媚
flatter, humor, flirt
Readings
On'yomi
- ビ
Kun'yomi
- こ.びる
Nanori
- こび
Meaning
媚 centers on using charm or pleasing behavior to win favor: flattering someone, humoring them, or flirting to gain goodwill.
Most common words using 媚
- 媚薬びやく
aphrodisiac
- 媚びるこびる
to flatter; to curry favor (with); to fawn (on)
- 明媚めいび
picturesque (scenery); unspoilt; beautiful
- 媚こび
flattery; cajolery; flirtation
- 媚びへつらうこびへつらう
to flatter; to curry favour (with); to play up (to); to toady (to); to fawn (on)
- 媚び笑いこびわらい
charming, enticing smile; smile meant to catch a man's attention
- 媚を売るこびをうる
to coquet (of a woman); to entice a customer (of a prostitute)
- 媚中びちゅう
currying favour with China; pandering to China
- 媚態びたい
coquetry; flirtatiousness; flattery
- 媚眼秋波びがんしゅうは
casting a coquettish glance (at a man)
- 媚笑びしょう
charming, enticing smile; smile meant to catch a man's attention
- 媚肉びにく
enticing flesh (e.g. breasts, buttocks, genitalia)
- 諂媚てんび
currying favor; fawning on someone
- 風光明媚ふうこうめいび
scenic; beautiful; picturesque
Study
Etymology
媚 combines 女 (woman) with 眉 (eyebrow), suggesting a woman using her eyebrows or facial expression to charm or flatter.
Meaning mnemonic
A woman 女 uses her eyebrows 眉 to make a flattering expression, like raising them playfully to flirt or humor someone.
Reading mnemonic
For ビ, imagine a bee flattering a flower to get nectar: bee -> ビ, and the bee's charm mirrors the flattery of 媚.