摇尾乞怜 yáo wěi qǐ lián wagging tail and begging for mercy

Explanation

形容卑躬屈膝，极力讨好他人以达到某种目的。

To describe someone who is humble and begging for mercy in order to achieve a certain purpose.

Origin Story

话说唐朝时期，有个叫李白的诗人，他恃才傲物，一向眼高于顶，看不起那些阿谀奉承的小人。有一次，他参加宫廷宴会，遇到一个权臣，此人仗势欺人，十分跋扈，李白对此人十分不屑，不愿与之为伍。然而，宴会结束后，这个权臣却对他另眼相看，对李白大加赞赏，并且邀请他再次来宫中作客。李白感到非常困惑，便向宫中一位老臣请教。老臣笑着说：“此人虽权倾朝野，但却缺乏自信，内心虚弱，因此他会刻意去讨好那些他认为有才能的人，以提升自己的形象。他之所以对你另眼相看，是因为你才华出众，不愿阿谀奉承，这恰恰吸引了他。”李白听了老臣的解释，恍然大悟。他意识到，有些人表面上看起来趾高气扬，实际上却内心空虚，为了维护虚假的尊严，他们会采取摇尾乞怜的方式来讨好比他们优秀的人。

huà shuō táng cháo shí qī, yǒu gè jiào lǐ bái de shī rén, tā shì cái ào wù, yī xiàng yǎn gāo yú dǐng, kàn bù qǐ nà xiē ā yú fèng chéng de xiǎo rén. yǒu yī cì, tā cān jiā gōng tíng yàn huì, yù dào yī gè quán chén, cǐ rén zhàng shì qī rén, shí fēn bá hù, lǐ bái duì cǐ rén shí fēn bù xiè, wù yuàn yǔ zhī wéi wǔ. rán ér, yàn huì jié shù hòu, zhège quán chén què duì tā lìng yǎn xiàng kàn, duì lǐ bái dà jiā zàn shǎng, bìng qiě yāo qǐng tā zài cì lái gōng zhōng zuò kè. lǐ bái gǎn dào fēi cháng kùn huò, biàn xiàng gōng zhōng yī wèi lǎo chén qǐng jiào. lǎo chén xiào zhe shuō: “cǐ rén suī quán qīng zhāo yě, què què fā qiǎo zì xìn, nèi xīn xū ruò, yīn cǐ tā huì kè yì qù tǎo hǎo nà xiē tā rèn wéi yǒu cái néng de rén, yǐ tí shēng zì jǐ de xíng xiàng. tā zhī suǒ yǐ duì nǐ lìng yǎn xiàng kàn, shì yīn wèi nǐ cái huá chū zhòng, wù yuàn ā yú fèng chéng, zhè qià qià xī yǐn le tā.” lǐ bái tīng le lǎo chén de jiě shì, huǎng rán dà wù. tā yì shì dào, yǒu xiē rén biǎo miàn shang kàn qǐ lái zhǐ gāo qì yáng, shí jì shang què nèi xīn kōng xū, wèi le wéi hù xū jiǎ de zūn yán, tāmen huì cǎi qǔ yáo wěi qǐ lián de fāng shì lái tǎo hǎo bǐ tāmen yōu xiù de rén.

In the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li Bai. He was arrogant and looked down on sycophants. Once, at a court banquet, he met a powerful minister who was domineering and arrogant. Li Bai disdained him and refused to associate with him. After the banquet, however, the minister changed his attitude toward Li Bai, praising him highly and inviting him to the palace again. Li Bai was puzzled and consulted an old minister. The old minister smiled and said, “Although this man is powerful, he lacks self-confidence and is insecure. Therefore, he deliberately flatters those he considers talented to improve his image. The reason he looked upon you differently is that you are talented and refuse to flatter him; this is what attracts him.” Li Bai understood. He realized that some people, outwardly arrogant, are actually empty inside and, to maintain a false sense of dignity, will resort to groveling to flatter those superior to them.

Usage

多用于贬义，形容为了讨好别人而卑躬屈膝的样子。

duō yòng yú biǎn yì, xíng róng wèi le tǎo hǎo bié rén ér bēi gōng qū xī de yàng zi

Mostly used in a derogatory sense to describe a humble and submissive attitude in order to please others.

Examples

• 他为了得到升迁，不惜摇尾乞怜，令人不齿。

  tā wèile dé dào shēng qiān, bù xī yáo wěi qǐ lián, lìng rén bù chǐ

  He shamelessly groveled for a promotion.

• 他向老板摇尾乞怜，希望能保住工作。

  tā xiàng lǎobǎn yáo wěi qǐ lián, xīwàng néng bǎo zhù gōngzuò

  He groveled before his boss, hoping to keep his job.

Related Idioms

• 卑躬屈膝

• 奴颜婢膝

• 阿谀奉承

Opposite Idioms

• 目空一切

• 趾高气扬

• 妄自尊大