Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Kowtow

Kow-tow′

Noun.

[Chinese, knock head.]

The prostration made by mandarins and others to their superiors, either as homage or worship, by knocking the forehead on the ground; same as

Kotow

. There are degrees in the rite, the highest being expressed by three knockings.

[China]

[Also spelled

kotow

S. W. Williams.

Kow-tow′

Verb.

[

imp. & p. p.

Kowtowed

;

p. pr. & vb. n.

Kowtowing

To perform the kowtow. Same as

Kotow

I have salaamed and

kowtowed

to him.

H. James.

Definition 2024

kowtow

English

Alternative forms

kotow

Verb

kowtow ‎(third-person singular simple present kowtows, present participle kowtowing, simple past and past participle kowtowed)

(intransitive) To kneel and bow low enough to touch one’s forehead to the ground.
(intransitive) To bow very deeply.
(intransitive, figuratively) To act in a very submissive manner.

Translations

kneel such that forehead touches ground

Arabic: سَجَدَ (ar) ‎(sajada), تَمَلَّقَ ‎(tamallaqa), رَكَعَ ‎(rakaʿa)
Chinese:

Cantonese: 叩頭, 叩头 ‎(kau³ tau⁴)

Mandarin: 叩頭 (zh), 叩头 (zh) ‎(kòutóu), 磕頭 (zh), 磕头 (zh) ‎(kētóu)

Min Nan: 磕頭 ‎(kha̍p-thâu), 叩頭 (zh-min-nan) ‎(khàu-thâu)
Dutch: knielen (nl), zich (nl) buigen (nl)
Finnish: tehdä (fi) kowtow
French: se prosterner (fr), s'agenouiller (fr)
German: knien (de)

Japanese: 叩頭く ‎(ぬかつく, nukatsuku), 土下座をする (ja) ‎(どげざをする, dogeza o suru)
Korean: 머리를 조아리다 ‎(meorireul joarida), 고두하다 ‎(goduhada)
Portuguese: fazer o kowtow
Russian: де́лать коуто́у ‎(délatʹ koutóu)
Spanish: postrarse (es), prosternarse (es)
Vietnamese: khấu đầu (vi) (叩頭), quỳ lạy, khúm núm (vi), quỵ luỵ (vi)

bow deeply

Dutch: zich (nl) (diep (nl)) buigen (nl)

Finnish: kumartaa (fi) syvään
Portuguese: prostrar-se
Russian: де́лать ни́зкий покло́н ‎(délatʹ nízkij poklón)

act submissively

Dutch: zich (nl) aanpassen (nl), onderdanig (nl) zijn (nl)
Finnish: nöyristellä (fi), kumarrella (fi)

German: den Kotau (de) machen, zu Kreuze kriechen
Russian: преклоня́ться (ru) ‎(preklonjátʹsja), пресмыка́ться (ru) ‎(presmykátʹsja), раболе́пствовать (ru) ‎(rabolépstvovatʹ)

Noun

kowtow ‎(plural kowtows)

The act of kowtowing.

Translations

kowtowing

Arabic:
Chinese:

Cantonese: 叩頭, 叩头 ‎(kau³ tau⁴)

Mandarin: 叩頭 (zh), 叩头 (zh) ‎(kòutóu), 磕頭 (zh), 磕头 (zh) ‎(kētóu)
Dutch: buiging (nl) f, kotau m
Finnish: kowtow-kumarrus (fi)
French: kowtow m
German: Kotau (de) m

Japanese: 叩頭 ‎(こうとう, kōtō), (Japanese way) 土下座 (ja) ‎(どげざ, dogeza)
Korean: 고두 ‎(godu) (叩頭)
Norwegian: kowtow
Portuguese: kowtow m
Russian: (indeclinable) коуто́у n ‎(koutóu), покло́н (ru) m ‎(poklón)
Swedish: koutou
Vietnamese: khấu đầu (vi) (叩頭), sự quỳ lạy, sự khúm núm (vi)

Portuguese

Noun

kowtow m (plural kowtows)

kowtow (bow low enough to touch one’s forehead to the ground)

Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Kowtow

Kow-tow′

Kow-tow′

Definition 2024

kowtow

kowtow

English

Alternative forms

Verb

Translations

Noun

Translations

See also

Portuguese

Noun

Etymology

Pronunciation

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