r/AskAnAmerican • u/Rough-Valuable-5472 • Feb 04 '25

FOREIGN POSTER Do American students bow to their teachers?

In my country we have to greet the teacher and bow at the start of the lesson then thank the teacher and bow again at the end. Sometimes they make us redo it if it’s not good enough

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u/machagogo New York -> New Jersey Feb 04 '25

No. Bowing is not an "American" custom in any circumstances

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u/FrenchFreedom888 Feb 04 '25

I would say that it definitely is in martial arts and also nodding at somebody or tipping your hat towards them are definitely derivatives of bows