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社交辞令 (shakoujirei) Japanese meaning: polite formula | Kotomora
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ば
は
単たん
なる
社しゃ
交こう
辞じ
令れい
だ
。
His compliment was just a polite formula.
Don't take polite flattery at face value.
Kanji 交 mingle, mixing, association Related words お 世せ 辞じ お世辞 is flattery or a compliment, often with an insincere nuance, while 社交辞令 is more about socially expected polite remarks that may be empty but not necessarily flattering.
建たて 前まえ 建前 refers to the public stance or official line one presents, contrasting with 本音 (true feelings). 社交辞令 is a specific type of 建前 used in social interactions.
Etymology A yojijukugo composed of 社交 (social intercourse) and 辞令 (words of greeting or formal address). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination naturally yields the meaning of socially conventional polite expressions.
