Translation guide
The act of persuading someone through flattery, gentle urging, or sweet talk. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various words and phrases that emphasize coaxing, flattering, or smooth-talking someone into doing something.
To persuade someone by praising them or making them feel good, often to get them to do something.
Flattery or compliments, often used to win favor or persuade. Can be used in the phrase お世辞を言う (to flatter).
He persuaded his boss with flattery.
To flatter or butter up someone to get them to do something. Often used in the phrase おだてに乗る (to be swayed by flattery).
She cajoled him into helping by flattering him.
Sweet words, cajolery. A more formal or literary term for flattering speech used to manipulate.
Don't be fooled by his cajolery.
Smooth talk, cajolery. Literally 'mouth vehicle', implying being carried away by words. Often used in the phrase 口車に乗せる (to cajole someone).
He was cajoled into signing the contract.
To gently persuade someone by being nice, patient, or persistent, often with a tone of encouragement.
To soothe, calm, or coax someone into a better mood or into doing something. Implies gentle persuasion.
The mother coaxed the crying child to sleep.
To humor someone, to get on someone's good side, often to persuade them. Literally 'to take someone's mood'.
To talk someone into something, to coax or wheedle. Implies skillfully persuading someone to agree.
To persuade someone by repeatedly asking or using insistent, sometimes childish, pleas.
To pester or coax someone for something, often used by children or in a pleading manner. Implies asking repeatedly.
The child cried, cajoling for a toy.
To pester or importune someone to do something, similar to ねだる but can be used for actions as well as objects.
おだてる focuses on flattery to get someone to do something, while なだめる focuses on calming or soothing someone who is upset. Use おだてる when you are buttering someone up, and なだめる when you are trying to pacify them.
He cajoled his boss into giving him a vacation (by flattering him).
She coaxed the angry customer (to calm down).
There is no single Japanese word that perfectly matches 'cajolery'. Using a direct translation like カジョリー will not be understood. Instead, choose a word or phrase based on the specific nuance: flattery (お世辞, おだてる), soothing (なだめる), or persistent asking (ねだる).
He cajoled his boss to get a promotion.
He cajoled her into going on the trip.
She cajoled him into taking her to the movies.