Traveling abroad is undoubtedly one of the most enriching experiences a person can have. From soaking up the different cultures, food, art, and more, there’s so much you can learn about the human experience when you step outside your comfort zone. However, to be a respectful tourist or visitor to another country, you must also consider how you might come across to locals…and that includes hand gesture meanings. While we in the US might not think twice about throwing someone a thumbs-up, peace sign, or ‘okay’ sign here, these hand gestures can have very different meanings abroad — and can sometimes even be considered offensive.
Experts in This Article
psychologist and body language expert
etiquette expert, consultant, and speech-language pathologist
body language expert
founder and CEO of The Spanish Group, a company that offers human translation for over 90 languages
“Your hands tell everything about your emotions and reveal how you’re feeling at the moment.” —Blanca Cobb, PsyD, body language expert
After all, it makes sense that hand gesture meanings, just like any kind of body language, can carry a lot of weight. “Your hands tell everything about your emotions and reveal how you’re feeling at the moment,” says body-language expert Blanca Cobb, PsyD. “I call them your emotional barometer.”
To make sure you don’t embarrass yourself with accidental rude hand gestures or dirty hand gestures when abroad, we asked the experts to break down some of the most common hand gestures in the US and abroad.
1. Thumbs up
Meanings in the US
In the US, thumbs up (whether one or two) usually means positive things, such as “good job” or “sounds good.” In fact, it’s so commonplace that the thumbs up is often translated into emoji form as a way of digitally saying “I agree” or “okay.”
Other meanings
However, as we’ll soon learn, hand signs can have very different meanings in other countries and other parts of the world, and what we consider the thumbs up sign is one of them.
“In some Middle Eastern countries, for example, a thumbs up is considered quite rude, akin to showing someone the middle finger in the US,” explains Salvador Ordorica, CEO and founder of The Spanish Group, a translation company. In addition, Ordorica notes that in parts of Greece and Italy, the same symbol can also be seen as an insult, therefore, it’s “always a good idea to be cautious with this one,” he adds.
2. Peace sign
Meanings in the US
In the US, “holding your index and middle fingers in a ‘V’ shape is widely recognized as a symbol of peace or victory,” explains Ordorica. It’s also an easy go-to photo pose for many of us (okay, me).
Other meanings
However, if you flip your hand so your palm faces you, the same “V” shape can be seen as an offensive gesture in places like the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, says Ordorica.
3. Okay sign
Meanings in the US
In the US, we can take the hand gesture of a circle and thumb as an okay sign, however, this can have different meanings in other places of the world, ranging from simply other meanings, to offensive gestures.
Other meanings
In Japan, for instance, the same “okay” sign above, can be seen to mean “money,” says Ordorica, adding that “in countries like Brazil, it’s considered a vulgar or obscene gesture.” Etiquette expert Jo Hayes, also agrees, adding that the hand gesture is “equivalent to the middle finger,” in Brazil. So, definitely one you may want to be careful with!
4. Crossed fingers
Meanings in the US
In the US, we usually take two crossed fingers (usually the middle crossing over the pointer) to signify hope, or good luck.
Other meanings
However, the same sign can be offensive, such as in Vietnam, where crossed finger hand gesture meanings signify female anatomy, as Ordorica explains. In countries like Latvia and Sweden, the hand gesture meanings of this also indicate that someone is lying, explains body language expert Nicole Moore.
5. A firm handshake
Meanings in the US
A firm handshake can be seen as a sign of respect in the US, as it means you’re putting your best foot forward. However, depending on where you are in the world, a firm handshake can mean something else, as Ordorica says.
Other meanings
In countries like Turkey, for example, Ordorica says that a firm handshake “can be seen as aggressive,” and that in some Asian countries, “a softer handshake is preferred.”
6. Putting your hands in your pockets
Meanings in the US
In the US, we might put our hands in our pockets when feeling awkward, shy, or otherwise introverted.
Other meanings
While putting your hands in your pockets in the US might be considered innocent, “placing your hands in your pockets can be viewed as disrespectful and overly casual in parts of the Middle East and Korea, especially in professional or formal settings,” Ordorica explains.
7. Crossed arms
Meanings in the US
Similar to hands in pockets, having crossed or folded arms might not mean much in the US, and can often just be a resting position many people find themselves in by default.
Other meanings
However, you’ll want to exercise caution when crossing your arms in a country like Finland, for example, as doing so there “is considered a sign of arrogance or that you’re looking to be combative,” Moore explains.
8. Palms out
Meanings in the US
In the US, putting your open palm out usually means “stop,” as Ordorica says. You might also use it casually among friends to mean “enough,” or “hang on.”
Other meanings
“In Greece, however, this gesture is called the ‘moutza’ and is considered a serious insult, particularly if you spread your fingers while extending the palm outward,” explains Ordorica, adding that this symbol “has roots in historical punishments where dirt was smeared on the faces of criminals.”
9. Using your left hand
Meanings in the US
While in the US, using your left hand doesn’t mean anything and can be seen as a neutral hand gesture, in some other countries, it can have a different meaning if you happen to use your left hand for certain gestures or actions.
Other meanings
As Ordorica notes, “in many parts of India, the Middle East, and Africa, the left hand is considered unclean because it is used for hygiene purposes in the restroom. Therefore, it is disrespectful to use the left hand for eating, greeting, or exchanging items.”
Moore also adds that in these regions, “using the left hand for right hand designations is considered a major faux pas,” and that, “when in doubt, use the right hand when around other people and you should be fine.”
10. Pointing with index fingers
Meanings in the US
In the US, we often point with our index fingers as the default when it comes to signaling out things we want in stores, on menus, or more (like, pointing to your friend across the street, for example). This isn’t seen as rude and can be considered pretty commonplace to see people pointing with their index fingers in public.
Other meanings
However, “in many African countries and in the Middle East, it’s considered an offense to point at humans as this gesture should only be done when pointing toward inanimate objects,” Moore explains.
11. “Rock on” horns
Meanings in the US
If you’ve ever held down your middle and ring finger so that your thumb, pointer, and pinky finger are standing up to mean “rock on” (in an ironic Dad-jokey way or not), you’ll know that in the US, the hand gesture meanings associated with this sign are typically positive and silly.
Other meanings
However, while we might take the “rock on” horns to be funny or to otherwise show appreciation for heavy metal, Hayes explains that “in many other countries including Greece, Italy, Brazil, and Argentina, it has an obscene meaning, signifying a husband whose wife has been unfaithful.”
FAQs
1. What does the 🤟hand gesture mean?
This emoji represents the “sign of the horns” and are also referred to as rock-on horns, or “the devil’s horns” gesture. As Hayes pointed out above, this is often popular among heavy metal fans, but can be considered obscene if used in Greece, Italy, Brazil, and Argentina.
2. What does 👌 mean?
While we might interpret this emoji or hand sign to mean “okay” in the US, as both Ordorica and Hayes pointed out above, it can be seen as an obscene and offensive gesture in Brazil.
3. What does 🤙 mean in slang?
The thumb and pinky finger out can mean “hang loose” and is often associated in the US with surf, skate, and Hawaiian culture. It is different from the “devil’s horns” or “rock on” sign, as that one has the pointer finger pointed out.
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