卖身投靠 sell oneself to; to attach oneself to
Explanation
指为了达到某种目的而投靠有权势的人，通常含有贬义，形容人为了私利不择手段，丧失人格。
Refers to attaching oneself to the powerful for a certain purpose, usually with a negative connotation, describing someone who resorts to any means for personal gain, losing their integrity.
Origin Story
战国时期，魏国有个名叫翟璜的人，他年轻时家境贫寒，为了改变命运，他选择投靠当时权倾朝野的公孙痤。他凭借着自身的才能和手段，赢得了公孙痤的赏识和信任，并最终凭借公孙痤的帮助，一步步走向了仕途的巅峰。然而，翟璜的成功也伴随着巨大的争议，许多人认为他为了权势不择手段，是一个丧失人格的人。翟璜的故事，成为了后世“卖身投靠”的典型案例，也警示着后人要坚持自己的原则和底线，不能为了权势而放弃自己的尊严和人格。
During the Warring States period, there was a man named Zhai Huang in the state of Wei. When he was young, his family was poor. In order to change his fate, he chose to rely on Gongsun Cuo, who was powerful at that time. With his own abilities and methods, he won the appreciation and trust of Gongsun Cuo, and finally, with the help of Gongsun Cuo, he gradually rose to the top of his career. However, Zhai Huang's success was also accompanied by great controversy. Many people believed that he spared no effort to gain power and was a person without integrity. The story of Zhai Huang became a typical case of "selling himself and relying on others" in later generations, and it also warns later generations to adhere to their own principles and bottom lines and not to give up their dignity and integrity for the sake of power.
Usage
用于形容为了某种目的不择手段地依附于权贵。
Used to describe someone who attaches themselves to the powerful without scruples and regardless of their own morals.
Examples
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他为了飞黄腾达，不惜卖身投靠权贵。
tā wèile fēi huáng téng dá, bù xī mài shēn tóu kào quán guì
He spared no effort to sell himself to the powerful for promotion.
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在那个动荡的年代，许多人为了生存不得不卖身投靠。
zài nàge dòngdàng de nián dài, xǔduō rén wèile shēngcún bùdé bù mài shēn tóu kào
In those turbulent times, many people had to sell themselves to survive.