kowtow

• 叩头；卑屈屈膝
• n. 叩头

中国語から

kowtow

kowtow: [19] The approved Chinese method of signifying respect for the emperor or other august personages was to prostrate oneself so that one’s forehead touched the ground. This was expressed in Mandarin Chinese by the term ke tóu (ke means ‘knock, bump’ and tóu ‘head’). English took the word over in the early 19th century and spelled it in various experimental ways (koo-too, ka-tou, kotow, etc) before settling on kowtow in the early 20th century.

The first writer on record as using the word in the metaphorical sense ‘defer servilely’ was Benjamin Disraeli in his Vivian Grey 1826: ‘The Marqess kotooed like a first-rate Mandarin, and vowed “that her will was his conduct”.’

kowtow (n.)

also kow-tow, 1804, from Chinese k'o-t'ou custom of touching the ground with the forehead to show respect or submission, literally "knock the head," from k'o "knock, bump" + t'ou "head." The verb in the figurative sense of "act in an obsequious manner" is from 1826. Related: Kowtowed; kowtowing.

1. I refuse to kowtow to anyone.

私は決して誰にも屈しない。

2.Be polite,but don 't kowtow to him.

は彼に対して礼儀正しくなければならないが、卑屈にならない。

3.I 'm not going to kowtow to a mere nobody like him.

私は彼のような無名の少年に頭をたたかせたくない。

4.The person of Home Chen hellcat kowtow ，beg her a heart.

陳家の人々は魔女を囲んで頭をたたいて、彼女に慈悲を求めた。

5.Be polite，but don 't kowtow to him.

は礼儀正しくなければならないが、卑屈にしてはいけない。