be ingratiating; curry favor
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesverb
to act with excessive caution and deference; to try to ingratiate oneself
informalOften implies deliberately acting humble or submissive, sometimes in a situation where one is at fault or trying to avoid conflict. More commonly used in spoken or informal written Chinese.
Tā他
chí迟
dào到
le了
，
gǎn赶
jǐn紧
xiàng向
jīng经
lǐ理
péi陪
xiǎo小
xīn心
。
He was late and quickly tried to ingratiate himself with the manager.
Lǎo老
po婆
shēng生
qì气
le了
，
tā他
bù不
dé得
bù不
dī低
shēng声
xià下
qì气
de地
péi陪
xiǎo小
xīn心
。
His wife was angry, so he had to be submissive and try to appease her.
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Duì对
kè客
hù户
děi得
péi陪
xiǎo小
xīn心
，
bù不
néng能
dé得
zuì罪
rén人
。
You have to be ingratiating with clients; you can't afford to offend them.
Tā他
zhī知
dào道
zì自
jǐ己
lǐ理
kuī亏
，
zhǐ只
hǎo好
péi陪
zhe着
xiǎo小
xiǎo小
xīn心
xīn心
de地
shuō说
huà话
。
Knowing he was in the wrong, he had no choice but to speak with great deference.