俯首帖耳 submissive and obedient
Explanation
形容卑躬屈膝，驯服的样子。像狗见了主人那样低着头，耷拉着耳朵。
To describe a humble and submissive appearance. Like a dog lowering its head and drooping its ears when it sees its owner.
Origin Story
从前，在一个小山村里，住着一位老农和他的儿子。老农非常勤劳，每天日出而作，日落而息，辛勤耕作。他的儿子却懒惰成性，好吃懒做，整天游手好闲。老农多次劝说儿子，希望他能改掉坏毛病，勤劳致富。但儿子总是不听，依然我行我素。一天，老农带着儿子去地里干活。老农弯腰驼背地挥动着锄头，汗流浃背地辛勤劳作。而他的儿子则在一旁懒洋洋地坐着，看着父亲忙碌的身影，一点也不帮忙。老农看到儿子如此懒惰，心中非常生气，但他并没有大声责骂，只是默默地继续工作。傍晚时分，老农终于完成了当天的农活。他累得筋疲力尽，瘫坐在地上，休息了一阵子才起身。这时，他看到儿子依然懒洋洋地坐在那里，一副无所谓的样子。老农叹了口气，对儿子说：“孩子，你看看我，每天这么辛苦地劳作，你却什么也不干，这样下去，我们怎么生活下去呢？”儿子低着头，没有说话，一副俯首帖耳的样子。老农知道儿子终于意识到了自己的错误，于是便耐心地劝导他，希望他能改过自新。从那天起，儿子终于明白了勤劳的可贵，开始帮着父亲一起干活，再也不懒惰了。他们一家人的生活也因此越来越好。
Once upon a time, in a small mountain village, there lived an old farmer and his son. The farmer was very diligent and worked from sunrise to sunset every day, diligently farming his fields. His son, however, was lazy and idle, spending his days loafing around. The farmer often advised his son to change his bad habits, hoping he could become hardworking and wealthy. But the son never listened, continuing to live as he pleased. One day, the farmer took his son to the field to work. The farmer bent over and swung his hoe, sweating profusely as he diligently worked. His son, however, sat idly by, watching his father's busy figure without offering any help. Seeing his son's laziness, the old farmer was very angry but did not scold him loudly. He just quietly continued working. By evening, the farmer finally finished the day's farm work. He was exhausted and collapsed to the ground, resting for a while before getting up. At this time, he saw his son still sitting idly there, looking indifferent. The old farmer sighed and said to his son, “Son, look at me. I work so hard every day, yet you do nothing. How are we going to live like this?” The son hung his head without speaking, appearing subservient. The farmer knew that his son had finally realized his mistake, so he patiently advised him to reform himself. From that day on, the son finally understood the value of hard work, began to help his father work, and was no longer lazy. Their family's life became increasingly better.
Usage
用于形容人态度卑恭屈膝，驯服的样子。
Used to describe a person's attitude as humble and submissive.
Examples
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他自从当上经理后，对下属总是俯首帖耳。
ta zìcóng dāng shàng jīnglǐ hòu, duì xiàshǔ zǒngshì fǔshǒutiē'ěr.
Since he became manager, he has always been subservient to his subordinates.
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面对强权，他不得不俯首帖耳。
miàn duì qiángquán, tā bùdébù fǔshǒu tiē'ěr.
In the face of power, he had to submit