Bow vs. Reverence — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 16, 2024
A bow is a gesture involving bending the body or head as a sign of respect, while reverence is a profound and often religious respect or awe.
Difference Between Bow and Reverence
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A bow is a physical gesture where one bends at the waist or slightly nods the head, often used in social or formal settings to signify respect or acknowledgment. Whereas, reverence refers to a deep respect or veneration, which can manifest in various expressions, including but not limited to physical gestures.
While bowing is commonly seen in many cultures as a greeting or parting gesture, it also serves as an expression of gratitude or apology. On the other hand, reverence is generally reserved for contexts that involve a deep, often solemn respect for something or someone, such as in religious worship or in response to a profoundly impactful event.
Bowing can be performed in different degrees, from a slight nod of the head to a full bow at the waist, depending on the cultural context and the depth of respect intended. Reverence, however, does not necessarily involve a specific physical action but is more about the attitude or state of mind one adopts in the face of something greatly esteemed.
In Japan, bowing is a fundamental part of social etiquette, deeply embedded in daily interactions, business proceedings, and ceremonial practices. Conversely, reverence might be observed in a broader and more varied range of situations, like the quiet contemplation in a place of significant historical or spiritual importance.
The act of bowing can be a quick, routine gesture in some instances, while feelings of reverence typically involve a more prolonged engagement, reflecting deep contemplation or admiration.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A gesture of bending the body or head to show respect or acknowledgment.
Deep respect or awe, especially towards the sacred or noble.
Physical Action
Involves actual movement such as nodding or bending.
May not involve physical action; often an emotional or mental state.
Cultural Relevance
Common in many Asian cultures as a sign of respect in social interactions.
Widespread across various cultures, often linked to religious or profound respect.
Duration
Typically brief and to the point.
Can be a prolonged feeling or expression.
Context
Used in both casual and formal settings.
Often reserved for serious or solemn contexts.
Compare with Definitions
Bow
A gesture of lowering the head or upper body as a social gesture.
She gave a quick bow as she received her award.
Reverence
Deep respect for someone or something.
The soldiers held their general in great reverence.
Bow
A formal gesture used in martial arts to signify respect.
The students bow before beginning their training session.
Reverence
Regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of;
Fear God as your father
We venerate genius
Bow
An act of bending the body as a sign of reverence or submission.
The audience bowed deeply as the king passed.
Reverence
An act showing profound respect and admiration.
They showed reverence by maintaining silence within the cathedral.
Bow
A forward dipping of the head quickly in greeting or acknowledgment.
He gave a polite bow when he was introduced.
Reverence
A feeling of awe or profound respect, often in a religious context.
The reverence for the sacred shrine could be felt in the silent prayers of its visitors.
Bow
A customary practice in many Asian countries during greetings.
Tourists often learn to bow when visiting Japan.
Reverence
Respect felt or shown towards cultural or historical artifacts.
The reverence shown towards ancient manuscripts was evident in the careful handling by the archivists.
Bow
A knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons
A girl with long hair tied back in a bow
Reverence
A feeling of profound awe and respect and often love.
Bow
A weapon for shooting arrows, typically made of a curved piece of wood joined at both ends by a taut string.
Reverence
An act showing respect, especially a bow or curtsy.
Bow
A long, partially curved rod with horsehair stretched along its length, used for playing the violin and other stringed instruments.
Reverence
Reverence Used as a form of address for certain members of the Christian clergy
Your Reverence.
Bow
A curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g. b, p).
Reverence
To consider or treat with profound awe and respect; venerate
"There was nobody whom she reverenced as she reverenced him" (Virginia Woolf).
Bow
A metal ring forming the handle of a key or pair of scissors.
Reverence
Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
Bow
An act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting
The man gave a little bow
Reverence
An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
Bow
The front end of a ship
Water sprayed high over her bows
Reverence
The state of being revered.
Bow
Play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow
The techniques by which the pieces were bowed
Reverence
A form of address for some members of the clergy.
Your reverence
Bow
Bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame
He turned and bowed to his father
She knelt and bowed her head
Councillors stood with heads bowed
Reverence
That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
Bow
Bend with age or under pressure
The creepers were bowed down with flowers
The roof trusses bowed as the wind fought to rip the roof free
Reverence
(transitive) To show or feel reverence to.
Bow
(of a new film or product) be premiered or launched
The trailer bowed in theaters nationwide on December 23
The Pentium III bowed in early 1999
Reverence
Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.
If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.
Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear.
When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government islost.
Bow
The front section of a ship or boat.
Reverence
The act of revering; a token of respect or veneration; an obeisance.
Make twenty reverences upon receiving . . . about twopence.
And each of them doeth all his diligenceTo do unto the feast reverence.
Bow
Either of the sides of this front section
The starboard bow.
Reverence
That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
I am forced to lay my reverence by.
Bow
The oar or the person wielding the oar closest to the bow in a racing shell.
Reverence
A person entitled to be revered; - a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father.
Such a one as a man may not speak of, without he say. "Sir reverence."
Now lies he there,And none so poor to do him reverence.
Bow
An inclination of the head or body, as in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.
Reverence
To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.
Let . . . the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Those that I reverence those I fear, the wise.
Bow
A bent, curved, or arched object.
Reverence
A profound emotion inspired by a deity;
The fear of God
Bow
A weapon consisting of a curved, flexible strip of material, especially wood, strung taut from end to end and used to launch arrows.
Reverence
A reverent mental attitude
Bow
An archer.
Bow
Archers considered as a group.
Bow
(Music) A rod having horsehair drawn tightly between its two raised ends, used in playing instruments of the violin and viol families.
Bow
A stroke made by this rod.
