui fu ru

  Compared to him, I feel inferior.

Related Idioms

• 自叹不如

• 甘拜下风

Opposite Idioms

• 目空一切

• 妄自尊大