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お世辞 (おせじ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
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世せ
辞じ
を
言い
う
の
が
上手じょうず
だ
。
She is good at flattering her boss.
It was a dish that, even with the best will in the world, couldn't be called delicious.
Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 にお 世せ 辞じ を 言い う to flatter someone
He tried to get in his boss's good graces by flattering him.
お 世せ 辞じ を 並なら べる to reel off flattery/compliments
She reeled off compliments to keep him in a good mood.
お 世せ 辞じ がうまい to be skilled at flattering
He's good at flattering people, so everyone likes him.
Expressions お 世せ 辞じ にも by any standard; (not) even as flattery お 世せ 辞じ たらたら smarmy; unctuous; insincerely flattering Kanji 世 generation, world, society Related words· 9 褒め言葉 is a straightforward compliment or word of praise, while お世辞 implies flattery that may be insincere or socially obligatory.
おべっか is a colloquial, clearly negative term for blatant flattery or apple-polishing, whereas お世辞 can be more neutral and socially expected.
追従 is a more formal, literary word for sycophantic flattery, while お世辞 is the everyday word covering both mild and insincere compliments.
お世辞 is a native Japanese word for flattery that carries a sense of polite social obligation, while リップサービス is a loanword that stresses insincerity or playful exaggeration.
Show 5 more お世辞 is polite social flattery that is often harmless, while 甘言 is calculated, manipulative sweet talk meant to deceive.
お世辞 is the standard word for flattery or a compliment said to please someone, while 甘口 (in this sense) describes speech that is sickly-sweet or ingratiating.
お世辞 is the common, everyday word for flattery or compliments in social situations, while 阿諛 is a formal, literary term for insincere or excessive flattery.
Etymology Compound of honorific prefix お (o) and 世辞 (seji), where 世辞 originally meant 'words that suit the world' or 'socially pleasing words'. The exact derivation of 世辞 is uncertain, but it is conventionally associated with flattery and polite compliments.
口くち 先さき
N1
お世辞 specifically means flattery or compliments meant to please, whereas 口先 broadly refers to any insincere or empty talk, not necessarily complimentary.
お世辞 is a noun for a flattering compliment that may be harmless, whereas 媚びる is a verb describing fawning behavior usually driven by self-interest.