へつらう

へ

つ

ら

う

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

へつらう · godan verb (-u)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	へつらう	へつらわない
Polite	へつらいます	へつらいません
Past polite	へつらいました	へつらいませんでした
Past	へつらった	へつらわなかった
Te-form	へつらって	へつらわないで
Desire	へつらいたい	へつらいたくない
Potential	へつらえる	へつらえない
Passive	へつらわれる	へつらわれない
Causative	へつらわせる	へつらわせない
Causative passive	へつらわせられるalso へつらわされる	へつらわせられないalso へつらわされない
Volitional	へつらおう
Polite volitional	へつらいましょう
Imperative	へつらえ	へつらうな
Conditional	へつらえば	へつらわなければ
Tara conditional	へつらったら	へつらわなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-u), intransitive verb

flatter; curry favor with; suck up to

usually written using kana alone

Describes insincere, self-serving praise or behavior toward someone in a higher position. Often has a negative connotation of groveling or bootlicking.

彼かれは上じょう司しにへつらってばかりいる。
He is always sucking up to his boss.
権けん力りょく者しゃにへつらう人ひとは信しん用ようできない。
People who flatter those in power cannot be trusted.

See all 13 example sentences ›

Kanji

諂flatter
諛flatter

Related words

媚こびる
へつらう is a stronger, more formal verb for sycophantic flattery often used in writing, while 媚びる is the everyday word that can also describe flirtatious behavior.
ごまをするN2
へつらう is a formal, direct verb meaning 'to flatter' or 'to fawn over', while ごまをする is a vivid, colloquial idiom for the same sycophantic behavior.

Word family

へつらい
flattery; adulation; sycophancy

Written forms

へつらうUsage65%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 諂う and 諛う are rare.
諂へつらうUsage31%
Rare kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.
諛へつらうUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; the kana spelling is strongly preferred.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. The kanji 諂 and 諛 both carry meanings related to flattery, but the word itself is native Japanese and usually written in kana.