侫 (nìng) - Flattering, sycophantic & cunning, crafty

侫Tone 4

nìng ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 亻

柠七

侫 · nìng

Flattering, sycophantic;

cunning, crafty;

glib-tongued.

Flattering, sycophanticcunning, craftyglib-tongued.

Usage highlights

Flattering wordsSycophantic officialCunning speechGlib tongueCrafty personFlattering and fawning

Synonyms

  • 谄— to flatter, fawn
  • 媚— to curry favor, flatter
  • 奸— wicked, treacherous

Antonyms

  • 忠— loyal, faithful
  • 直— upright, honest
  • 诚— sincere, honest

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He is skilled at flattery (侫言).
  • Beware of sycophantic officials (侫臣).
  • She saw through his cunning words (侫辞).

Collocations

  • Flattering words(侫言)
  • Sycophantic official(侫臣)
  • Cunning speech(侫辞)
  • Glib tongue(侫口)
  • Crafty person(侫人)
  • Flattering and fawning(侫谀)

Idioms

  • Keep the sycophants at a distance, draw the loyal close(亲贤臣，远侫人)
  • The words of the flatterer are sweet, the advice of the loyal is harsh(侫言甘，忠言逆)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used to describe court officials who gained favor through flattery rather than merit.
  • Often appears in classical texts warning rulers against being misled by sycophants.
  • Considered a strongly negative character trait in Confucian ethics.

FAQ