素直 and 従順: honest acceptance and apparent obedience
Compare 素直 in an honest apology or acceptance without resistance with 従順 in obedience toward someone. Read the example of pretended submission without changing concealed opinions into sincere agreement.
An honest apology and acceptance without resistance
素直 (すなお) includes honest and obedient. 「間違いに気づいた彼は素直に謝った。」 means “Realizing his mistake, he apologized honestly.” The focus is the attitude in apologizing after recognizing the mistake. The sentence does not add obedience to an instruction from someone else.
「子どもは先生の説明を素直に受け入れた。」 means “The child accepted the teacher's explanation without resistance.” This use concerns unresisting acceptance. Defining 素直 only as revealing one's inner feelings would leave out this part of its meaning.
Obedience toward someone and pretending to show it
従順 (じゅうじゅん) includes obedient and submissive. 「子どもの頃から飼っている犬は、主人にとても従順です。」 means “The dog we have had since childhood is very obedient to its owner.” The attitude toward the owner is explicit, giving a clear relationship to read.
「彼は上司に従順なふりをして、自分の意見を隠しました。」 means “He pretended to be submissive to his boss and concealed his own opinion.” Pretending is central to the statement. It does not establish inner agreement, and reading the opinion as openly expressed would reverse the statement that it was concealed.
Overlapping acceptance does not reveal every feeling
Unresisting acceptance in 素直 can overlap with obedience in 従順. Compare an honest apology, accepting an explanation without resistance, and showing obedience toward a particular person. The pair does not establish fixed personality types of an independent person and someone who always obeys.
Outwardly following someone does not by itself reveal inner agreement or honesty. In the pretence example, retain both the appearance of submission and the concealed opinion. Read the relationship, the action, and what is expressed or hidden to understand the overlap and the difference.
Does pretending to be 従順 to a boss while concealing an opinion mean that the person honestly agreed?
Show the answer and why
No. The sentence explicitly states pretended submission and a concealed opinion. Outward obedience does not establish agreement or honesty. That scene differs from the 素直 example in which someone recognizes a mistake and apologizes honestly.