Bow
A knot usually having two loops and two ends; a bowknot.
Bow
A frame for the lenses of a pair of eyeglasses.
Bow
The part of such a frame passing over the ear.
Bow
A rainbow.
Bow
An oxbow.
Bow
To bend or curve downward; stoop.
Bow
To incline the body or head or bend the knee in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.
Bow
To yield in defeat or out of courtesy; submit.
Bow
To bend (the head, knee, or body) to express greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.
Bow
To convey (greeting, for example) by bending the body.
Bow
To escort deferentially
Bowed us into the restaurant.
Bow
To cause to acquiesce; submit.
Bow
To overburden
Grief bowed them down.
Bow
To bend (something) into the shape of a bow.
Bow
(Music) To play (a stringed instrument) with a bow.
Bow
To bend into a curve or bow.
Bow
(Music) To play a stringed instrument with a bow.
Bow
A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
Bow
A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow).
Bow
A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.
Bow
A stringed instrument (chordophone), consisting of a stick with a single taut cord stretched between the ends, most often played by plucking.
Bow
A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.
Bow
Anything bent or curved, such as a rainbow.
Bow
The U-shaped piece which goes around the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
Bow
Either of the arms of a pair of spectacles, running from the side of the lens to behind the wearer's ear.
Bow
Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.
Bow
(nautical) A crude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
Bow
(saddlery) Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.
Bow
The part of a key that is not inserted into the lock and that is used to turn the key.
Bow
A gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist; a reverence
He made a polite bow as he entered the room.
Bow
(nautical) The front of a boat or ship.
Bow
(rowing) The rower that sits in the seat closest to the bow of the boat.
Bow
Obsolete spelling of bough
Bow
C|en|Foods}} {{alternative form of bao; any of several Chinese buns and breads
Bow
To play music on (a stringed) instrument using a bow.
The musician bowed his violin expertly.
Bow
(intransitive) To become bent or curved.
The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.
Bow
(transitive) To make something bend or curve.
Bow
To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
Bow
(intransitive) To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.
That singer always bows towards her audience for some reason.
Bow
To debut.
Bow
(intransitive) To defer (to something).
I bow to your better judgement in the matter.
Bow
(transitive) To give a direction, indication, or command to by bowing.
Bow
To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved.
We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness.
The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.
Bow
To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.
Not to bow and bias their opinions.
Bow
To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension.
They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
Bow
To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,; to crush; to subdue.
Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave.
Bow
To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.
Bow
To bend; to curve.
Bow
To stop.
They stoop, they bow down together.
Bow
To bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; - often with down.
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.
Bow
To incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow.
Admired, adored by all circling crowd,For wheresoe'er she turned her face, they bowed.
Bow
To play (music) with a bow.
Bow
An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission; an obeisance; as, a bow of deep humility.
Bow
Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.
I do set my bow in the cloud.
Bow
A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which an arrow is propelled.
Bow
An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.
Bow
The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
Bow
An appliance consisting of an elastic rod, with a number of horse hairs stretched from end to end of it, used in playing on a stringed instrument.
Bow
An arcograph.
Bow
Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging the hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.
Bow
A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
Bow
Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.
Bow
The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow.
Bow
One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the bow oar.
Bow
A knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
Bow
A slightly curved piece of resilient wood with taut horsehair strands, used in playing certain stringed instrument
Bow
Front part of a vessel or aircraft;
He pointed the bow of the boat toward the finish line
Bow
Curved piece of resilient wood with taut cord to propel arrows
Bow
Something curved in shape
Bow
Bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame
Bow
An appearance by actors or performers at the end of the concert or play in order to acknowledge the applause of the audience
Bow
A decorative interlacing of ribbons
Bow
A stroke with a curved piece of wood with taut horsehair strands that is used in playing stringed instruments
Bow
Bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head;
He bowed before the King
She bowed her head in shame
Bow
Submit or yield to another's wish or opinion;
The government bowed to the military pressure
Bow
Bend the head or the upper part of the body in a gesture of respect or greeting;
He bowed before the King
Bow
Bend one's back forward from the waist on down;
He crouched down
She bowed before the Queen
The young man stooped to pick up the girl's purse
Bow
Play on a string instrument
Common Curiosities
Is bowing a universal sign of respect?
While common in many cultures, the specifics and interpretations of bowing as respect can vary widely.
What is the main physical difference between a bow and reverence?
A bow involves a physical gesture of the body or head, while reverence is more about a deep emotional state and may not involve a physical action.
What are some common occasions for bowing?
Bows are commonly used in greetings, farewells, during apologies, and in expressing thanks, particularly in formal or ceremonial contexts.
How do cultural interpretations of reverence differ?
Cultural interpretations of reverence can vary greatly, often tied to religious practices and the veneration of sacred or highly esteemed entities.
Does the depth of a bow have any significance?
Yes, the depth of a bow often correlates with the level of respect being shown; deeper bows typically indicate greater respect or seriousness.
Is it appropriate to bow in all cultural settings?
Not always; while bowing is a sign of respect in many East Asian cultures, it might not be customary or may even be misinterpreted in other cultural contexts.
Can reverence include a bow?
Yes, a bow can be part of expressing reverence, especially in religious or solemn contexts.
Why is bowing particularly important in Japanese culture?
In Japanese culture, bowing is a critical component of social etiquette that conveys respect, gratitude, and humility.
Can reverence be expressed without religious connotations?
Absolutely, reverence can be felt towards individuals, principles, or events that one deeply respects or admires, without any religious affiliation.
How does one teach children the concept of reverence?
Teaching reverence often involves guiding children to understand the importance of respect and awe for people, principles, and practices through example, discussion, and participation in relevant activities.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
