Kinesics — gestures

126 cards in this category — of which 110 complete, 16 drafts.

• The Thai Three-Finger Salute (Hunger Games)Borrowed from Hunger Games, three raised fingers can lead to arrest in Bangkok under military rule.
  CompleteOffense
• Le sifflement au spectacleLe sifflet du spectateur américain est une huée féroce au théâtre français.
  CompleteInsult
• Talk to the HandPalm thrust toward the speaker to signal total refusal to listen — an emblem of 1990s North American pop culture rooted in African American vernacular.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The fig sign (thumb between fingers)Good-luck charm in Mediterranean cultures, a grave sexual insult equivalent to the middle finger in Russia, Turkey, and the Balkans.
  CompleteOffense
• The Vulcan salute (Star Trek, 1967)Hand raised, fingers spread in a V separating index-middle from ring-little, accompanied by "Live long and prosper" : gesture created by Leonard Nimoy for Star Trek in 1967, directly inspired by the Jewish Birkat Kohanim and the Hebrew letter shin ש (see e0122).
  CompleteCuriosity
• Temple Tap: Smart or Crazy?« Réfléchis » aux États-Unis, « tu es fou » en France — même geste, sens inverses.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The Cuckoo Sign: Finger Circling at TempleL'index qui tourne à la tempe désigne un fou — insulte grave en Allemagne au volant.
  CompleteInsult
• The V with inverted palmChurchill with open palm announces victory; the same hand rotated 180° insults a London pub. A flick of the wrist separates two worlds.
  CompleteOffense
• The OK ring (thumb-index circle)A validation gesture in English-speaking countries and a divers' safety signal — yet in São Paulo, Istanbul or Athens the same thumb-index circle depicts an anal orifice. One of the most treacherous emblems to take abroad.
  CompleteOffense
• Thumbs upThe 'like' button has almost erased a regional taboo. Almost. Offline, and outside the connected generation, the thumbs-up can still offend in Iraq, rural Greece or Iran.
  CompleteOffense
• Thumbs downThe reverse twin of the thumbs-up in Western culture: categorical rejection and social disapproval. But its significance varies from region to region, and Roman iconography is largely invented.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The horns (corna / mano cornuta)Index and little fingers extended: a playful rock salute in the North West, and protection against the evil eye in Mediterranean folklore when the fingers point down. But with fingers up and aimed at a person in Italy, Spain, Greece or Latin America, the same fingers mean "cuckold" — a serious sexual insult. A gesture split by geography and the orientation of the hand.
  CompleteOffense
• The figue (mano fico)Thumb pressed between index and middle finger: a protective amulet against the evil eye since Mediterranean antiquity, still worn as a good-luck charm in Brazil. But aimed at a person in Italy, Greece or Turkey it is a serious sexual obscenity; in Russia, a mere mocking gesture of refusal. One gesture, three readings.
  CompleteOffense
• Moutza (Greek open-palm gesture)Open hand thrust towards the face, fingers spread: supreme insult in Greece and Cyprus, gesturally re-enacting the Byzantine humiliation of smearing the faces of condemned criminals with soot. Peaceful stop gesture in the West — a dangerous 180-degree bivalence.
  CompleteTaboo
• Chin flick (Italian, Neapolitan, French)Backs of the fingers under the chin, quick forward flick. In Naples and southern Italy, a forceful negation ("no"). In northern Italy, France and modern Greece, a dismissive gesture ("I don't care", "get lost").
  CompleteInsult
• The middle fingerThe middle finger extended alone, other fingers folded. A major obscene insult of the Western world, the gestural equivalent of "fuck you". Now widely recognised worldwide through the media.
  CompleteOffense
• Palm-up beckoning (curved index finger)Single index finger curved towards oneself, palm turned upward: a familiar call in the West. Reserved for calling animals in the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos; offends elders in South Korea; conveys a threat in Singapore. The respectful way to call a human in Asia uses a palm-down gesture (see e0011).
  CompleteInsult
• Palm-down beckoning (Asian polite call)Palm down, fingers flexing repeatedly toward self : polite beckoning gesture for adults from Southeast Asia to East Asia. Respectful mirror of the palm-up version, which is offensive in Asia (see e0010).
  CompleteCuriosity
• The index finger pointPointing at someone with the index finger: neutral in the West, insulting across much of Asia, the Arab world and Africa.
  CompleteInsult
• Lip PointingIn many indigenous cultures across Southeast Asia, Central America, and Oceania, people indicate direction by protruding their lips rather than pointing with a finger.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The hitchhiker's thumbThumb raised at the roadside: universal hitchhiking signal in the West, obscene insult equivalent to the middle finger in Iran and Iraq.
