攀高枝

pāngāozhī
(coll.) to try to improve one's social standing by marrying or affiliating with people of higher status

CEDICT

colloquial

Entry Composition

1 攀 pān
  1. to climb (by pulling oneself up)
  2. to implicate
  3. to claim connections of higher status
2 高 gāo
  1. high
  2. tall
  3. above average
  4. loud
  5. your (honorific)
3 枝 zhī
  1. branch
  2. classifier for sticks, rods, pencils etc