5 everyday hand gestures that can get you in serious trouble outside the US. Some hand gestures that are innocent in the United States are offensive in other countries. The thumbs up, the “OK” sign, and crossing your fingers are all examples of gestures that are vulgar in certain places outside the US.
What gestures are rude in other countries?
- Some handy precautions. ...
- Iran: Thumbs-up. ...
- United Kingdom: Backwards peace sign. ...
- Malaysia: Pointing with your index finger. ...
- Brazil: The “OK” sign. ...
- Italy and Spain: “Hang loose” (or the “rock on” sign) ...
- Thailand: Touching someone’s head.
What hand gesture should you not use in some countries in Latin America?
Rocking out at a metal show or tossing up hook ’em horns (with your hand in a fist and index and pinky finger extended) is a bad idea in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Colombia. In these countries, the University of Texas signature hand gesture can be used to indicate that someone’s wife has been unfaithful.
What country is a thumbs up offensive?
In Iran, Greece, Russia, Sardinia, and parts of West Africa the thumbs up is as rude as the middle finger is in the UK. So no posing in front of the Parthenon making the thumbs up gesture like a nerdy tourist.
What hand gestures are offensive?
- The A-Ok.
- The Moutza.
- The Forks.
- Mano Fico.
- Corna.
- Dog Call.
- Crossing Fingers.
- Five Fathers.
Is beckoning rude?
In the Philippines, beckoning someone in the American fashion is regarded rude and fit only for dogs. It may also be punishable by arrest. The acceptable way to call someone is to use four fingers pointing down, with the palm facing the beckoner.
What is the middle finger in Korea?
Koreans unconsciously use their middle fingers when pointing at something or pushing up their glasses . Other hand gestures are less shocking than confusing. Say a man holds up his fist with his pinky finger crooked and raised. He’s referring to his girlfriend or someone with whom he’s having an affair.
What is the meaning of ?
The OK gesture or OK sign or ring gesture (symbol/emoji: ” “) is performed by connecting the thumb and index into a circle, and holding the other fingers straight or relaxed away from the palm. Commonly used by divers, it signifies “ I am OK” or “Are you OK? ” when underwater.
Is it rude to call someone with your finger?
Many Western cultures, particularly the US and Canada, gesture toward someone or something with their index finger , but this is considered impolite in several European, Latin American and African nations. It is particularly rude in China, Japan, and Indonesia.
Is finger wagging rude?
The gestures used for pointing and their interpretation vary among different cultures. ... In much of the world, pointing with the index finger is considered rude or disrespectful , especially pointing to a person. Pointing with the left hand is taboo in some cultures.
Are thumbs up rude?
The thumbs-up gesture is commonly used in many cultures to signify a job well done. ... However, it is considered a rude gesture in Slovakia, China, East Asia , Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and many other parts of the world. It’s also considered extremely impolite to use this gesture with people.
What is the rude finger in Japan?
Pointing the finger is considered rude in Japanese culture because the person pointing is associated with explicitly calling out the other individual for their wrong behavior or actions.
Why is the thumbs up emoji an insult?
The “thumbs up” emoji may look like harmless enough, but rest assured it is the most passive-aggressive of all the emojis at your disposal . It’s a dismissive kiss-off, meted out with a single flick of the finger. It’s a close cousin of the middle-finger emoji, for people not brave enough to use the middle-finger emoji.
What is inappropriate hand gesture?
An obscene gesture is a movement or position of the body, especially of the hands or arms, that is considered exceedingly offensive or vulgar in some particular cultures. Such gestures are often sexually suggestive .
What does flicking your chin mean in ASL?
1. The chin flick. Brushing the back of your hand underneath your chin in a flicking motion means “ get lost” in Belgium , northern Italy, and Tunisia. In France, this gesture is known as la barbe (”the beard”) and is the hand-sign equivalent of macho grandstanding. 2.
What does 4 fingers sideways mean?
In several Asian and European countries, a beckoning sign is made with a scratching motion with all four fingers and with the palm down. ... A fist with the index and middle fingers extended but spread apart – A peace sign meaning “ peace on the road .”
