摇尾乞怜 in English yao2 wei3 qi3 lian2 Meaning

Meanings

  • literally (word for word) to behave like a dog wagging its tail, seeking its master's affection (idiomatic expression)
  • metaphorically to fawn on somebody
  • to bow and scrape
  • to grovel

Simplified Characters

摇 尾 乞 怜

Traditional Characters

搖 尾 乞 憐

Pinyin

yao2 wei3 qi3 lian2

Literal

Literal explanation, with pronunciation and meaning of each character.

摇yao2surname Yao 尾wei3tail 乞qi3to beg 怜lian2to pity