奴颜媚骨 nú yán mèi gǔ Servile and flattering

Explanation

形容卑鄙无耻地奉承别人，缺乏骨气和气节。

Describes someone who fawns on others in a despicable and shameless way, lacking backbone and integrity.

Origin Story

话说清朝时期，有个名叫李福的年轻书生，怀揣着满腔抱负来到京城参加科举考试。然而，命运弄人，他屡试不第。一次，李福在茶馆偶遇一位权倾朝野的大臣，此人名叫赵大人。赵大人见李福相貌清秀，便与其攀谈起来。赵大人询问李福的来意，李福便将自己屡试不第的遭遇和满腹才华无处施展的苦闷一股脑儿地倾诉出来。赵大人听后，不仅没有给予他同情和鼓励，反而摆出一副高高在上的姿态，言语轻蔑地嘲笑李福的才华平庸。李福为了博得赵大人的好感，开始对赵大人阿谀奉承，点头哈腰。他那奴颜媚骨的样子，让赵大人感到十分厌恶。最终，李福不仅没有得到赵大人的帮助，反而被其厌恶，科举之路更加坎坷。这个故事说明了，即使有才能，也不能靠奴颜媚骨来获得成功，只有保持独立的人格和气节，才能赢得别人的尊重。

huà shuō qīng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè míng jiào lǐ fú de nián qīng shū shēng, huái chuāi zhe mǎn qiāng bào fù lái dào jīng chéng cān jiā kē jǔ kǎo shì。rán ér, mìng yùn nòng rén, tā lǚ shì bù dì。yī cì, lǐ fú zài chá guǎn ǒu yù yī wèi quán qīng cháo yě de dà chén, cǐ rén míng jiào zhào dà rén。zhào dà rén jiàn lǐ fú xiàng mào qīng xiù, biàn yǔ qí pān tán qǐ lái。zhào dà rén xún wèn lǐ fú de lái yì, lǐ fú biàn jiāng zì jǐ lǚ shì bù dì de zāo yù hé mǎn fù cái huá wú chù shī zhǎn de kǔ mèn yī gǔ nǎo ér de qīng sù chū lái。zhào dà rén tīng hòu, bù jǐn méi yǒu jǐ yǔ tā tóng qíng hé gǔ lì, fǎn ér bǎi chū yī fù gāo gāo zài shàng de zī tài, yán yǔ qīng miè de cháoxiào lǐ fú de cái huá píng yōng。lǐ fú wèi le bó dé zhào dà rén de hǎo gǎn, kāishǐ duì zhào dà rén ā yú fèng chéng, diǎn tóu hā yāo。tā nà nú yán mèi gǔ de yàngzi, ràng zhào dà rén gǎn dào shí fēn yàn wù。zuì zhōng, lǐ fú bù jǐn méi yǒu de dào zhào dà rén de bāng zhù, fǎn ér bèi qí yàn wù, kē jǔ zhī lù gèng jiā kǎn kě。zhège gùshì shuō míng le, jíshǐ yǒu cáinéng, yě bù néng kào nú yán mèi gǔ lái huòdé chénggōng, zhǐ yǒu bǎochí dú lì de rén gé hé qì jié, cáinéng yíngdé bié rén de zūnjìng。

During the Qing Dynasty, there was a young scholar named Li Fu who came to the capital city with great aspirations to take the imperial examinations. However, fate played a trick on him, and he repeatedly failed. Once, Li Fu met a powerful minister named Mr. Zhao in a teahouse by chance. Mr. Zhao found Li Fu's appearance graceful and began a conversation with him. Mr. Zhao asked Li Fu about his intentions, and Li Fu poured out his frustrations about failing the examinations and having nowhere to display his talents. However, Mr. Zhao showed no sympathy or encouragement but took a superior stance and mocked Li Fu's talents as mediocre. In order to win Mr. Zhao's favor, Li Fu began to flatter and bow to him. His servile demeanor disgusted Mr. Zhao. In the end, Li Fu not only failed to receive help from Mr. Zhao but was also disliked by him, making his path to the imperial examinations even more difficult. This story illustrates that even with talent, one cannot achieve success through servility. Only by maintaining an independent character and integrity can one earn the respect of others.

Usage

用于形容人卑鄙无耻地奉承他人。

yòng yú xíngróng rén bēibǐ wú chǐ de fèng chéng tārén。

Used to describe someone who fawns on others in a despicable and shameless way.

Examples

• 他那奴颜媚骨的样子，令人作呕。

  tā nà nú yán mèi gǔ de yàngzi, lìng rén zuò'ǒu。

  His servile and flattering appearance is sickening.

• 他虽然有才能，但为人奴颜媚骨，很难得到重用。

  tā suīrán yǒu cáinéng, dàn wéi rén nú yán mèi gǔ, hěn nán de dào chóng yòng。

  Although he is talented, his servile nature makes it difficult for him to be promoted..

Related Idioms

• 奴颜婢膝

• 阿谀奉承

Opposite Idioms

• 凛然正气

• 刚正不阿