fung6 sing4奉承
Jyutpingfung6 sing4
Yalefuhng sìhng
Definition
To flatter, fawn over, or please someone in order to gain their favor.
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation, implying that the flattery is insincere and motivated by personal gain. It is rarely used in positive contexts to describe genuine compliments. In casual speech, people often prefer more descriptive phrases like 擦鞋 to convey the same meaning.
Examples
He is always flattering the boss, wanting to get some benefits.
Why do you need to fawn over him? He is not your superior anyway.
Related words
Common phrases
to flatter someone
to do nothing but fawn over someone
Common mistake
Avoid using this in professional or formal settings to describe polite behavior, as it directly accuses the person of being a sycophant. It is strictly for criticizing someone's manipulative behavior.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
