八面玲珑

八面玲瓏
bāmiàn-línglóng
idiom #40,007

Meanings

  1. 1 smooth and tactful with everyone
  2. 2 socially slick; all things to all people

Examples

HSK 6
Zuò shēngyi guāng kào bāmiàn-línglóng shì búgòu de, hái děi jiǎng chéngxìn.
In business, being smooth with everyone is not enough; you also have to be honest.
HSK 7-9
Tā hěn huì shuōhuà, zài dānwèi bāmiàn-línglóng, shéi yě bù dézui.
She knows how to talk to people: at work she gets along with everyone and never offends anyone.

Tips

usage
Can be praise for social skill, but it often hints at slickness: someone who pleases every side and never takes a stand. 八面圆 is more colloquial and more openly negative.
history
Originally described a room open and bright on all sides, with windows in every direction. Later it came to describe a person who deals smoothly with everyone around them.

Stroke Order

八 bā
面 miàn
玲 líng
珑 lóng