Definitions for kowtow
ˈkaʊˈtaʊ, -ˌtaʊ, ˈkoʊ-kow·tow

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. kowtow, kotowverb

   a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission

2. scrape, kowtow, genuflectverb

   bend the knees and bow in a servile manner

3. fawn, toady, truckle, bootlick, kowtow, kotow, suck upverb

   try to gain favor by cringing or flattering

   "He is always kowtowing to his boss"

GCIDERate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Kowtowverb

   To defer to another in a servile or humiliating manner; to act obsequiously.

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. kowtownoun

   The act of kowtowing.

2. kowtowverb

   To kneel and bow low enough to touch one's forehead to the ground.

3. kowtowverb

   To bow very deeply.

4. kowtowverb

   To act in a very submissive manner.

5. Etymology: From 叩頭 / 叩头 (kau3 tau4) kau3 ‘knock’ + tau4 ‘head’; Chinese 叩頭 / 叩头 (kòutóu) kòu ‘knock’ + tóu ‘head’.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Kowtow

   A kowtow 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. 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.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. kowtow

   Kowtow is a traditional Chinese act of respect or submission, which involves kneeling and touching one's forehead to the ground. It can also refer to groveling or acting obsequiously towards someone in a position of authority or influence to show submission or respect.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Kowtow

   the same as Kotow

2. Etymology: [Chinese, knock head.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Kowtow

   Kowtow, which is borrowed from kòu tóu in Mandarin Chinese, 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. An alternative Chinese term is ketou, however the meaning is somewhat altered: kòu has the general meaning of knock, whereas kē has the general meaning of "touch upon", tóu meaning head. In Han Chinese 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 become much reduced.

Matched Categories

1. • Bow

How to pronounce kowtow?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

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   Fred

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   Tessa

   South African

How to say kowtow in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of kowtow in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of kowtow in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of kowtow in a Sentence

1. Dan Gainor:

   He tries to equate laws like voter ID, that are supported by the majority of every racial group, with genocide. What he is doing is covering for a nation that has a systematic program of beating, torturing, raping and murdering Uyghur Muslims. And he insanely compares that to America, the most free nation on Earth, eSPN, like its corporate owners Disney, has gone out of its way to kowtow to China.

2. Marsha Blackburn:

   I will never kowtow to the Chinese Communist Party.

3. Mehmet Oz:

   When things didn't work out the way he wanted, he began to work with the media to silence people who are raising their hands and saying we can do a better job, that is really dangerous, because now, all of a sudden, everyone’s got to kowtow to one opinion.

4. Jim Dean:

   Clinton's economic policy speech reflects a very clear understanding that the Democratic Party and the vast majority of the American people want a president who will fight alongside … Elizabeth Warren and refuse to kowtow to wealthy and powerful interests on Wall Street.

5. Clarence Thomas:

   As a black American, as far as Im concerned, it is a high-tech lynching for uppity blacks who in any way deign to think for themselves... and it is a message that unless you kowtow to an old order, this is what will happen to you -- you will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate rather than hung from a tree.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=kowtow
2. ^ GCIDE
   https://gcide.gnu.org.ua/?q=kowtow
3. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Kowtow
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowtow
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kowtow
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=kowtow