百般奉承

bǎibān-fèngchéng
idiom

Meanings

  1. 1 to flatter in every possible way
  2. 2 to fawn on someone shamelessly

Examples

Tā duì lǎobǎn bǎibān-fèngchéng, tóngshì men dōu kànbuxiàqù.
He fawns over the boss in every possible way, which his colleagues can't stand.
Zài zěnme bǎibān-fèngchéng, yě gǎibiàn bu liǎo tā duì nǐ de chéngjiàn.
No matter how much you flatter him, you won't change his prejudice against you.

Tips

history
Recorded in Guan Hanqing's Yuan-dynasty zaju play 《金线池》 (The Golden Thread Pond), where a character laments incessant fawning on a guest. The phrase has carried a clearly negative tone ever since.
usage
百般 means "in a hundred ways / by every means"; 奉承 means "to flatter." Always pejorative - a synonym is 阿谀奉承.

Stroke Order

bǎi
bān
fèng
chéng