जी-हुज़ूरी (jii-huzoorii)
noun
A single noun meaning excessive, servile flattery of a superior -- toadying or sycophancy. Built from जी-हुज़ूर (jii-huzoor, 'yes sir', a servile form of address) plus the abstract-noun suffix -ई (ii).
Sense
1
:
sycophancy, servile flattery toward a superior
noun, feminine
Synonyms: चापलूसी (chaaploosii), खुशामद (khushaamad), तलवे चाटना (talve chaatnaa, idiom, 'to lick soles')
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: जी-हुज़ूर (jii-huzoor) itself echoes the old Mughal-court habit of addressing a noble or officer with exaggerated deference, so जी-हुज़ूरी (jii-huzoorii) carries a whiff of the durbar -- the underling bowing and scraping before the boss. In office gossip today, people use it for the colleague who always agrees with the boss just to stay in favor: 'बॉस की जी-हुज़ूरी करता है' (bos kii jii-huzoorii kartaa hai, 'he does yes-sir-ing to the boss'). It pairs naturally with चापलूसी (chaaploosii), which is more general flattery, while जी-हुज़ूरी (jii-huzoorii) specifically evokes obsequious yes-manship toward someone in authority.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes treat जी-हुज़ूरी (jii-huzoorii) as a neutral synonym for 'respect' or 'politeness' -- it is always negative, implying servility and self-interest, not genuine courtesy. 2) It is almost always used to describe someone else's behavior critically; using it about your own conduct sounds oddly self-deprecating unless you intend that effect.
Sample Sentences:
वह हमेशा बॉस की जी-हुज़ूरी करता है।
He always does yes-sir-ing to the boss.
(vah hameshaa bos kii jii-huzoorii kartaa hai।)
दफ्तर में इतनी जी-हुज़ूरी देखकर मुझे शर्म आती है।
Seeing so much toadying in the office makes me feel embarrassed.
(daphtar men itnii jii-huzoorii dekhkar mujhe sharm aatii hai।)
उसने मैनेजर के सामने इतनी जी-हुज़ूरी की कि सब लोग देखते रह गए।
He engaged in such sycophancy in front of the manager that everyone was left staring.
(usne mainejar ke saamne itnii jii-huzoorii kii ki sab log dekhte rah gae।)
मुझसे जी-हुज़ूरी मत करवाओ, मैं यह काम नहीं करूँगा।
Don't make me act servile, I won't do this.
(mujhse jii-huzoorii mat karvaao, main yah kaam nahiin karoongaa।)
अगर वह जी-हुज़ूरी न करता, तो शायद उसकी तरक्की न होती।
If he hadn't done all that toadying, maybe he wouldn't have gotten promoted.
(agar vah jii-huzoorii n kartaa, to shaayad uskii tarakkii n hotii।)
दरबार में हर तरफ जी-हुज़ूरी का दौर चलता था।
In the royal court, an era of servile flattery prevailed on every side.
(darbaar men har taraph jii-huzoorii kaa daur chaltaa thaa।)
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि जी-हुज़ूरी करने से तरक्की मिल जाएगी?
Do you think that toadying will get you a promotion?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki jii-huzoorii karne se tarakkii mil jaaegii?)
यह पद जी-हुज़ूरी से नहीं, बल्कि काबिलियत से मिलना चाहिए।
This position should be earned through merit, not through sycophancy.
(yah pad jii-huzoorii se nahiin, balki kaabiliyat se milnaa chaahie।)
उसकी चापलूसी और जी-हुज़ूरी दोनों देखकर दफ्तर के सब लोग परेशान हैं।
Seeing both his flattery and his toadying, everyone in the office is fed up.
(uskii chaaploosii aur jii-huzoorii donon dekhkar daphtar ke sab log pareshaan hain।)
नए अफ़सर को खुश करने के लिए क्लर्क ने जी-हुज़ूरी करना शुरू कर दिया।
To please the new officer, the clerk started with his obsequious flattery.
(nae afsar ko khush karne ke lie klark ne jii-huzoorii karnaa shuroo kar diyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
जी-हुज़ूरी
([[जी-हुज़ूरी]])
(sg.f.oblique):
जी-हुज़ूरी
([[जी-हुज़ूरी]])
(pl.f.direct):
जी-हुज़ूरियाँ
([[जी-हुज़ूरियाँ]])
(pl.f.oblique):
जी-हुज़ूरियों
([[जी-हुज़ूरियों]])