  CompleteInsult
• Counting One: Thumb or Index Finger?Continental Europeans show one with the thumb; Anglo-Saxons use the index finger — a reliable source of wrong orders in international bars.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Cornuto / horns of the cuckold (pointed or behind-the-head gesture)Index and little finger raised, pointed at someone or held behind their head: an insult meaning "your spouse is cheating on you" (to wear the horns). Same iconography as the corna malocchio (e0005) and the devil horns rock (e0041), with a distinct semantics defined by the context of use.
  CompleteOffense
• The Fist PumpA closed fist thrust upward then pulled sharply down: the solo victory celebration, born in American sport and now global.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The High FiveBorn in American baseball on October 2, 1977, the open-palm slap became the world symbol of spontaneous celebration.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Fist BumpFrom boxing rings to Obama's campaign trail, the fist bump became the pandemic's gesture of social hygiene.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Handshake — Grip Strength and DurationCrush a Japanese executive's hand or offer a limp grip to a Texan: two symmetrical discomforts.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The vertical nod that means no (Bulgaria, Albania)In Bulgaria and Albania, nodding the head up and down means no — the exact opposite of the Western convention.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The Indian Head WobbleA subtle lateral head tilt that can mean yes, maybe, I understand, or simply I am with you.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Le claquement de doigtsAppeler un serveur en claquant des doigts : impardonnable à Paris, toléré à Caracas.
  CompleteInsult
• Le salute serbe à trois fingersTense thumb-index-major: Serbian pride, explosive provocation in Croatia and Bosnia. One gesture, three political stories.
  CompleteOffense
• L'applaudissement lentTribute sarcastique en anglais, applaudissement rythmé sincère en Chine.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Le poing levéSolidarité ouvrière, Black Power, résistance : un même geste, trois histoires politiques.
  CompleteInsult
• The so-called Roman / fascist saluteArm extended, palm down — gesture neither Roman nor ancient, invented by David 1784, adopted by D'Annunzio 1919 then Mussolini 1925. Criminally banned in Germany, Austria, Belgium and several countries. Distinct from the specific Nazi salute (e0060).
  CompleteTaboo
• Air QuotesTwo fingers curling in the air to quote — and often mock — someone else's word or claim.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Loser L GestureThumb and index finger form an L pressed to the forehead to label someone a loser — a 1990s North American gesture, widely unknown outside the Anglophone world.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The FacepalmHand slapped over the face in exasperation, shame, or disbelief — a universal gesture popularized by internet memes and Anglo-American pop culture.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Shush (Finger on Lips)Index finger held vertically against the lips — a near-universal request for silence, rarely offensive, but sometimes perceived as authoritarian.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Les doigts croisés (chance ou mensonge)Souhait de chance en Europe ; obscénité au Viêt Nam, où il évoque un sexe féminin.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• La promesse du petit doigtLe yubikiri japonais, exporté en pinky swear américain — un pacte enfantin sérieux.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Devil horns / metal horns / sign of the horns (rock salute)Index and little finger raised, other fingers folded: a metal-culture allegiance gesture popularized by Ronnie James Dio in 1979. Iconographically identical to the Italian corna (e0005) but semantically distinct; not to be confused with the cornuto insult (e0018).
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The shaka (Hawaiian hang loose sign)Thumb and pinky extended, three middle fingers curled: the Hawaiian greeting of goodwill and relaxation, spread worldwide by surf culture.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Chinese number hand gestures (1 to 10 on one hand)In China, a conventional system of hand gestures allows counting and indicating numbers from 1 to 10 with a single hand. This system varies by region and can cause confusion in international contexts.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Japanese finger counting (yubiori kazoeru)Japanese finger counting folds fingers toward the palm — the reverse of Western convention — causing a persistent off-by-one confusion for foreign observers.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Pointer la lune du doigtAu Viêt Nam et en Chine, montrer la lune vous vaudrait, dit-on, une oreille coupée.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Throat-slice gesture (death threat)The index finger crossing the throat horizontally: cancelled in the West, but a death threat in the Middle East and South Asia - a serious post-trauma misunderstanding.
  CompleteOffense
• The bras d'honneur (umbrella gesture / Italian salute)Right arm bent, left hand slapping the bicep — a major insult equivalent to the middle finger, ubiquitous in Latin Europe and Latin America.
  CompleteTaboo
• Military hand saluteMain droite portée au front — geste ritualisé de respect hiérarchique militaire, universellement normalisé, sans tabou régional.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Quenelle (Dieudonné gesture)Arm stretched down at an angle, hand palm-down - gesture popularized by Dieudonné, codified as an anti-Semitic insult in France since ~2013.
