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拍马屁 (pāi mǎpì)

Meaning: To flatter or suck up to someone.

Language: Chinese

Literally: To pat the horse's rump

Category: Animals

Origin: Said to come from Yuan-dynasty Mongol etiquette of praising a neighbor's horse with a pat — regardless of the horse's merits.

More idioms — Animals

  • At have rotter på loftet — To be a little crazy.
  • Päästä kuin koira veräjästä — To escape consequences entirely; to get off scot-free.
  • Dělat z komára velblouda — To blow something tiny wildly out of proportion.
  • Egyik kutya, másik eb — Two things are exactly the same; six of one, half a dozen of the other.
  • Bagoly mondja verébnek, hogy nagyfejű — The pot calling the kettle black.
  • A se uita ca pisica în calendar — To stare blankly, understanding nothing.

More Chinese idioms

  • 亡羊补牢 (Wáng yáng bǔ láo) — It's not too late to act after a setback to prevent further loss.
  • 杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng) — To frighten yourself with imaginary fears.
  • 胸有成竹 (xiōng yǒu chéng zhú) — To have a well-formed plan ready before you begin.
  • 井底之蛙 (Jǐng dǐ zhī wā) — Someone with a narrow, limited worldview.
  • 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) — Vainly hoping a lucky fluke will repeat itself.
  • 塞翁失马 (Sài Wēng shī mǎ) — A blessing in disguise; fortune is unpredictable.

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