Chinese word

鞠躬

Pronunciation

Pinyinjū gōng

Meaning

  • verbbow

Example

见面时他向老师鞠躬。jiàn miàn shí tā xiàng lǎo shī jū gōng

When they met, he bowed to his teacher.

Illustration for 鞠躬 (bow)

More examples

演出结束时，演员向观众鞠躬。yǎn chū jié shù shí yǎn yuán xiàng guān zhòng jū gōng

At the end of the performance, the actors bowed to the audience.

Core concept

A deliberate forward bend of the head or upper body that marks respect, greeting, or thanks.

Common phrases

  • 向老师鞠躬xiàng lǎo shī jū gōng

    bow to the teacher

  • 向观众鞠躬xiàng guān zhòng jū gōng

    bow to the audience

  • 鞠躬致意jū gōng zhì yì

    bow in greeting

Similar words

敬礼jìng lǐ: A formal salute that expresses respect in military or official situations.
行礼xíng lǐ: A formal act of showing respect while greeting or responding to someone.
点头diǎn tóu: A quick downward and upward movement of the head that signals agreement or greeting.

Definition in Chinese

以低头或弯腰表示对他人的尊敬、致意或感谢的礼节性动作。yǐ dī tóu huò wān yāo biǎo shì duì tā rén de zūn jìng zhì yì huò gǎn xiè de lǐ jié xìng dòng zuò

Word origin

In classical Chinese, 鞠 (jū, "to bend") + 躬 (gōng, "the body") describes bending the body, a formation retained in the modern word for a respectful bow.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this verb sounds more formal and deliberate than a casual greeting gesture, so it is especially useful for ceremonies, performances, and formal meetings.

Other meanings

  • lower one's headverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 鞠躬尽瘁jū gōng jìn cuìdevote oneself wholeheartedlyidiom

Word lists with this word