Meaning of 摧眉折腰
摧眉折腰 means kowtow; bow and scrape; flatter servilely. Pronounced cuī méi zhé yāo.
- kowtow; bow and scrape; flatter servilely
Definitions & Examples
Tā他
bù不
yuàn愿
wèi为
wǔ五
dǒu斗
mǐ米
cuī摧
méi眉
zhé折
yāo腰
，
yì毅
rán然
cí辞
guān官
guī归
yǐn隐
。
Unwilling to kowtow for a meager salary, he resolutely resigned from office and retired to seclusion.
Zài在
quán权
shì势
miàn面
qián前
，
tā他
cóng从
bù不
cuī摧
méi眉
zhé折
yāo腰
。
He never bows and scrapes before power and influence.
Nà那
zhǒng种
cuī摧
méi眉
zhé折
yāo腰
de的
mèi媚
tài态
lìng令
rén人
ǒu作
tù呕
。
That kind of fawning servility is nauseating.
Lǐ李
Bái白
yǒu有
shī诗
yún云
：
“
Ān安
néng能
cuī摧
méi眉
zhé折
yāo腰
shì事
quán权
guì贵
，
shǐ使
wǒ我
bù不
dé得
kāi开
xīn心
yán颜
！
”
Li Bai wrote in his poem: "How can I kowtow and serve the mighty, making myself unhappy and joyless?"