entries → 對不起
TSUMUGU · TOCFL A1 (est.) · 詞
對不起 word · TOCFL A1 (est.)
對不起 ＝ 對 ＋ 不 ＋ 起
ㄉㄨㄟˋ ˙ㄅㄨ ㄑㄧˇ · duìbuqǐ
phrase — sorry, excuse me; to let someone down, to wrong someone

字源 FORM — what the parts do

對to face, toward (對著)duì
不not (不要)bu
起to rise, to bear (起來)qǐ
對不起，對著的對，不要的不，起來的起。

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

做了虧心事，沒臉正對著（對）人，頭抬不（不）起（起）來。
Having wronged someone, you cannot face (對) them and cannot (不) lift (起) your head.
關 · Related
沒關係méiguānxithe usual reply — "it's all right"