諂
flatter
Strokes15
Readings
On'yomi
- テン
Kun'yomi
- へつら.う
Meaning
諂 centers on using words to gain favor through insincere praise: flattering someone, often with an implication of bending the truth to please.
Most common words using 諂
Study
Etymology
諂 combines 言 (speech) with 臽, a component that likely contributes the sound and carries a sense of entrapping or ensnaring, suggesting words that trap someone with flattery.
Meaning mnemonic
Words 言 that act like a trap 臽: imagine sweet talk that ensnares someone, like a flattering tongue that catches its target.
Reading mnemonic
For テン, picture a flatterer giving ten compliments in a row: ten -> テン, and each one is an insincere word from the left-side 言.