19 days ago
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12
Posted On: October 17th 2026, 05:50 pm
Every language has a name for the unpleasant experience that is cringe.
In Dutch, plaatsvervangende schaamte is substitute shame. The French gêne par procuration delegates discomfort, while the German Fremdschämen means foreign shame. Swedish has the skämskudde, a “cringe cushion” in which to bury one’s face while watching, say, a globally televised breakdancing fail. In Japanese, mite irarenai means unable to look at something (distressing, awkward, disastrous), but it’s Chinese slang for the win with gāngà’ái: embarrassment cancer.
Tap the link in bio to read Eugenie Brinkema’s theory of cringe.
In Dutch, plaatsvervangende schaamte is substitute shame. The French gêne par procuration delegates discomfort, while the German Fremdschämen means foreign shame. Swedish has the skämskudde, a “cringe cushion” in which to bury one’s face while watching, say, a globally televised breakdancing fail. In Japanese, mite irarenai means unable to look at something (distressing, awkward, disastrous), but it’s Chinese slang for the win with gāngà’ái: embarrassment cancer.
Tap the link in bio to read Eugenie Brinkema’s theory of cringe.
Comments (12)
19 days agoworkingsession
@catherine.mulligan the absolute master of painting. Best painter working today!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
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