Word of the Day, February 09: 'Kowtow'

Word of the day: KOWTOW
Pronunciation: kow·tow  UK/ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/ and US/ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/

Meaning:
'Kowtow' means to act in an excessively submissive way or to show deep, often humiliating obedience to someone in authority.

Origin and History:

The word "kowtow" comes from the Chinese word koutou (or k'o-t'ou), which originated from Cantonese. It literally means "knock the head", referring to the traditional, deeply respectful act of kneeling and touching one's forehead to the ground to show submission, worship, or intense respect.

The word 'kowtow' entered English in the early 19th century, mainly through Western traders and diplomats encountering Chinese court rituals.

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Cultural significance and modern usage:

Traditionally, the kowtow was a core ritual in Confucian society, demonstrating respect for hierarchy, elders, and ancestors.

Subjects were required to kowtow before the emperor, who was deemed the "Son of Heaven". The most formal version, the san gui jiu kou ("three kneelings and nine head knockings"), was reserved for the emperor or high-level religious ceremonies.

It was used to pay homage to ancestors during the Qingming Festival and in weddings to honor parents.

For foreign nations, performing the kowtow signified their acknowledgement of China as the "Central Kingdom". Refusal to do so, famously by British envoy Lord Macartney in 1793, highlighted severe cultural and political disagreements on international equality.

It was not just an act of obedience but also a way to ask for forgiveness, express gratitude, or show reverence in traditional arts and martial arts.

In modern English, 'kowtow' is almost exclusively used as a verb to describe the act of acting in an excessively submissive, obedient, or fawning manner toward someone in power. Focusing on "sucking up" or subservience to authority, often in a political or corporate context.

Interesting facts:

• 'Kowtow' is one of the few everyday English words directly borrowed from Chinese.
• In modern Mandarin, kowtowing is largely ceremonial and uncommon in daily life.
• The word almost always carries a negative connotation in English.

Examples from literature:

• Trees bowed in deep kowtows or broke their backs, a series of snaps like firecrackers popping, until one loud, sickening crack added to the cacophony in the sky.- When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin
• He always made a great show of waiting on the Tates; he kowtowed to my parents when they came in.- The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
• Or would Miss Love do like Mama and kowtow to Loma for the sake of peace in the family?- Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns

Synonyms:

• Fuss
• Toady
• Drool
• Truckle

Antonyms:

• Ignore
• Straighten

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