Bow
A bow is a gesture of respect, greeting, apology, or acknowledgment made by lowering the head or bending the upper body.
Japanese etiquette: Japanese etiquette is the set of social conventions governing considerate conduct in Japan. Bowing is a familiar Japanese courtesy whose depth and timing can signal formality and relationship.
Proxemics: Proxemics is the study of how people use interpersonal distance and space in communication. The distance between participants affects how a bow is performed and received.
Proskynesis: Proskynesis was an ancient Greek term for gestures of reverence, including prostration before rulers or deities. Ancient accounts of proskynesis show how bodily lowering could mark submission or reverence.
Ojigi: Ojigi is the Japanese practice of bowing in social, professional, and ceremonial interactions. It is a culturally developed system of bows with conventions for depth and context.
Deference: Deference is respectful submission to another person’s authority, status, or judgment. A lowered head can visibly acknowledge another person’s rank or authority.
Posture: Posture is the position and alignment of the body while standing, sitting, or moving. The bow’s visible form depends on how the head, torso, and legs are aligned.
Court etiquette: Court etiquette is the formal code of conduct governing behavior at a royal or aristocratic court. Bows and related gestures became regulated signs of rank in court settings.
Noh: Noh is a classical Japanese musical drama combining masked performance, chant, and stylized movement. Its formal stage conventions give bows a place within highly controlled performance.
Greeting: A greeting is an expression or gesture used to acknowledge someone’s arrival or presence. Bowing can open or accompany an encounter without words.
Gesture: A gesture is a movement of the body that conveys meaning or serves a communicative function. Bowing is a whole-body gesture with culturally learned meanings.