Q&A for How to Bow Politely

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When is it appropriate to bow?

Tami Claytor
Etiquette Coach
Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification.

Tami Claytor

Etiquette Coach

Expert Answer

That's really a cultural custom. In the US, we don't bow to greet people, we shake hands. In Japan, it's appropriate to bow when you greet people. However, if you're in the US and you're meeting with a high-ranking Japanese official, it would be appropriate to bow to show respect to that person's culture.

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Question

How can I curtsy as a male?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

When you look up the definition of 'to curtsy', it says it's a woman's formal greeting. So, by definition, men cannot curtsy. It also says it's the female equivalent of a man's greeting when he bows. So if you, a man, want to curtsy, you bow. Or genuflect, which is sitting down on one knee. But hey, if you want to curtsy, go for it.

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Question

What is the origin of the bowing style where people use one hand and move it downward in several spiral motions?

Tom De Backer

Top Answerer

Opening one arm to the side, fingers closed and palm facing the other person, is a gesture of peaceful intentions: "Look, I have no weapons in my hands or coat", "I surrender to your will", or "Thank you for your benevolent kindness." Making the spirals that you ask about is the equivalent of saying "Thank you very very very much." It's a way of emphasizing what you mean, but it quickly gets un-creative if you repeat it too often.

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Question

What is the second method called?

Community Answer

It doesn't really have a particular name. It's just called bowing.

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Do Chinese, Koreans or Japanese bow in their countries too?

Community Answer

Yes, they do.

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