顙

The forehead, specifically the brow-ridge or the prominent upper part of the forehead. As a verb: to kowtow or press the forehead to the ground in prostration.

When functioning as a verb, it denotes full prostration—a gesture of extreme deference, supplication, or profound grief—rather than a simple bow.

Often acts as a semantic substitute for 額 (é), which is the standard term for "forehead" in later periods. The choice of 顙 typically signals an archaic register, a specific focus on the anatomical prominence of the brow, or a ritual context emphasizing the act of prostration.

Simplified variant: U+98A1.

In physiognomic contexts, this glyph often appears alongside 眉 (eyebrow), 顚 (crown of the head), or 頰 (cheek). In ritual contexts, it is frequently clustered with verbs of submission such as 拜 (bow/worship), 俯 (bend over), or 跪 (kneel).