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拍马屁 (pāi mǎ pì) — (colloquial, separable verb-object) to flatter, to fawn on, to suck up to

Definition

A vivid colloquial verb-object phrase meaning 'to suck up to / flatter' someone, usually a superior. Inseparable in meaning but often split with 的 (拍…的马屁) to name the target.

verb
(colloquial, separable verb-object) to flatterto fawn onto suck up to

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan pāi jīng lǐ de mǎ pì.
    He always likes to flatter the manager.
  • 拍马屁，。
    Bié pāi mǎ pì le, dà jiā dōu kàn de chū lái.
    Stop buttering up; everyone can see it.
  • 。
    Tā cái bú huì pāi lǐng dǎo de mǎ pì ne.
    She would never suck up to the leaders.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

拍pāipat
马屁horse's rump
马mǎhorse屁pìrump
偏正Modifier + head

拍 means pat and 马屁 means horse's rump; patting it came to mean flattering.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái拍pāi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 拍 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 馬; 马 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 馬 shows a horse with its head facing left, a flowing mane, and two legs standing vertically.

Open 马 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shībody
Sound part声符shēngfú
比
比bǐ屁pì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

屁 pairs 尸, a body-related mark, with 比, which gives its sound.

Open 屁 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechIdioms & Set Phrases

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