お世辞(せじ)

おせじ
noun
flattery; compliment; lip service
1. flattery; compliment; lip service
Words of praise that may not be entirely sincere, often said to please someone or be polite.
お世辞(せじ)でもうれしいです。
Even if it's just flattery, I'm happy to hear it.
お世辞(せじ)を言(い)うのが上手(じょうず)な人(ひと)だ。
They're good at giving compliments.
お世辞(せじ)にも上手(うま)いとは言(い)えない。
I can't say it's good, even as a compliment.
Set phrase for 'not even being polite can make it good.'

FORMATION:
お (polite prefix) + 世辞(せじ) (compliments)

The plain form 世辞(せじ) exists but お世辞(せじ) is much more common.

COLLOCATIONS:

  • お世辞(せじ)を言(い)う - to pay compliments
  • お世辞(せじ)にも〜ない - can't say ~ even as flattery
  • お世辞(せじ)抜(ぬ)きで - frankly, without flattery
  • 社交(しゃこう)辞令(じれい) - social pleasantries

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • おべっか - brown-nosing, sucking up
  • 追従(ついしょう) - flattery (formal)
  • 褒(ほ)め言葉(ことば) - words of praise (more sincere)

Related Words

Related: 社交辞令(しゃこうじれい) (social pleasantries)
general
Added 2026.1.18 22:35 · Revised 2026.2.19 21:42
07000/07023_oseji