  CompleteTaboo
• Anjali Mudra (Namaste)Palms pressed together at the chest, head slightly bowed: the sacred Hindu-Buddhist greeting practiced from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. A universal gesture of respect in these cultures, sometimes perceived as superficial or exotic when used out of context.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Thai WaiPalms pressed together at the chest with a slight bow: the Thai wai encodes social rank through hand height and depth of bow. Initiated by the subordinate, returned by the superior — failing to return a monk's or child's wai is considered rude.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Cambodian SampeahPalms pressed together before the chest with a slight bow: the Cambodian sampeah encodes social rank through five distinct levels, from chest height (peers) to forehead (Buddha and king). Initiated by the subordinate, it is rooted in Theravada Buddhism and remains the dominant daily greeting in Cambodia.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Hitler salute (Hitlergruß, Deutschgruß)Right arm extended, palm down — Nazi hate symbol legally banned in Germany, Austria, Belgium and several other countries. Origin: chain David 1784, D'Annunzio 1919, Mussolini 1925, Hitler 1926.
  CompleteInsult
• Cheek screw (Italian praise gesture)Praise gesture: index finger screwed into the cheek means 'delicious / excellent' in Italy. In southern Spain, the same gesture is an insult meaning 'effeminate'.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Italian wrist flick: let's goA hand flicked from the wrist toward the exit, sometimes with thumb and little finger extended: 'andiamo', let's go, hurry up. Ordinary in Italy, elsewhere the gesture reads as impatient dismissal.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Italian pinched fingers (ma che vuoi)Five fingertips pinched together, hand flicked upward: in Italy this means 'what do you want?' / 'so what?'. Globally recognized as a symbol of Italian identity, it is largely harmless but can confuse people unfamiliar with its meaning.
  CompleteNeutral
• The palms-up shrugRaised shoulders, bent elbows, open palms turned skyward: 'I don't know', 'nothing I can do'. A Western emblem of ignorance or helplessness, rare and hard to read in East Asia.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The blown kissFingertip kiss blown toward a distant recipient: chaste affection in the West, perceived immodesty in Islamic countries and South Asia.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The open-palm waveWaving an open palm to say goodbye: universal in the West, but read as 'come here' in East and Southeast Asia, a common source of cross-cultural confusion.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The hand-over-heart pledgePlacing the right hand over the heart during an anthem or pledge: an American civic emblem of sincerity, read as theatrical or puzzling across most of the world.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Patting your heart (Italian promise)Patting the heart: sincere Italian promise, sarcasm perceived elsewhere.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Fanning the mouth (too spicy)Wave open palm in front of mouth: signals a too-spicy dish, but can be misread as refusal or agitation in Asia.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The exposed soleShowing the sole of the foot: Western comfort, Asian insult.
  CompleteOffense
• Throwing a Shoe as Supreme InsultIn the Arab and Islamic world, throwing a shoe at someone is one of the gravest possible insults — feet and footwear being considered ritually unclean.
  CompleteOffense
• Feet on a Desk: The Sole as OffensePutting feet on a desk — soles visible — is a relaxed gesture in North America, but constitutes a serious offense in the Arab, Islamic world and much of Asia, where soles are considered unclean.
  CompleteInsult
• L'index finger qui gronde (wagging finger)'Agiter l''index finger : réprimande parentale, féminité passive-agressive ailleurs.'
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Arms crossedCrossed arms: universal defense or cultural comfort, ambiguous.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Japanese inclination (o-jigi)Japanese reverence: 45° respect, 90° deep contrition.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Korean bow (insa / jeol)Bowing the torso (15°–90°) to greet, thank or apologise: angle and duration encode the level of respect.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The chin-up gesture (Mediterranean no)A sharp upward chin toss: categorical refusal in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran. Misread in Northern Europe.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The eyebrow flashEyebrow flash: primary greeting in Polynesia, flirtatious misread in the West.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The WinkBriefly closing one eye toward a person to signal complicity, flirtation, or irony — positive in the West, perceived as vulgar or offensive in China and India.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The limp wristSlack wrist: harmless gesture or globalized homophobic stereotype.
  CompleteOffense
• The number eight and prosperity (East Asia)Number eight: symbol of Chinese prosperity, phonetically assimilated to success.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Paper-stone-scissors (janken)Janken: 3-option decision game (stone/paper/scissors) dating back 2000+ years, codified 17th-century Japan.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The farewell wave vs the shooing gestureIn Japan and parts of Asia, flapping the hand palm down means 'come here' (temaneki). To Western eyes, that flutter looks like shooing someone away. The exact inversion of the intent.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Argentina's mano pichocha (pinching hand)Mano pichocha: Argentine provocation, violence perceived elsewhere.
