Don't know about west but in eastern europe ''the fig'' is also used (or atleast was) by cheapskates or, when referring to kids, someone that could share ,for example snacks or toys but doesn't. It's almost never used nowadays, anyway.
+filipamd oh no i didnt know about that! This was in the context of being fidgety, and my dad used to tell me to stop doing it. But thanks for sharing this!
I'm from Thailand and so many foreigners keep telling me the thumbs up is a bad gesture, but I've never heard that before. My friends and I always do it, especially after Facebook "like" symbol made it common haha. In many Thai LINE stickers you can always find a thumbs up one. People will assume you mean "good" or "okay" if you use it
Have to agree with you, my girlfriend is Thai and her and family have never heard of this one. Even in more remote parts like Nong Bua Lam Phu I encountered no one who thought of thumbs up as meaning "I hate you". It's a universal gesture of all good or that everything is OK. Pointing at something using your foot or closing the fridge/cupboards etc with the foot and touching someone on the head is considered as much more offensive gestures in Thailand.
Yeah! The pointing/touching with your foot or showing/touching someone with the bottom of your foot is far more rude and should have been in this video instead of the thumbs up~
+TahmNong I think these girls are talking about the thumb gesture children do when they are saying 'i'm angry/mad at u now' and the little finger representing 'let's make up'. only thing is these girls don't really know what the gestures really mean and in what situation it is used, and so inteprete it wrong.
Agree with you Nong Nong. And it's considered as childish thing to do, so no one take it seriously anyway. ps. I havn't seen anyone use "thumb up" as "I hate you" for years. 555
OMG "The Fig" is a sign of wishing/attracting good luck here in Brazil We even have tiny fig statues for good luck, or you can have a fig pendant in you bracelet, or necklace
The fig is a sign of sexual activities in Indonesia haha so the thumb is the Mr. P and when you put it in the midde of your index and middle finger, it symbolizes the penetrating activity 😂 But in the Dutch colonializatio era, it is used by the Dutch as the "good luck" gesture hehe
+FrostyTheWolf God She's okay! It's acceptable where we live anyway. It doesn't affect her mobility. It mostly happens when she's been sitting for a long time.
No take her wherever she wants be proud and never care about what they think! I personally don't find the gesture offensive but for those who think so, your mom isn't doing it on purpose it's all good :)
I know that in many places, including Japan, they are more lenient when foreigners do things that are considered rude or unusual in their country because obviously they don't know what natives to the country do. Honestly, it'd be super rude of people to expect tourists to automatically know their customs anyway.
"Patting the head" is a sign of love in my culture. It's used to stop a person from crying or just a sign of affection and bond. Like if my little sister was crying, I'd try to cheer her up and pat her head and say "love love" (love you), and reassure her that she was ok.
I'm from Thailand and I think the thumb up gesture is a bad thing only for kids. Most kids will thumb up to their friends when they are mad at them but for adults it means good or cool like other countries.
left handed passing was once also considered rude in the USA. I don't know if that has changed with the advent of the drive thru and greater acceptance of left-handedness.
Interesting thought that drive-thru (and, earlier, drive-ins?) might have played a role in the acceptance of left-handedness. It is also the case that left-handed kids in the USA used frequently to be encouraged or forced to switch to using the right hand in school and/or at home up until around the 1950s or 1960s (and sometimes after that). I hadn't thought of this before, but the greater acceptance of left-handed writers came about about the same time that cheap ballpoint pens (which Americans do NOT call biros!) became plentiful and replaced dip and fountain pens in the classroom. Those pre-ballpoint pens favored righties, since they were much less likely to smear the still-wet ink when writing from right to left. (Lefties could partly get around the problem by holding the paper at an extreme angle.)
