Translation guide
The English phrase "currying favour" means trying to gain approval or advantage through flattery or ingratiating behavior. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through various verbs and set phrases that describe flattering, sucking up, or trying to win someone's favor.
Expressing the act of trying to gain favor by praising or pleasing someone, often with a negative connotation.
Literally 'to say flattery'. A common, neutral-to-slightly-negative way to say someone is flattering another person.
彼は上司にお世辞を言って昇進した。
He got promoted by flattering his boss.
Literally 'to take someone's good mood'. Means to butter someone up or try to put them in a good mood to gain favor.
彼女は先生のご機嫌を取ろうとしている。
She's trying to curry favor with the teacher.
A verb meaning to flatter or fawn over someone, often with a sense of obsequiousness. Can be used in compound verbs like 媚びへつらう.
彼は権力者に媚びるのが上手だ。
He's good at currying favor with powerful people.
To flatter or fawn upon someone in a servile manner. Often paired with 媚びる as 媚びへつらう.
彼は上司にへつらってばかりいる。
He's always sucking up to his boss.
Colloquial phrase meaning to use flattery or sweet talk. 'おべっか' is flattery; '使う' means to use.
彼はおべっかを使って取引先と仲良くなった。
He used flattery to get on good terms with the client.
Literally 'sesame grinding'. A colloquial, slightly old-fashioned term for apple-polishing or sucking up. Often used as a noun or suru-verb.
あいつはごますりがうまい。
That guy is good at sucking up.
Focusing on the act of making oneself liked or accepted by someone in a position of power or influence.
To ingratiate oneself, to get in good with someone. Implies strategic effort to become part of someone's inner circle.
彼は社長に取り入って重要なポストを得た。
He ingratiated himself with the president and got an important position.
Literally 'to try to be liked'. A straightforward way to express trying to gain someone's favor.
彼女はいつも上司に気に入られようとしている。
She's always trying to curry favor with her boss.
A somewhat literary expression meaning to buy someone's favor or goodwill. '歓心' means favor or goodwill.
彼は贈り物で上司の歓心を買おうとした。
He tried to curry favor with his boss by giving gifts.
Stronger, more vulgar expressions for obsequious behavior, often used in casual or rough speech.
Colloquial, slightly dated phrase meaning to butter up or apple-polish. Similar to ごますり but used as a verb phrase.
彼はいつも上司にゴマをしている。
He's always brown-nosing the boss.
The English phrase "currying favor" does not have a direct one-word equivalent in Japanese. Using a literal translation like 好意をカレーする would be nonsensical. Instead, use the verbs and phrases listed above depending on the nuance you want to convey.
お世辞を言う is the most neutral and common way to say 'to flatter'. 媚びる implies a more servile, fawning attitude, often with a negative judgment. へつらう is similar but can sound more formal or literary. In casual speech, おべっかを使う or ごますり are often used.
Literally 'to ride the rump of a horse'. Idiom meaning to follow someone blindly or to curry favor by attaching oneself to a powerful person.
彼は権力者の尻馬に乗って出世した。
He rose through the ranks by riding the coattails of the powerful.