servile flattery; groveling subservience
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesidiom
servile flattery; groveling subservience; sycophancy
formalStrongly derogatory idiom used to describe a person who shows extreme servility and flattery towards authority or power, lacking dignity and backbone. Often used in a political or moral context to criticize moral weakness.
Tā他
zài在
lǐng领
dǎo导
miàn面
qián前
nú奴
yán颜
mèi媚
gǔ骨
，
shí实
zài在
lìng令
rén人
bù不
chǐ齿
。
His groveling subservience in front of the leader is truly contemptible.
Zhēn真
zhèng正
de的
xué学
zhě者
yīng应
yǒu有
dú独
lì立
rén人
gé格
，
ér而
bù不
shì是
nú奴
yán颜
mèi媚
gǔ骨
。
A true scholar should have an independent character, not a servile and sycophantic one.
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Tā他
kào靠
zhe着
nú奴
yán颜
mèi媚
gǔ骨
pá爬
dào到
le了
jīn今
tiān天
de的
wèi位
zhì置
。
He climbed to his current position through servile flattery.