Definition

1. Verb:
   • To flatter: To praise someone excessively and insincerely, especially to gain favor, approval, or personal advantage. The core meaning involves using pleasing words or behavior to manipulate someone's opinion for one's own benefit.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Hắn ta chỉ biết xu nịnh sếp để được thăng chức. (He only knows how to flatter the boss to get a promotion.)
  • Đừng nghe những lời xu nịnh của kẻ cơ hội. (Don't listen to the flattery of opportunists.)
  • Giọng nói của cô ấy nghe rất xu nịnh. (Her voice sounds very flattering.)

Advanced Usage

• The word carries a strong negative connotation, implying servility, deceit, and a lack of genuine respect. It is more critical than the neutral English verb "to compliment."
• "Kẻ xu nịnh": A flatterer; a sycophant. This noun phrase refers to a person who habitually uses flattery.
  • Triều đình đầy rẫy những kẻ xu nịnh. (The court is full of sycophants.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nịnh (v): A shorter, more colloquial form of "xu nịnh," meaning to flatter or butter up.
  • Nó thích nịnh những người có quyền thế. (He likes to flatter people in power.)
• Nịnh nọt (v): To fawn over; to use elaborate and servile flattery. Similar to "xu nịnh" but can emphasize even more obsequious behavior.
• Xun xoe (adj/adv): Describes behavior that is fawning, obsequious, or overly ingratiating. Often used together with "xu nịnh."

Synonyms

• Flatter: To praise excessively and insincerely.
• Fawn (over): To flatter or display affection in a servile way.
• Butter up (idiomatic): To flatter someone to gain their favor.
• Sycophancy (n): The behavior of a sycophant (kẻ xu nịnh).

Related Idioms

• Xu nịnh bợ đỡ: To flatter and toady. This phrase intensifies the meaning, combining "xu nịnh" with "bợ đỡ" (to act obsequiously).
  • Hắn sống bằng nghề xu nịnh bợ đỡ. (He makes a living by flattering and toadying.)

verb

1. flatter