  CompleteInsult
• Measuring a person in Colombia (vertical palm)Low-height palm: 'you're small', a deep Colombian insult.
  CompleteOffense
• The eyelid pull gesture (watch out / my eye)Pulling the lower eyelid down with the index finger: vigilance or warning in Latin America and the Mediterranean, disbelief in France, childish taunt in Japan. One gesture, three opposite cultural readings.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The evil eye and protective gestures (nazar, hamsa, corna)The belief in the evil eye (nazar in Turkish, ayin hara in Hebrew, mal de ojo in Spanish) is one of the most widespread in the world. It generates distinct protective gestures across cultures: mano cornuta, mano fico, hamsa. An overly admiring gaze can be felt as a threat in cultures that share this belief.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Money Gesture (finger rub)Rubbing the thumb against the index and middle fingers signals money or expected profit — but the 'hand over closed fist' variant is a documented antisemitic stereotype.
  CompleteInsult
• The Roman thumb downThe ancient thumb down: the Roman meaning is the opposite of modern usage.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Open hand shaking (Spain - "full")Open hand shaken (Spain — 'a lot')
  CompleteCuriosity
• Whistling with your fingersFinger whistle (Mediterranean — calling gesture)
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Palms up "finishedAmbivalent gesture: palm up French no more.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The hand that slices the horizontal (that's enough)Ambivalent gesture: cut it out slice horizontally.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The taboo of the left handAmbivalent gesture: left hand unclean taboo.
  CompleteInsult
• Lire une carte de visite (meishi)Lire une carte de visite (meishi)
  CompleteInsult
• The horizontal shake that means yes (Bulgaria, Albania)In Bulgaria and Albania, shaking the head from side to side means yes — the exact opposite of the Western convention.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The Turkish head-toss with tskIn Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and Lebanon, a sharp backward head toss with a tongue click means categorical 'no' — a sign foreign partners often mistake for hesitation.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Hand covering mouth while laughingCovering mouth while laughing: standard of decorum in East Asia, perceived in the West as shyness or servility.
  CompleteCuriosity
• "Ma che dici?" / "Che vuoi?" (pinched fingers, mano a borsa)Panitalian emblem known as mano a borsa or pinched fingers: fingertips of one hand drawn together into an upward-pointing cone, wrist moving vertically. Dominant meaning: incredulity or derision ("but what are you saying?", "what do you want?").
  CompleteCuriosity
• Finger flick on the throat (Russian gesture for wanting to drink)Flick under chin or on throat: in Russia and post-Soviet states, signals desire to drink; can be perceived as threatening out of context.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The Fist to the Heart (Nordic sports gesture)Closed fist struck against the heart: a Nordic emblem of honor, respect and solidarity, especially in Scandinavian sports and military contexts.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Crossed indexes (Latin America - enmity)Regionalized kinesic gesture: crossed index fingers latam enmity.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• The fist that hits the palm (threat)Regionalized kinesic gesture: fist to palm slap.
  CompleteInsult
• The stop (vertical palm)Regionalized kinesic gesture: vertical stop palm.
  CompleteInsult
• Fingers crossed behind the backA dual-purpose gesture: held in front, it wishes good luck; hidden behind the back, it cancels a promise or excuses a lie. Meaning shifts by culture: luck in Anglo-Saxon contexts, but a sign of deception in Germany, Sweden and Latvia.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Jazz handsAmerican theatrical gesture: both hands open and spread, fingers spread wide, shaken lightly upward. Performative enthusiasm, often ironic by 2026.
  CompleteNeutral
• Che palle! (testicles gesture)Regional Italian gesture of frustration: both hands mimicking testicles, shaken slightly downward. Accompanies exclamation *Che palle!* ('what a bore / what a con!'). Borderline between obscene joke and context-dependent insult.
  CompleteCuriosity
• The Portuguese OK (shame on you)Portuguese obscene gesture: index finger-thumb ring (like OK), but with wrist twist. "Shame on you", "fool". Very regionalized, often confused with American OK.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Pulling the lower eyelid downMediterranean gesture: index finger pulling down the lower eyelid, revealing the conjunctiva. Means 'Be careful' (friendly alert) or 'I don't believe you' (disbelief) depending on context and intensity. Documented by de Jorio (1832) in Naples.
  CompleteMisunderstanding
• Vulcan / Kohanim (Jewish blessing)Double-charged gesture: Jewish Kohanim blessing (two V splits = Hebrew Shin) + Star Trek Vulcan gesture (1967). No conflict, two traditions coexist. Universal positive gesture, no documented offense.
