तलवे चाटना

/təlʋeː tʃaːtnaː/◆idiom
to flatter excessively

उसने अपने बॉस के तलवे चाटना शुरू कर दिया ताकि प्रमोशन मिल सके।

He started to flatter his boss excessively to get a promotion.

◆ What It Really Means
To engage in obsequious flattery or sycophancy to gain personal advantage.
Literal Meaning
To lick someone's feet/tongue.
Literal Breakdown
तलवेfeet/tongue+चाटनाto lick
◇ Mental Image
A mental picture of someone literally licking another person's feet, symbolizing extreme subservience and insincerity.
◈ When to Use
A subordinate flatters their boss excessively in hopes of getting a promotion, despite not meaning a word of it.
◉ Cultural Note
In Hindi culture, touching feet is a traditional gesture of respect, often seen in religious or familial contexts. The idiom exaggerates this to criticize insincere flattery.
informal

To engage in obsequious flattery or sycophancy, often to gain personal advantage.

राजनीतिज्ञों के तलवे चाटने वालों की कभी कमी नहीं रही है।

There has never been a shortage of people flattering politicians.

Often implies subservience or insincerity.

Related Phrases

पैर छूनाphrase
to touch someone's feet as a mark of respect

Pro Tip

Cultural Context

In Hindi culture, touching someone's feet is a traditional gesture of respect, especially for elders or deities. However, 'तलवे चाटना' exaggerates this to imply insincerity or sycophancy.

Gold Rule

Idiom Usage

Use 'तलवे चाटना' when describing someone who flatters excessively to gain an advantage, not for genuine respect.

Word Origin

From 'तलवे' (tongue) + 'चाटना' (to lick), literally 'to lick someone's feet/tongue', metaphorically extended to excessive flattery.

Usage Notes

Used in contexts where someone is being overly submissive or insincere to gain favor. Can carry a negative connotation.

Word Breakdown

तलवे
tongue/feet (metaphorical for submission)
noun
+
चाटना
to lick
verb
हिन्दी-अंग्रेज़ी शब्दकोश