恼羞成怒
nǎo xiū chéng nù · HSK 7
to fly into a rage out of humiliation
😳😡 恼 annoyed + 羞 shame + 成 become + 怒 rage = shame becomes rage
Four characters chain a cause into an effect: 恼 (vexed) and 羞 (shame) 成 (turn into) 怒 (fury). Someone embarrassed past their limit flips straight into anger. The middle 成 is the hinge: humiliation converted into rage.
成 — 戊 (halberd/weapon) + 丁 (nail/man)
Originally a pictograph of a halberd or axe-like weapon, suggesting the act of completing a task by force. Over time it shifted from 'to subdue' to the broader meaning 'to accomplish' or 'to become'. The 丁 element inside also hints at the chéng sound.