Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Bow" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "bow", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
お辞儀
おじぎ (ojigi)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
鞠躬
きっきゅう
C2PLUS / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "bow" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between お辞儀 and 鞠躬.
In Japanese, お辞儀 (おじぎ (ojigi)) is typically associated with "bow (as a greeting or apology)" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents A traditional Japanese gesture of greeting, apology, or respect. The depth of the bow indicates the level of respect or sincerity. Often used with する.
On the other hand, 鞠躬 (きっきゅう) maps to "To bow deeply in reverence; to be humble and reverent; to work diligently for one's lord." (Syllabus Level: C2PLUS) and represents Essential structural term in CEFR C2PLUS vocabulary syllabus.. A literal translation of "bow" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "お辞儀"
彼女はお客様に丁寧にお辞儀をした。
She bowed politely to the customer.
Bilingual Context for "鞠躬"
毎日、日本語を練習するために鞠躬。
Every day, I bow deeply in reverence; to be humble and reverent; to work diligently for one's lord. to practice Japanese.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "彼女はお客様に丁寧に ＿＿＿ をした。" (Meaning: "She bowed politely to the customer.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "お辞儀" fits here because it means "bow (as a greeting or apology)" in the context of: "She bowed politely to the customer.". "鞠躬" represents "To bow deeply in reverence; to be humble and reverent; to work diligently for one's lord.".