Definition
窘 is a stative verb (s.v.) describing two distinct states: financial hardship (being hard up or poor) and social awkwardness (feeling embarrassed or disconcerted). It can be used as a predicate (他手头很窘) or attributively (窘境). The 'awkward' sense is more common in modern conversation; the 'poor' sense leans formal or literary.
s.v.
(stative verb) hard upimpoverished(stative verb) awkwardembarrassedill at ease
Examples
- 窘，。Tā zuìjìn shǒutóu hěn jiǒng, lián fángzū dōu fù bù qǐ.He's been really hard up lately – he can't even pay the rent.
- ，窘。Bèi dāngzhòng pīpíng shí, tā gǎndào shífēn jiǒng.When criticized in public, he felt extremely awkward.
- 窘，。Zhège wèntí ràng tā hěn jiǒng, bàntiān shuō bù chū huà lái.This question embarrassed him so much that he was speechless for a long time.
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