📖 Meaning
Speaking fawning words and wearing an ingratiating expression to please someone, usually to curry favor or evade punishment. It describes insincere flattery conveyed through both speech and demeanor.
📜 Origin Story
The idiom originates from Chapter 80 of 『东周列国志』 (Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms), a Ming-dynasty historical novel by Feng Menglong. The passage concerns Goujian, King of Yue, who after his defeat was held captive by the King of Wu. Described as cunning and dangerous yet now reduced to 'a fish in a pot' whose life rests in the hands of his captor, Goujian deliberately employed flattering speech and a submissive, pleasing expression to avoid execution and secure his release.
💡 Example Usage
那奸臣见势不妙，便谄词令色，妄图逃避罪责。
Seeing the tide turn against him, the treacherous official resorted to flattering words and a fawning demeanor, vainly hoping to escape punishment.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 谄词令色
- Pinyin: chǎn cí lìng sè
- Literal Translation: flattering words, pleasing countenance
- Category: Communication
- Characters: 4