Translation guide
A person who flatters or sucks up to someone in authority to gain favor. In Japanese, this is expressed through vivid slang terms, descriptive phrases, and verbs for sycophantic behavior.
A person who excessively flatters a superior to gain advantage.
Literally 'sesame grinder', a common colloquial term for a sycophant or brown-noser. Can be used as a noun or with する to mean 'to suck up'.
The act of flattering or ingratiating oneself with a superior.
The verb form of ごますり. Means 'to grind sesame' → 'to flatter/suck up'. Very common.
ごますり is more direct and slightly vulgar, like 'ass-kisser'. おべっか is softer, closer to 'flattery' or 'buttering up'. Both are common in casual speech.
That guy is a brown-noser.
He's always brown-nosing the boss.
Literally 'drum carrier', originally a professional entertainer who flattered guests. Now used for a sycophant or yes-man.
That brown-noser is desperate to get on the president's good side.
A formal term for a flatterer or sycophant. More literary or written.
He's nothing but a sycophant to those in power.
He's sucking up to the manager again.
Means 'to use flattery'. おべっか is flattery or sweet talk. Slightly less vulgar than ごまをする.
She got promoted by buttering up the boss.
Means 'to curry favor' or 'to get on someone's good side'. More general than just flattery, can include actions.
He's always trying to get on the boss's good side.
Literally 'to wag one's tail', like a dog. A vivid metaphor for brown-nosing.
He's always wagging his tail for the manager.
He's good at flattery.
Do not translate 'brown-noser' literally as 茶色の鼻. It has no meaning in Japanese. Use the idiomatic expressions above.