# 面红耳赤

miàn hóng ěr chì

Become visibly flushed with emotion

## Meaning & wording

**Literally:** Face red and ears red

**Traditional Chinese:** 面紅耳赤

**Register:** General · spoken & written

[Perspective](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/topics/perspective)

## When to use it

Describe a red face caused by embarrassment, excitement, or agitation.

The expression alone does not identify the exact emotion.

## The image & its use

Being called on unexpectedly can make a person's face feel warm and visibly red. This expression gives a simple picture of that outward response. The cause might be embarrassment, an animated discussion, or excitement about an achievement. Context supplies the emotion rather than the idiom itself. A considerate description avoids treating an involuntary response as a fault. Explain the situation and, when relevant, how the person became more comfortable or continued despite the momentary feeling.

## Examples

突然受到表扬，她有些面红耳赤。

### Traditional Chinese

突然受到表揚，她有些面紅耳赤。

tū rán shòu dào biǎo yáng ， tā yǒu xiē miàn hóng ěr chì 。

Unexpected praise made her blush a little.

两人讨论得很投入，个个面红耳赤。

### Traditional Chinese

兩人討論得很投入，個個面紅耳赤。

liǎng rén tǎo lùn dé hěn tóu rù ， gè gè miàn hóng ěr chì 。

Both became flushed during their animated discussion.

他第一次上台介绍作品，紧张得面红耳赤。

### Traditional Chinese

他第一次上臺介紹作品，緊張得面紅耳赤。

tā dì yī cì shàng tái jiè shào zuò pǐn ， jǐn zhāng dé miàn hóng ěr chì 。

He became flushed with nerves while presenting his work on stage for the first time.

她说起那次小失误，仍然面红耳赤。

### Traditional Chinese

她說起那次小失誤，仍然面紅耳赤。

tā shuō qǐ nà cì xiǎo shī wù ， réng rán miàn hóng ěr chì 。

She still blushes when talking about that small mistake.

## Sources & reference checks

Original explanations and examples from Chinese Idioms Almanac. Source-checked October 7, 2026.

- [Ministry of Education · 成語典](https://dict.idioms.moe.edu.tw/idiomView.jsp?ID=1181&webMd=1&la=0)

- [CC-CEDICT · forms & pronunciation](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdqb=%E9%9D%A2%E7%B4%85%E8%80%B3%E8%B5%A4)

## Keep exploring

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- [名不虚传 míng bù xū chuán Live up to a deserved reputation ](https://chinese-idioms.yudis.dev/idioms/ming-bu-xu-chuan)

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