Oh really? I don't think so though because that's how most people ask someone to "come here" in the US~ When I first came to America I was shocked that someone was doing.. I still find it rude til today, but it's ok since it's not really a rude gesture in America. Right? or should I be mad cause they really are being rude? hehe
purplegirl02 Like a lot of things in the US, it's still a bit off putting, but not enough for people to overlook it in the name of multiculturalism. Gotta pick your battles. ;)
I am shaking my legs always not because of nervousness, i just want to move my legs to improve circulation. Most people stuck in a desk jobs usually do this. I see to it that I'm all alone when i do this though.
I do that leg shaking gesture when I'm bored or pissed off because of waiting. People are haters and they are quick to judge but oh well..I always dance to my tune anyways not like it matters.
In Poland crossing pointing and middle fingers(mainly behind your back or under the desk) is a sign that you are avoiding telling the truth or at least not tell whole truth oraz you hopes your lie stay in secret. like you sends "sorry, its a lie i hopes it'll be firgiven & forgotten"
SmoothRide not really. It depends on the type of anxiety and the cause . Some is conditioned but environmental and other types is harder to get rid of . With environmental people should just learn to hide the ‘reaction’ .
wow, I came across this website that explained that, statistically, leg shaking and nail biting were actually signs of someone who thinks too much or a sign of being a perfectionist. I learn something new about different cultures each day lol
The Fig is also used by adults when playing with young children. You reach for a child's nose and when you pull your hand away you place the fingers and thumb in the same formation and tell the child you have their nose.
In Italy we do the last one gesture (expecially to kids), exemple: before you touch the nose of the other person, then do that gesture and say "Look I take your nose! Now you don't have one until you don't open my hand!" It's only a stupid game to do with very little kids.
Ha! The last one is the "I got your nose!" gesture. Do people still do that trick with little kids? (Pretend you've snatched their nose off and have it in your hand?) I guess when I say it out loud it sounds kind of mean but....still hilarious. Hur!
It's same in India with the left hand. In India we always do things with our right hand as it's considered clean also when we eat we use our right hand
In relation to The Fig: "In many countries, such as the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Denmark, and the Czech Republic, this sign has no obscene meaning and is instead used in a game where you "steal" someones nose. You will usually do this with small children where you pretend to take their nose and then say "I've got your nose". The thumb represents the "stolen" nose held between your index and middle finger." Wikipdeia
The "fig" hand gesture you demonstrated is rarely used in modern day Western culture, but it is a Western culture hand gesture as well. We call it the mano fico (fig hand) and is associated with the Roman era. It was used for magical protection against the evil eye. It still has a strong connection in the metaphysical communities and is more oftenly used for general protection.
I left Vietnam in 1975 when I was 7. I don't remember any one told me that crossing your fingers have any negative meaning. I don't hear it from ny brothers, sisters, and parents either.
The last gesture is most often used in the U.S. (at least as far as I know) with little children. Parents or other adults would sometimes grab a child's nose with the index and middle finger, then when they would pull it away, they'd place their thumb there and say, "I've got your nose." After that, they would reverse the process to "put back" the child's nose.
The left hand usage that you mentioned is also bad in Saudi Arabia. My dad was CFO for this construction company in the 1970's and his boss, the CEO, was a Left-Handed person. They were invited to dinner by one of the Prince upon signing a major construction contract ( worth about $ 27 Million). My dad had to tell his boss to keep his left hand under the seat.
In Africa, Nigeria specifically, you don't give things with your left hands because lefty is a no no. Also, you don't touch someones head either. Also, putting your hand up without waving means somethings like "insulting your mother".
Oh really? Haha I thought 'all of them are Chinese' at first because this show's title is 'Off the great wall'. Then I got to think 'Maybe that short hair girl is Korean, her way to talk English is Korean way'. Now I got to know that Felicia and Mia are both not Chinese, and Mia is not Korean! Wao... Maybe other 2 guys are not Chinese either? ㅇㅅㅇ
In the western world we do do the "The Fig" when we pretend to steal someone's nose, usually a child's. You go to pinch their nose and say "I've gotcha nose" whilst showing the hand gesture.
Oh! The fig sign is also used in Europe as well! Also, in the US if you cross your fingers behind your back it means you are lying. Doing it while promising to do something means you are not going to do it, or that you don't actually mean in.
