Japanese meaning of 面従腹背
Reading:
めんじゅうふくはい (menjuu fukuhai)
English Translation:
Outward obedience with hidden opposition
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Outwardly obeying while inwardly opposing.
表面では従うふりをして内心では反抗していること。
Cultural Context:
Common in workplace politics or historical accounts of betrayal.
職場の政治や歴史上の裏切りを語る際に用いられる。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• Noun phrase used to describe outward obedience but inner resistance; often followed by “の態度.”
Trap for English Speakers
English learners may confuse it with being “two-faced” socially, rather than the specific political or workplace resistance nuance.
Example
Basic Example
彼は面従腹背で上司の命令を聞いていた。
He listened to his boss's orders with outward obedience and hidden opposition.
Applied Example
会議では上司に従うふりをしつつ、裏では計画を潰そうとするのは面従腹背だ。
Pretending to agree with the boss in meetings while secretly sabotaging the plan is the very definition of outward obedience with hidden opposition.