It’s often used metaphorically to mean to show servile deference. It also functions as a noun denoting the act of kowtowing. Kowtow is the accepted spelling. Kotow, cowtow, cow tow, kow-tow, and kow tow have been pushed out by the now standard form.
What is cowtowing?
Get the cowtowing neck gaiter and mug. It is the improper spelling / word for Kowtowing, which means to touch the forehead to the ground while kneeling, as an act of worship, reverence, apology, etc., especially in former Chinese custom. AKA: to kiss someone's ass or to be submissive. Her boyfriend is a jerk.
What is the verb for kowtow?
verbgrovel, court, flatter, cringe, fawn, pander to, suck up to(slang), toady, kiss someone's ass(U.S. & Canad. taboo slang), brown-nose(taboo slang), truckle, lick someone's boots, lick someone's arse(taboo slang)Nor did he kowtow to his editors.
What is a kowtow used for in China?
In Sinospheric culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor of China, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has been reduced.
What does cow toeing mean?
1. To kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in expression of deep respect, worship, or submission, as formerly done in China. 2. To show servile deference. See Synonyms at fawn1.
How do you pronounce kow tow?
Kowtow is pronounced "Ko - Toe" as opposed to "Cow - Tow". What does Kowtow mean? Kowtow is a Chinese word that represents the custom of deep respect, shown by kneeling and bowing so low that your forehead touches the ground.
Is kowtow a Chinese word?
kowtow, also spelled kotow, Chinese (Pinyin) keitou or (Wade-Giles romanization) k'o-t'ou, in traditional China, the act of supplication made by an inferior to his superior by kneeling and knocking his head to the floor.
What is a kowtow used for?
In Sinospheric culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor of China, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has been reduced.
What is kowtow in Tagalog?
More Filipino words for kowtow. yumuko nang mababa verb. kotow. mababang yuko noun. kotow.
What is the antonym for kowtow?
What is the opposite of kowtow?defyconfrontresistwithstandstand againststand up tofightrejectdisobeydisregard7 more rows
Is it cow down or kowtow?
You can tow a cow to water, but you can't make it drink. But the word that means bowing worshipfully before someone comes from the Chinese words for knocking one's head on the ground, and is spelled kowtow.31-May-2016
Who is known as Son of Heaven?
Son of Heaven, or Tianzi, was the sacred imperial title of the Chinese emperor. It originated with the ancient Zhou dynasty and was founded on the political and spiritual doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven. The secular imperial title of the Son of Heaven was "Emperor of China".
Why do Chinese bow 3 times at funeral?
While most of the time Chinese don't do it, it is still considered a show of respect in proper situation. Bowing 3 times to the deceased (or their tomb/photos/etc. at around 80–90 degrees is a standard practice to show respect to family members, friends, and other people who passed away.
Why is it called kowtow?
Kowtow is derived from the Chinese word k'o-t'ou, which literally means “knock the head.” As a verb, kowtow has the sense of “sucking up” or "flattering." Maybe you're wondering when it would be appropriate to kowtow.
How do you greet a Chinese emperor?
Imperial Titles The normal greeting to the Chinese Emperor was 皇上 Huáng shang roughly 'Imperial majesty'.
Is kowtow Japanese?
The term is used in Japanese politics such as "dogeza-gaikō" (土下座外交) which is translated to "kowtow diplomacy" or "kowtow foreign policy". In general, dogeza is translated into English as "prostration" or "kowtow".
What is a kowtow in a sentence?
Examples of kowtow in a Sentence. Verb you can try kowtowing to the boss, but he'll see right through you. Recent Examples on the Web: Verb And she was indeed defined by a steely independent streak that did not kowtow to outsiders, whether established civil rights figures or the leader of the free world.
What is the meaning of "kowtow"?
Kowtow originated as a noun referring to the act of kneeling and touching one's head to the ground as a salute or act of worship to a revered authority. In traditional China this ritual was performed by commoners making requests to the local magistrate, by the emperor to the shrine of Confucius, or by foreign representatives appearing before ...
What does "kowtow" mean for kids?
Kids Definition of kowtow. : to obey a person in a position of power in a way that seems weak : show overly respectful attention "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father.". — Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief.
Where did the word "kowtow" come from?
The word kowtow derives from Chinese "koutou," formed by combining the verb "kou" ("to knock") with the noun "tou" ("head"). The noun had arrived in English by 1804, and the earliest evidence for the verb dates from 1826.
What is the kowtow ceremony?
In the most solemn of ceremonies, for example at the coronation of a new Emperor, the Emperor's subjects would undertake the ceremony of the "three kneelings and nine kowtows", the so-called grand kowtow, which involves kneeling from a standing position three times, and each time, performing the kowtow three times while kneeling. Immanuel Hsu describes the "full kowtow" as "three kneelings and nine knockings of the head on the ground".
What is the practice of kowtow?
Prostration is a general practice in Buddhism, and not restricted to China. The kowtow is often performed in groups of three before Buddhist statues and images or tombs of the dead. In Buddhism it is more commonly termed either "worship with the crown (of the head)" (頂禮 ding li) or "casting the five limbs to the earth" (五體投地 wuti tou di)—referring to the two arms, two legs and forehead. For example, in certain ceremonies, a person would perform a sequence of three sets of three kowtows—stand up and kneel down again between each set—as an extreme gesture of respect; hence the term three kneelings and nine head knockings ( 三跪九叩之禮 [ zh] ). Also, some Buddhist pilgrims would kowtow once for every three steps made during their long journeys, the number three referring to the Triple Gem of Buddhism, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Prostration is widely practiced in India by Hindus to give utmost respect to their deities in temples and to parents and elders. Nowadays in modern times people show the regards to elders by bowing down and touching their feet.
What is the highest sign of reverence?
In Sinospheric culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has been reduced.
What does "ke" mean in Chinese?
An alternative Chinese term is ketou; however, the meaning is somewhat altered: kou ( 叩) has the general meaning of knock, whereas ke ( 磕) has the general meaning of "touch upon (a surface)", tou ( 頭) meaning head . The date of this custom's origin is probably sometime between the Spring and Autumn period, or the Warring States period of China's history because it was a custom by the time of the Qin dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC).
What is the act of deep respect shown by prostration?
For the village in Burkina Faso, see Kotou, Burkina Faso. Kowtow, which is borrowed from kau tau in Cantonese Chinese ( koutou in Mandarin), is the act of deep respect shown by prostration, that is, kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground.
Why is bowing important?
Because the body is placed in a low position in the kowtow, the idea is that one will naturally convert to his or her mind a feeling of respect. What one does to oneself influences the mind. Confucian philosophy held that respect was important for a society, making bowing an important ritual.
Is the kowtow still used?
The kowtow, and other traditional forms of reverence, were much maligned after the May Fourth Movement. Today , only vestiges of the traditional usage of the kowtow remain. In many situations, the standing bow has replaced the kowtow.