阿あ諛ゆ便べん佞ねい

Related words

• お世せ辞じ

  Common word for flattery or compliments, often with a nuance of insincerity but not as strong or literary as 阿諛便佞.

• 追つい従しょう

  Means flattery or sycophancy; more common than 阿諛便佞 but still somewhat formal.

• 諂へつらう

  Verb meaning to flatter or fawn upon; more direct and less literary than the yojijukugo.

Built from

Written forms

• 阿あ諛ゆ便べん佞ねい

  Rare yojijukugo; the kanji 便 is used here in its older sense of 'glib' or 'smooth-talking', not in the modern 'convenience' sense.

• 阿あ諛ゆ弁べん佞ねい

  Variant spelling using 弁 instead of 便; both are rare and literary.

Etymology

A yojijukugo of Chinese origin, combining 阿 (flatter), 諛 (flatter), 便 (glib/smooth-talking), and 佞 (insincere/flattering). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound is used to describe obsequious flattery.