Eye bow
Mongnye (목례, 目禮) is a light greeting made with the eyes. In kumdo it is used on entering the training hall and as the bow to the opponent, facing them and looking them in the eye, at about 15 degrees.
How to say it
- Korean
- 목례mongnye
- Spanish
- Saludo con una leve inclinación de cabeza
- English
- Eye bow
- Japanese
- 目礼もくれいmokurei
Mongnye (목례, 目禮) is defined in Korean dictionaries as a light greeting given with the eyes. A Korean language column stresses that the first syllable means "eye" (目), not "neck", and notes that the person may also nod or lower the head slightly.
In kumdo it appears in these situations:
- On entering the training hall (dojang), one gives a light mongnye as thanks for the shared training space.
- Before a match, the competitor enters the court, stands straight facing the opponent and bows about 15 degrees while looking them in the eye. Then, with the sword at the waist, they advance three steps to the start line (gaesiseon, 개시선).
- After the match, they sheathe the sword, step back five steps, lower the sword at the waist and bow with a mongnye as at the start. Even after this bow they do not turn their back: they step back two or three more paces and turn only once fully off the court.
The Korea Kumdo Association calls the standing bow in the dojang or on the court imnye (입례). It says this bow is made at about 15 degrees while watching the opponent's eyes, and that a bow toward the head table is about 30 degrees.
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