Translation guide
The English idiom 'curry favour' means to try to gain advantage or approval through flattery or ingratiating behavior. In Japanese, there is no single direct equivalent, but several expressions convey similar ideas depending on the context and relationship.
To flatter or do favors for someone in order to gain their approval or advantage.
Literally 'to take someone's mood', this is a common way to say you're trying to please someone or get on their good side, often through flattery or small favors.
彼は上司のご機嫌を取ってばかりいる。
He's always currying favour with his boss.
Means to sound out someone's mood or to try to gauge and please them. Implies cautious, ingratiating behavior.
To do something specifically to gain someone's favor, like giving gifts or doing special favors.
There is no direct Japanese equivalent of 'curry favour'. Using a literal translation like 好意をカレーする would be nonsensical. Instead, use the phrases above depending on the nuance.
ご機嫌を取る is more about placating or pleasing someone in the moment, while 取り入る implies a longer-term strategy to ingratiate oneself, often with a negative connotation.
彼女は夫の機嫌を伺いながら話した。
She spoke while trying to curry favour with her husband.
To ingratiate oneself, to worm one's way into someone's favor. Often has a negative connotation of being calculating.
彼は権力者に取り入ろうとしている。
He's trying to curry favour with the powerful people.
To flatter, to butter up. More direct about using flattery, often seen as insincere.
彼はいつも先生におべっかを使ってばかりだ。
He's always currying favour with the teacher by flattering him.
Literally 'to earn points', used when someone does things to improve their standing or gain favor, similar to 'scoring brownie points'.
彼は早く出社して点数を稼ごうとしている。
He's coming to work early to curry favour.
Literally 'sesame grinding', meaning sycophancy or apple-polishing. Often used as a noun or suru-verb.
あの男はごますりがうまい。
That guy is good at currying favour.
To fawn on, to be obsequious. Stronger negative nuance of being servile.
彼は上司に媚びて出世した。
He curried favour with his boss and got promoted.