套近乎

tào jìnhu

verb

Meanings

1 to cozy up to someone
2 to worm one's way into someone's good graces
3 to get chummy (often derogatory)

Characters

to rope in / set up

Examples

HSK 2

别跟我套近乎，我不会帮你的。

Bié gēn wǒ tào jìnhu, wǒ bú huì bāng nǐ de.

Don't try to get chummy with me - I'm not going to help you.

HSK 5

他老是喜欢跟领导套近乎。

Tā lǎoshì xǐhuan gēn lǐngdǎo tào jìnhu.

He's always trying to cozy up to the boss.

Tips

register

Colloquial and often pejorative, implying the person is being fake-friendly for an agenda. 近乎 = 'close-ish relationship'; 套 here means 'to wrangle / rope someone into.' The final 乎 is usually neutral-toned.

Stroke Order

套 tào

近 jìn

乎 hū