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Kotomora

媚

flatter, humor, flirt

Strokes12

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

Explore all words using 媚 →

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.