kowtow

英 [ˌkaʊˈtaʊ]

美 [ˌkaʊˈtaʊ]

v.  叩头; 磕头; 卑躬屈膝; 唯命是从

现在分词：kowtowing　过去式：kowtowed　第三人称单数：kowtows　过去分词：kowtowed　

TEM8

BNC.35359 / COCA.27978

牛津词典

verb

• 叩头；磕头；卑躬屈膝；唯命是从
  to show sb in authority too much respect and be too willing to obey them

柯林斯词典

• VERB 叩头;磕头；卑躬屈膝；唯命是从
  If you say that someonekowtows tosomeone else, you are criticizing them because they are too eager to obey or be polite to someone in authority.
  1. See how stupidly they kow-tow to persons higher in the hierarchy.
     瞧他们对上级唯命是从的样子是多么愚蠢啊。

英英释义

noun

• a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission
  Synonym:kotow

verb

• try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
  1. He is always kowtowing to his boss
  Synonym:fawntoadytrucklebootlickkotowsuck up
• bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
  Synonym:scrapegenuflect

双语例句

• Sheldon: I'm taking a sabbatical because I won't kowtow to mediocre minds.
  我在休假，因为我不愿向平庸之流屈服。
• Be polite, but don't kowtow to him.
  要有礼貌，但不要对他卑躬屈节。
• Yet when Carrefour and other French companies suffered a boycott by angry Chinese consumers, France sent over three different envoys in effect to kowtow to the Chinese.
  但是，当家乐福（carrefour）和其它法国企业遭到愤怒的中国消费者抵制后，法国派出三名不同的外交使节，实际上让他们向中方叩头。
• He could not kneel and kowtow to the emperor since that would reveal the emperor's identity so he bent his fingers to knock on the table to express his gratitude and respect to the emperor.
  由于这会暴露皇帝的身份，因此他不能跪下来向皇帝叩头，于是他弯起手指在桌上敲了几个，以表示自己对皇帝的谢意和敬意。
• When the head of the giant software corporation refused to kowtow to the swami, he was promptly transformed into a little bug.
  当这个软件巨头公司的老板拒绝象神像叩首时，他马上被变作了一只小虫子。
• Tomorrow I'll have Papa make you kneel three times and kowtow nine times before photographs of my grandparents as a penalty.
  明天我教爸爸罚你对祖父祖母的照片三跪九叩首。
• I'm not going to kowtow to a mere nobody like him.
  我不想给他这样的无名小卒磕头。
• According to the local custom, he had to kowtow three times.
  按照乡俗，他得叩三个头。
• Have you seen the people when they make a long kowtow? Their faces and hands are all dirty, but their hearts are clean.
  见过磕长头的人吗？他们的脸和手都很脏，可是心灵却很干净。
• From sneakers to skin cream, Chinese consumer goods companies are no longer willing to kowtow to the foreigners who taught them branding.
  从运动鞋到护肤霜，中国消费品公司不再愿意向教会了自己品牌概念的外资企业低头。