Translation guide
Flattery is praise that is often insincere or excessive, used to manipulate or gain favor. In Japanese, expressing flattery requires sensitivity to social hierarchy and indirectness. Direct translations can sound unnatural; instead, learners should use humble expressions, indirect compliments, or set phrases.
To compliment someone with the hidden motive of getting something in return, or to butter them up.
The most common and neutral term for flattery. It implies saying nice things that may not be entirely true, often to be polite or to get on someone's good side.
You're just flattering me.
彼は上司にお世辞を言うのが上手だ。
He's good at flattering his boss.
More colloquial and slightly negative. Implies sycophantic flattery, often used in workplace or social climbing contexts.
彼はいつも上司におべっかを使っている。
He's always sucking up to the boss.
Literally 'mood-taking', refers to actions or words meant to put someone in a good mood, often with an ulterior motive. Can be used for flattery.
彼のご機嫌取りは見え透いている。
His flattery is so transparent.
A verb meaning to flatter or fawn over someone, often with a negative connotation of groveling. More literary or formal.
権力者に諂う人々
People who flatter those in power
To describe praise that is over the top or not fully deserved, often used humbly to deflect compliments.
Literally 'over-praising'. A natural way to say someone is flattering you by exaggerating your good points.
それは褒めすぎです。
You're flattering me too much.
To praise someone excessively, often to manipulate them. Literally 'to lift up'.
彼は私を持ち上げて、仕事を押し付けようとした。
He flattered me to try to push work onto me.
When receiving a compliment, Japanese speakers often deflect with phrases like そんなことないです (That's not true) or とんでもないです (Not at all). This can serve the same function as calling something flattery.
A: 日本語が上手ですね。B: いえいえ、そんなことないです。
A: Your Japanese is great! B: No, not at all (you're flattering me).
Using mild flattery to smooth social interactions, such as giving compliments to be polite.
Refers to polite, formulaic compliments said out of social obligation rather than genuine feeling. Often translated as 'flattery' in context.
彼の褒め言葉はただの社交辞令だ。
His compliments are just flattery.
A pattern meaning 'even with flattery, cannot be called ~'. Used to state that something is objectively not good.
お世辞にも美味しいとは言えない。
Even with the best flattery, you couldn't call this delicious.
The English word 'flattery' covers a range of insincere praise, but Japanese has specific terms for different nuances. Using a dictionary translation like 諂媚 (へんび) may sound overly literary or archaic. Stick to common phrases like お世辞 for most situations.
お世辞 is the standard, relatively neutral term for flattery. おべっか is more colloquial and carries a stronger sense of sycophancy or sucking up. Use お世辞 in polite conversation; おべっか is fine among close friends or when criticizing someone's behavior.