Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sycophantic courtier; a flatterer in a royal or high-ranking court: "nịnh thần" refers to a court official or minister who uses excessive flattery and praise to gain favor with the monarch or ruler.
   • A sycophant; a toady: More broadly, it can refer to any person who uses obsequious flattery to gain advantage from someone in a superior position.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Trong triều đình phong kiến, có không ít những nịnh thần chỉ biết xu nịnh vua. (In feudal courts, there were many sycophantic courtiers who only knew how to flatter the king.)
  • Hắn ta chẳng qua chỉ là một tên nịnh thần, luôn tìm cách lấy lòng cấp trên. (He is merely a sycophant, always trying to curry favor with his superiors.)

Advanced Usage

• The term "nịnh thần" carries a strong negative connotation, implying deceit, a lack of integrity, and self-serving motives. It is often used in historical or political contexts but can be applied metaphorically in modern organizational settings.
• "bọn nịnh thần": a group of sycophants.
  • Nhà vua bị vây quanh bởi một bọn nịnh thần. (The king was surrounded by a bunch of sycophants.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nịnh (v): to flatter, to adulate.
  • Anh ta chỉ giỏi nịnh sếp. (He is only good at flattering the boss.)
• Nịnh hót (v): to flatter obsequiously (stronger, more negative than "nịnh").
  • Tôi ghét những kẻ suốt ngày nịnh hót. (I hate those who flatter all day long.)
• Kẻ xu nịnh (n): a sycophant, a flatterer (a close synonym).
• Trung thần (n): a loyal, faithful courtier (antonym).
  • Lịch sử ghi nhận những trung thần dám can gián vua. (History records loyal ministers who dared to admonish the king.)

Synonyms

• Kẻ bợ đỡ: a bootlicker, a toady.
• Kẻ nịnh nọt: a flatterer, a yes-man.

Related Idioms

• "Nịnh thần loạn chính": Sycophantic courtiers bring chaos to governance. This idiom describes a situation where flatterers in power mislead the ruler and cause political disorder.
  • Thời kỳ đó là một điển hình của cảnh nịnh thần loạn chính. (That period was a classic example of sycophants bringing chaos to governance.)

1. Sycophantic courtier, sycophant