grinding miso
Literal meaning: the act of grinding miso paste, traditionally done with a mortar and pestle.
Figurative use: excessive praise or a person who flatters, likened to the repetitive grinding motion. Often used in a critical or humorous way.
I'm fed up with his flattery.
Derogatory abbreviation of 味噌擂り坊主, a contemptuous term for a Buddhist monk, implying they are sycophantic or useless. Rare and dated.
See also: 味噌擂り坊主
My grandmother started her day every morning by grinding miso.
That guy is always buttering up the boss.
'Miso-suri' was a term used in the past to mock monks.
A more common and neutral word for flattery or a compliment, without the grinding metaphor.
Literally 'sesame grinding', but used figuratively for bootlicking or sycophancy, similar to 味噌擂り in sense 2.
Standard kanji spelling. 擂り is the nominalized form of 擂る (to grind).
Common variant with 擂り written in kana.
Compound of 味噌 (miso) and 擂り (suri, nominalized form of 擂る 'to grind'). The figurative senses derive from the repetitive grinding motion associated with insincere flattery or obsequious behavior.