ごまをする

ご

ま

を

す

る

JLPTN2

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ru)

flatter; butter up; toady to

idiomatic expressionusually written using kana alone

Idiomatic expression for insincere flattery, often used to gain favor with a superior. The image is of grinding sesame seeds, which stick to everything—like a sycophant who clings to someone.

彼かれは上じょう司しにごまをすってばかりいる。
He's always buttering up his boss.

ごまをすっても無む駄だだよ。

Flattery won't get you anywhere.

2

expression, godan verb (-ru)

grind sesame seeds

idiomatic expressionusually written using kana alone

Only when written 胡麻を擂る

Literal meaning of the phrase. When used literally, kanji forms like 胡麻を擂る are more common.

すり鉢ばちで胡ご麻まを擂する。
Grind sesame seeds in a mortar.

Written forms

胡ご麻まを擂する
Kanji spelling for the literal sense of grinding sesame seeds. Rarely used for the idiomatic sense.
ゴマをする
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling sometimes seen in casual writing or for emphasis.

Kanji

胡barbarian, foreign
麻hemp, flax, numb
擂grind, mash, grate

Similar words

お世せ辞じを言いう
お世辞を言う means to give a compliment, often insincere but not necessarily as sycophantic as ごまをする, which implies persistent, sticky flattery.
へつらう
へつらう is a more formal and direct verb for 'to flatter' or 'to fawn over', while ごまをする is a vivid, colloquial idiom.

Etymology

From the image of grinding sesame seeds (胡麻を擂る), which become sticky and cling to things, likened to a person who clings to someone in flattery.