1.
good at acting spoiled; skilled at getting others to help
skilled at appealing to others' affection or kindness to get favors or assistance
彼女は甘え上手だ。
She's good at getting others to do things for her.
もっと甘え上手になりたい。
I want to become better at relying on others.
甘え上手な人は可愛がられやすい。
People who are good at acting spoiled tend to be well-liked.
COMPOUND:
甘える (to act spoiled, depend on) + 上手 (skilled at)
NUANCE:
- Can be positive: good at building relationships, asking for help
- Can be negative: manipulative, overly dependent
- Often used to describe feminine charm
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
甘え is a uniquely Japanese concept:
- Refers to seeking indulgent treatment from others
- Discussed by psychologist 土居健郎 in 「甘えの構造」
PATTERN:
~上手 pattern (skilled at ~):
- 話し上手 - good at speaking
- 聞き上手 - good at listening
- 世渡り上手 - socially savvy