Videoknockhead

The word knockhead is a rare and fascinating English term used to describe a gesture of profound respect or submission. It refers to the act of kneeling and touching one's forehead to the ground, a practice most commonly associated with historical East Asian court rituals and religious devotion. In this lesson, we explore the origins of knockhead as a transliteration of the Chinese term koutou. You will learn about its historical usage, its relationship to the more common word kowtow, and how it appears in contexts of deep apology or worship. Watch this lesson to master the nuances of this unique vocabulary word.