About
The character "谀", meaning to flatter or engage in sycophancy, derives from a structural composition that has consistently reflected its meaning. Its traditional form is "諛", composed of the speech radical "言" on the left, indicating verbal action, and the component "臾" on the right, which primarily serves a phonetic function but also carries a connotation of bending or yielding, thus together illustrating the act of using pliable speech to curry favor. Historically, the term has always carried a pejorative sense, describing insincere praise aimed at gaining advantage, with its core meaning remaining stable from classical texts through modern usage, representing a specific and morally contemptible form of dishonesty in social discourse.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他反对阿谀奉承。
阿谀别人是不好的。
她不喜欢谄谀的上司。
在职场中，阿谀奉承往往能带来短期利益。
那位官员因接受谄谀而名声受损。
尽管他知道阿谀是虚伪的，但有时仍不得不为之。
为了晋升，他选择了阿谀奉承而不是凭借真才实学。
在历史的长河中，许多王朝的衰败都源于臣子的谄谀和君主的昏庸。