献殷勤 (xiàn yān) — to ingratiate oneself, to fawn, to curry favor
Definition
A set phrase meaning 'to fawn / curry favor' by going out of one's way to please someone, often for personal gain. The verb carries a negative judgment — the behavior is seen as insincere or manipulative.
verb
to ingratiate oneselfto fawnto curry favor
Examples
- ，献殷勤。Tā wèi le dé dào gōng zuò, bù tíng dì duì lǎo bǎn xiàn yān.He keeps fawning over the boss in order to get the job.
- ，。Tā gāng lái gōng sī jiù xiàn le yí cì yīn qín, ràng rén jué de hěn jiǎ.He had just joined the company and already made a show of flattery, which felt very fake.
- 献殷勤，。Bié zài wǒ miàn qián xiàn yān le, wǒ bù chī zhè yí tào.Stop working your charms on me — that doesn't work on me.
Appears in
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