‘巴结’ (bā jie) is a verb meaning ‘to curry favor’ — to act in an obsequious, flattering, or overly eager way to gain approval, advantage, or favor from someone more powerful or influential. The character 巴 (bā) originally means ‘to cling to’ or ‘to long for,’ suggesting eagerness or dependence; 结 (jié) means ‘to connect’ or ‘to form a relationship.’ Together, they vividly convey the idea of actively and sometimes insincerely attaching oneself to another person for personal gain.

This word carries a distinctly negative connotation — it implies flattery, sycophancy, or opportunistic behavior, not genuine respect or friendship. It’s commonly used in workplace, academic, or family contexts where hierarchy exists, and often appears in criticism or descriptive narration. While grammatically it functions as a transitive verb (e.g., 巴结上司), it’s rarely used in formal writing and is more frequent in spoken or literary Chinese.