Tā zài lǐngdǎo miànqián bēigōngqūjié de yàngzi ràng rén tǎoyàn.
His servile manner in front of the boss is disgusting.
Tips
history
Recorded in Song-dynasty scholar Wei Liaoweng's 魏了翁 (Wèi Liǎowēng) 《江陵州丛兰精舍记》, originally as 卑躬屈膝 'bow body, bend knees' to criticize officials groveling before the powerful. Both 卑躬屈节 and 卑躬屈膝 are still used; 节 'integrity/principle' makes the moral judgment sharper.
usage
Strongly negative — accuses someone of selling out their dignity. Near-synonym 阿谀奉承 (ēyúfèngchéng) 'fawning flattery' focuses on the words; 卑躬屈节 focuses on the posture and lost backbone.
