卑屈

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 卑屈, read ひくつ, is a na-adjectival stem describing a servile or self-abasing attitude.
• Basic usage: 卑屈になる describes becoming servile, while 卑屈な笑い directly modifies a self-abasing smile.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Complement with になる, modifier with な
  • A change of state uses 卑屈に before なる; direct noun modification uses 卑屈な. The two endings have different grammatical jobs.