[1] A cannot face B
A can't face B
[2] A cannot look B in the face
A can't look B in the face
[3] to let somebody down
[4] apologetic to somebody
A cannot face B = A cannot look B in the face = A做了某件事情後覺得很羞愧丟臉或尷尬,所以無法面對B,也就是A對不起B的意思
這兩個片語的另一種意思是,A單純無法面對B,例如A跟B以前是情侶,但A對B還有感覺,所以A無法面對B。另一個例子是A跟B是父子,吵架後兒子無法面對父親。
為了讓意思明瞭,說者應該要提供原因,聽者才知道說者的意思是「對不起某人」。
另外,也能直接用 sorry 表示「對不起你」,例如:
抱歉我劈腿了,我對不起你 = I am deeply sorry I cheated on you.
對不起你 = owe you = can't face you = can't look you in the face
對不起我 = owe me = can't face me = can't look me in the face
對不起他 = owe him = can't face him = can't look him in the face
另外,也能使用 let somebody down,但此片語比較像使某人失望的意思。