English–Japanese
“flattery” in Japanese
How to say “flattery” in Japanese
“Flattery” in Japanese is 世辞 (seji).
Describes praise shaped to please someone and win favor, rather than simply to express an honest opinion.
Example sentences with 世辞
彼は取引先の社長に世辞を言って、契約を取りました。kare wa torihiki saki no sha chō ni se ji o i tte kei yaku o to ri ma shi ta
He flattered the president of the client company and won the contract.
Tips for using 世辞
- In English, flattery often suggests praise offered to gain favor, while a compliment can be sincere, so 世辞 (seji) is closer to the former.
Other Japanese words for “flattery”
彼は人にお世辞を言います。kare wa hito ni o se ji o i i ma su
He flatters people.