kau3叩
Jyutpingkau3
Yalekau
Definition
To kowtow, or to knock and tap.
- to kowtow; to bow deeply to show respect or gratitude
- to knock; to beat; to tap
neutraldaily actionspeople
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or traditional contexts, such as religious rituals or the solemn act of paying respects to ancestors or masters. While it can mean to knock on a door, using 敲門 is far more common for that purpose. It carries a heavy sense of humility and reverence that is rarely seen in casual daily life.
Examples
Do you need to kowtow to formally acknowledge your master?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 扣, which means to button up or deduct, as they are often mixed up in writing due to similar appearances.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
