(historical)kneel and touch the ground with the forehead in worship or submission as part of Chinese custom (史)(中国习俗中用以表示敬拜或屈服)磕头,叩头 ■(figurative)act in an excessively subservient manner (喻)奉承,卑躬屈膝 she didn't have to kowtow to a boss. 她不必对老板卑躬屈膝。
noun
(historical)an act of kneeling and touching the ground with the forehead in such a way (史)叩头,磕头
派生 kowtower noun 语源
early 19th cent.: from Chinese kētóu, from kē 'knock' + tóu 'head'