Meaning and Usage
"迎合" means to cater to or to conform to someone else's preferences, opinions, or demands, often with a nuance of trying to please or flatter. It is commonly used in contexts where someone adjusts their behavior or products to suit others, sometimes implying a lack of sincerity.
Common Contexts
It is frequently used in business, social, and interpersonal contexts where one party tries to meet the expectations or tastes of another, such as employees catering to bosses, media catering to audiences, or individuals adjusting to social pressures.
Collocations and Patterns
- 迎合市场 (yínghé shìchǎng): to cater to the market, used in business contexts.
- 迎合需求 (yínghé xūqiú): to meet demands, often in product or service design.
- 迎合口味 (yínghé kǒuwèi): to cater to tastes, especially in food or entertainment.
Nuance and Register
"迎合" often carries a slightly negative or critical tone, suggesting that the catering is done for personal gain or to please others superficially rather than out of genuine agreement. It is more formal and less neutral than simply "符合" (to conform).
Common Confusion
Do not confuse "迎合" with "符合" which means to conform or comply more neutrally without the implication of flattery or insincerity.