noun
earnest apology; profuse apology
Describes a deep, humble apology where one bows flat (平) in contrition. Often used with する to mean 'apologize profusely'.
彼はミスをして平謝りに謝った。
He made a mistake and apologized profusely.
平謝りするしかなかった。
I had no choice but to apologize humbly.
謝罪 is a formal apology, often public or official. 平謝り emphasizes the depth and humility of the apology, with a nuance of bowing low.
土下座 is a physical act of kneeling and bowing to the ground, often seen as extreme. 平謝り is a verbal apology that may include deep bowing but not necessarily prostration.
Compound of 平 (ひら, 'flat') and 謝り (あやまり, 'apology'), literally 'flat apology', referring to bowing so deeply that one's body becomes flat.