  CompleteNeutral
• Table knock (tisch) - GermanyGermanic gesture: lightly tapping the table (palm, fingers). Silent approval, quiet agreement. Frequent in Germany, Austria, German-speaking Switzerland. No offense.
  CompleteNeutral
• Hongi (Maori nose-to-nose greeting)Sacred Maori greeting: two people bring foreheads and noses together, exchange breath. Signifies sharing of spirit (wairua), mutual recognition. Deep cultural practice, to be honored with respect. No documented offense.
  CompleteCuriosity
• Kunik (Inuit nose-to-nose greeting)Affectionate Inuit greeting: two people bring noses and cheeks together, exchange breaths. Affection, gratitude, warmth. An ancient Arctic tradition, little known outside the polar regions.
  CompleteNeutral
• Three fingers (silver) - JapanJapanese gesture: three fingers raised (thumb, forefinger, middle finger) = money, bill. Very regionalized, little known outside Japan.
  CompleteNeutral
• OK hijacked (white power symbol)⚠️ CRITICAL: Standard OK gesture (thumb-index circle) hijacked since 2017 by white supremacist extremists as covert hate symbol. Context determines if OK = innocent approval or hidden hate signal. Public photography extremely risky.
  CompleteTaboo
• Hi Wakanda Forever (Black Panther)Black Panther cinematic gesture (Marvel): two closed fists raised, arms crossed in X. Wakanda allegiance, Afro-diaspora solidarity. In actual use since 2018 as an affirmation of African cultural identity.
  CompleteNeutral
• Peace gesture (dove)Universal gesture of peace: two hands open, palms down. Used worldwide to express peace, solidarity and non-violence. No offense intended.
  CompleteNeutral
• Le salut scout à deux doigtsLe salut scout polonais ressemble, paume inversée, à l'insulte britannique du V.
  DraftInsult
• Counting 3: thumb-index-middle (continental) vs index-middle-ring (Anglo-Saxon)Germans show 3 with thumb-index-middle, Americans with index-middle-ring — two conventions that coexist in Europe and create misunderstandings in bars and restaurants.
  DraftCuriosity
• Le poing du toit iranienDescription courte de Le poing du toit iranien — geste documenté.
  DraftOffense
• La mano pantea (hamsa)Description courte de La mano pantea (hamsa) — geste documenté.
  DraftCuriosity
• La main des cinq chiitesDescription courte de La main des cinq chiites — geste documenté.
  DraftMisunderstanding
• Se tirer le lobe d'oreilleDescription courte de Se tirer le lobe d'oreille — geste documenté.
  DraftOffense
• Tirer la paupière inférieureDescription courte de Tirer la paupière inférieure — geste documenté.
  DraftMisunderstanding
• Le petit doigt dressé (japonais)Description courte de Le petit doigt dressé (japonais) — geste documenté.
  DraftInsult
• Le yubikiri (pinky swear japonais)Description courte de Le yubikiri (pinky swear japonais) — geste documenté.
  DraftCuriosity
• The nose circle (Peru)Peruvian gesture of mild insult: index finger tracing a small circle around the nose. Means 'you're a liar' or 'it's a scam.' Light charge, context-dependent, highly regionalized.
  DraftMisunderstanding
• Hook 'em Horns (Texas)Texan gesture: two fingers raised in V (index, middle), forming the 'horns' of UT Austin's Longhorn. Football team support, Texan university pride. Low risk of offense.
  DraftCuriosity
• Geste argent coréen (swag)Geste coréen : pincée avec pouce-index signifiant argent/richesse. Surtout contexte jeunesse urbaine moderne. Peu connu international.
  DraftNeutral
• Claquement de doigts (salutation Amérique latine)Geste Amérique latine : claquement de doigts brefs = salutation informelle, appel amical. Contexte socio-familier.
  DraftCuriosity
• Signe sucette-bébé (Argentine)Geste argentin : doigt levé mimant sucette = allusion à naïveté/bêtise, surtout envers enfant ou personne imbécile. Registre familier/blague.
  DraftCuriosity
• Chiquenaude épaule-cou (Colombie)Geste colombien : mouvement rapide main du cou vers l'arrière (loin de visage) = »va-t'en, tu m'ennuies«. Insulte légère contexte familier.
  DraftCuriosity
• Paume ouverte + tsk irakienGeste irakien : paume ouverte pointe vers l'avant + son »tsk« = rejet, dédain, insulte légère. Très régionalisé, peu connu hors Moyen-Orient.
  DraftMisunderstanding