Translation guide
The act of using excessive flattery or servile behavior to gain favor, often with a superior. Japanese has many nuanced expressions for this, ranging from formal terms to casual slang.
To describe the act of flattering someone in power to gain advantage, in a general sense.
Literally 'grinding sesame seeds', this is the most common and versatile term for sycophancy or brown-nosing. Can be used as a noun or verb (ごまする).
彼は上司にごますりばかりしている。
He's always brown-nosing the boss.
Flattery, often with a nuance of being insincere or excessive. Commonly used with 使う (to use flattery).
彼女はおべっかを使って昇進した。
She got promoted by using flattery.
A more formal term for sycophancy or servile flattery. Often used in written or serious contexts.
彼の追従にはうんざりだ。
I'm fed up with his sycophancy.
Literally 'drum carrier', originally referring to a professional entertainer who flatters guests. Now used figuratively for a sycophant or yes-man.
彼は社長の太鼓持ちだ。
He's the president's yes-man.
To emphasize the act of lavishing praise or compliments to manipulate someone.
To pay a compliment that is not entirely sincere; flattery. A very common and neutral way to describe flattering someone.
彼はいつも上司にお世辞を言っている。
He's always flattering his boss.
Literally 'to lift up', meaning to flatter or praise someone excessively to put them in a good mood.
彼女を上手に持ち上げて、機嫌を取った。
He skillfully buttered her up and got on her good side.
A colloquial onomatopoeic verb meaning to flatter or butter up, often with a sense of effort or obviousness. Derived from the sound of lifting something heavy.
彼は部長にヨイショしてばかりだ。
He's always sucking up to the department head.
To express sycophancy in a very casual, slangy way, often with a negative connotation.
Verb form of ごますり. The most common casual expression for sucking up.
あいつはいつも先生にゴマをすっている。
That guy is always sucking up to the teacher.
Literally 'to wag one's tail', like a dog. Implies servile, ingratiating behavior.
Onomatopoeic for bowing repeatedly; implies obsequious, fawning behavior.
彼は上司にペコペコしている。
He's kowtowing to his boss.
To describe sycophancy in a more formal, literary, or technical manner.
A formal, literary term for sycophancy or flattery. Often used in compound words like 阿諛追従.
彼の阿諛追従の態度は見苦しい。
His sycophantic attitude is unsightly.
To fawn, to be obsequious. Often used in the phrase 媚びへつらう.
ごますり implies a more servile, ingratiating action, often with a negative connotation of brown-nosing. お世辞 is more neutral and can simply mean a polite compliment, though it can also be insincere. お世辞を言う is often used in social situations where a little flattery is expected, while ごますり is almost always seen as manipulative.
The English word 'sycophancy' is quite formal and literary. In most everyday situations, Japanese speakers use more colloquial terms like ごますり or おべっか. Using a formal term like 阿諛 in casual conversation would sound unnatural.
He's wagging his tail for the powerful people.
He's not the kind of person who fawns over power.