趋炎附势 (qū yán fù shì) | Meaning: to curry favor (idiom); playing up to those in power | Chinese Idiom with Pinyin & Origin

to bow down to everything sb says or does · to act submissively in order to ingratiate oneself曲意逢迎qū yì féng yíng

like ants pursuing a stink (idiom); the mob chases the rich and powerful · the crowd runs after trash如蚁附膻rú yǐ fù shān

to climb (of climbing plants) · to creep · to cling on to · fig. to seek connection (with the rich and powerful) · social climbing攀附pān fù

basely offer to serve the enemy · barter away one's honor for somebody's patronage卖身投靠mài shēn tóu kào

to wish for higher status (idiom); to curry favor in the hope of promotion巴高望上bā gāo wàng shàng

to curry favor (idiom); playing up to those in power · social climbing