kowtow

Meaning

Verb

1. (historical, intransitive) To kneel and bow low enough to touch one’s forehead to the ground.
2. (figuratively, intransitive) To grovel, act in a very submissive manner; to show obeisance to (someone or something) in such a manner; to bow.
3. (intransitive) To bow very deeply.

Noun

The act of kowtowing.

Synonyms

kotow

fawn

bow

🙇

bow low

truckle

worship

prostrate oneself

genuflect

grovel

crawl

scrape

prostrate

bootlick

suck up

crouch

toady

fall into swoon

bob

conge

congee

cringe

kneel

knuckle under

submit

surrender

bow down to

abide

Translations

Kotau

zich

kowtow

prostrar-se

buigen

knien

katzbuckeln

سَجَدَ

βαθειά υπόκλιση

tiefe Verbeugung

προσκυνώ

υποτάσσομαι

κάνω υπόκλιση

faon

einen Kotau machen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkaʊˌtaʊ/

Etymology

From either Cantonese 叩頭 /叩头 (kau³ tau⁴) or Mandarin 叩頭 /叩头 (kòutóu). Literally, “knock head”.