noun
slavish submission to power; sycophancy; toadyism
A strong, critical term for a servile attitude that fawns over and obeys those in power. Often used in political or social commentary.
彼の事大根性には呆れるばかりだ。
I am simply disgusted by his slavish submission to power.
事大根性で上司にへつらう同僚を見ると、情けなくなる。
It's pathetic to see colleagues who fawn over the boss out of sycophancy.
事大主義 refers to the ideology or principle of serving the powerful, while 事大根性 emphasizes the ingrained servile character or mindset of an individual.
追従 is a more general term for flattery or sycophancy, whereas 事大根性 specifically implies a deep-seated, almost instinctive submission to greater power.
Compound of 事大 (serving the powerful, from the Chinese concept of 'serving the great') and 根性 (nature, spirit, disposition). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term likely emerged in modern Japanese political discourse.