Tā zǒngshì mèi shàng qī xià, tóngshì men dōu bù xǐhuan tā.
He always flatters superiors and bullies subordinates; his colleagues all dislike him.
Tips
usage
Bound form — rarely used alone. Common compounds: 妩媚 (wǔmèi, charming/seductive), 谄媚 (chǎnmèi, to flatter), 崇洋媚外 (chóngyángmèiwài, to worship foreign things), 媚俗 (mèisú, to pander to popular taste).
Left woman radical — pictograph of a kneeling woman with crossed arms, the indexing element. Marks 媚 as a beauty/flattery word originally limited to feminine charm, though modern usage extends to anyone who flatters (献媚 to fawn, 媚态 ingratiating manner). Same family as 妙 wonderful, 婷 graceful, 娇 delicate.
Right 眉 supplies the sound: méi → mèi, tone shift only. Rich semantic resonance — 眉 itself is 'eyebrow,' and in classical aesthetics the seductive woman is identified by her painted brows and flirting glance. 眉目传情 'eyes and brows convey feelings' shares this picture.
