讨好

• Pinyin: tǎo hǎo
• Desglose de hanzi: 讨 = 讠(speech) + 寸 (inch); 好 = 女 (woman) + 子 (child) — good

Significado

Adular; ganarse el favor de; hacer la pelota.

Usually carries a negative connotation of trying too hard to please someone, often for personal gain. Can also mean simply pleasing someone without ulterior motives, but the sycophantic sense is more common.

Ejemplos

1. 他整天围着领导转，想方设法讨好，同事们都看不惯。
2. 你不用刻意讨好任何人，做好自己的本职工作就行。
3. 费尽心思讨好别人，最后却落得两头不讨好。

Guía de uso

Contexto: workplace, relationships, social

Tono: negative

Correcto

• 他总是讨好上司。(He's always trying to curry favor with superiors.)
• 不必讨好所有人。(You don't need to please everyone.)

Incorrecto

• 把真诚的友善说成'讨好' (Don't call genuine kindness 讨好 — that implies insincerity)

Origen e historia

讨 means to seek, 好 means good favor — seeking someone's favor.

Contexto cultural

Generación: All ages

Contexto social: Universal