'丢人' (diū rén) literally means 'to lose face' or 'to lose a person'—but in practice, it expresses deep personal shame or embarrassment caused by one’s own behavior, mistake, or failure to meet social expectations. The character 丢 (diū) means 'to lose' or 'to discard', and 人 (rén) means 'person'; together, they convey the idea of losing one’s dignity or reputation in front of others.

This term is commonly used in informal spoken Chinese to criticize or self-criticize actions that are socially inappropriate, clumsy, or morally questionable—such as tripping in public, forgetting someone’s name repeatedly, or cheating on a test. It carries strong emotional weight and often implies judgment from others, not just personal regret. While it can be used seriously, it also appears frequently in light-hearted teasing among friends ('You’re so embarrassing!'). It is rarely used in formal writing or official contexts.