Kowtowing: meaning, definitions and examples
🙇♂️
kowtowing
[ ˌkaʊˈtaʊɪŋ ]
formal
To act in an excessively subservient manner; to show excessive respect or deference, often to an authority figure.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- He was kowtowing to his boss in order to get a promotion.
- The journalist refused to kowtow to the government's demands for biased reporting.
historical
A former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The act of kowtowing was a common practice in the imperial court.
Translations
Translations of the word "kowtowing" in other languages:
🇵🇹 reverência
🇮🇳 नमन
🇩🇪 Katzbuckeln
🇮🇩 menunduk
🇺🇦 поклони
🇵🇱 kłanianie się
🇯🇵 土下座 (dogeza)
🇫🇷 révérence
🇪🇸 reverencia
🇹🇷 itaat
🇰🇷 절 (jeol)
🇸🇦 انحناء
🇨🇿 klanění
🇸🇰 klaňanie sa
🇨🇳 叩头 (kòutóu)
🇸🇮 priklanjanje
🇮🇸 kúgun
🇰🇿 тағзым ету
🇬🇪 მორჩილება
🇦🇿 təzim etmək
🇲🇽 reverencia
Word origin
The word 'kowtow' originated from the Chinese term 'kòutóu', which literally means 'knock the head'. It was a ritualistic gesture of deep respect and submission in Chinese culture, often performed in the presence of the emperor or other high-ranking officials. The practice of kowtowing was eventually phased out in China, but the term has been adopted into the English language to describe a display of extreme deference or servility.
See also: kowtow.