諛 (yú) - Flatter, fawn upon, adulate — to praise someone

諛Tone 2

yú ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

咏与

諛 · yú

Flatter, fawn upon, adulate — to praise someone excessively, especially for personal gain or to win favor.

Flatter, fawn upon, adulate — to praise someone

Usage highlights

Flatter and fawnFlattering wordsSycophantic ministerFawning and flatteringFlatteryToadying

Synonyms

  • 谄— Flatter, toady
  • 媚— Faun, curry favor
  • 奉承— Flatter, compliment excessively

Antonyms

  • 谏— Remonstrate, criticize frankly
  • 诤— Admonish, warn bluntly
  • 直— Straightforward, honest

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He flattered his boss shamelessly (阿谀奉承).
  • Don't be fooled by flattering words (谀辞).
  • The court was full of sycophants (谀臣).
  • She despised his fawning attitude (谀媚).

Collocations

  • Flatter and fawn(阿谀)
  • Flattering words(谀辞)
  • Sycophantic minister(谀臣)
  • Fawning and flattering(谀媚)
  • Flattery(谀佞)
  • Toadying(谄谀)

Idioms

  • Flattering and fawning(阿谀奉承)
  • Flattering words and ingratiating appearance(谀辞令色)
  • Flattering the powerful and bullying the weak(谀上欺下)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, flattery (谀) is strongly condemned in Confucian ethics as contrary to the virtue of integrity (正直).
  • Historical texts often criticize sycophantic officials (谀臣) who misled rulers with flattery rather than honest counsel.
  • The character appears frequently in classical literature warning against the dangers of flattery in corrupting judgment.

FAQ