Difference between revisions of "Kowtow"
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| − | + | '''Kowtowing''', derived from the [[Chinese]] word ''kòu tóu'' ([[Simplified Chinese|Simplified]]: 口头; [[Traditional Chinese|Traditional]]: 口頭), is an act of respect shown by kneeling low and bowing until one's head touched the ground. It was typically preformed before the Emperor of China. Most famously, it was performed by the British Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, after the unsuccessful conclusion of the second [[Opium War]] (1856-1860). | |
== Modern Uses == | == Modern Uses == | ||
Latest revision as of 02:23, February 8, 2010
Kowtowing, derived from the Chinese word kòu tóu (Simplified: 口头; Traditional: 口頭), is an act of respect shown by kneeling low and bowing until one's head touched the ground. It was typically preformed before the Emperor of China. Most famously, it was performed by the British Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, after the unsuccessful conclusion of the second Opium War (1856-1860).
Modern Uses
To kowtow (or kowtowing) is a term commonly recognized as meaning to submit without question, often used to refer to those who will blindly follow an ideology without taking time to question why.