tou2 hou2討好讨好
Jyutpingtou2 hou2
Yaletóu hóu
Definition
To curry favour with, flatter, or try to please someone to win their favour.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation of insincerity or servility. It implies that the person is acting against their own dignity or integrity just to gain someone else's approval or benefit. While it can be used in professional settings, it is often used to criticize someone for being a sycophant.
Examples
He is always trying to curry favour with the boss.
Why do you need to suck up to him?
Related words
Common phrases
to curry favour with someone
to suck up to a superior
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being nice or polite, which would be 友善 or 禮貌. Using 討好 implies a manipulative or desperate motive behind the kindness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