I shake my legs because I have restless leg syndrome and another chronic illness that makes my legs cramp and I have to move them. good to know people see it as uneducational
That is so interesting how the fig means so many different things in different countries. In Russia the fig sign is usually used to say "you are not getting it" whatever it is the person wants. Like for example if my brother asks me for money and I don't want to give him any I would jokingly show him the fig, like "you can get the fig, but not the money". Basically used to deny a request among friends or relatives.
fuck i sceriously don't understand the prescriptive of peoples i am a left handed and wgen sat dwon to eat food on various occasion and if someone points and says he is a left handed , i become so embarassed, was it my fault i got end up with left hand ,Why the fuck is the worl so fucking twisted?
I was originally left handed, I naturally grabbed the pencil with my left hand. but my parents smacked me around till I wrote with my right. Great parents I have.
I don't have any new gestures to add, but I would like to share some similarities and an interesting fact. In Catholism, we were always taught to wipe with our left and shake with our right because using the left hand is sinful. This makes sense to me because in traditional Catholic school children are always taught to write with their right hand. Otherwise, the nuns would use corrective action by hitting your left hand with a ruler. Among Chinese Elders, giving something using two hands is considered very respectful. Also, among Chinese Elders, at least those in the Guangdong area, shaking tour legs is considered rude and impolite. Speaking of which, which also brings me to the interesting fact; shaking your legs can indicate an insecure attachment from early early childhood.
"The fig" is the symbol for"t" in American sign language and is also commonly used in elementary school for a sign to show you have to use the restroom.
+MC.W TV，Hmmm ⋯⋯ why does a saying come to mind which goes like, "Everything is permissible but not everything is good and beneficial." I think you might be a little wrong in your theory? Anyway, you can't do anything you like in the west. There is such a thing as LAWS!! Or am I wrong? Are you saying that that is the concept that is taught? At least where you live? Sorry if I misunderstood... I guess you'll forgive me？超膽子^_^
In some parts of Europe ( the UK and Ireland I think), do not do a peace sign with your palm facing towards yourself, because it means fu. The middle finger is fairly rude but kind of overused now. Thumbs up in Italy is also like the middle finger in the US. In Spain, if you use the 'devil horns' (index and pinkie finger up, middle and ring finger held down by thumb) you are calling a guy an ignorant cuckold. Also in Italy is if you pinch your nose, you are calling someone a liar, or someone is spewing bs.
'Thumbs up in Italy is also like the middle finger in the US.' ? Not at all. In Italy thumbs up and middle finger have the same meaning as in the US. No difference at all.
Thumbs up in Italy is a thumb in the middle of the air. It has no specific meaning except for thise who watch lots of TV and know its american meaning. We traditionally use the horn sign (fingers folded except index and pinkie sticking up).
Not quite true. In the US, I once declined to have a small talk with the cashier which is something very normal in pretty much the whole Asia Pacific and everybody around looked at me like I was rude af. Another time I finished a small transaction and offered a thank but did not offer a handshake (never occurred to me to do so, never a part of the business etiquette I grew up with), the other party looked at me like I was some uncivilized hobo. If those things were to happen in any part of Asia Pacific no one would bat an eye. Point is, these non-verbal cues mean different things in different places. And in the West there are also things that shouldn't be done as well. It's just that people who always live there may never realize it.
indeed i always say "excuse me" or "sorry" if i have to hand something with my left hand because my right hand is occupied.. it becomes a habit for me, like i do it automatically without thinking
The fig gesture is actually how you sign the letter T in sign language, in between the middle and ring finger is the N and in between the ring and pinky finger is the M.
omg! I'm polish and my grandmother taught me the fig gesture when i was little, it means something like 'get lost', or sometimes when the person asks you to give them something and you are not giving it to them you say 'have a fig', it's quite rude tho. I would have never guessed the gesture is used in Asia
Right hand is for eating, left is for wiping - you don't want to eat with your wiping hand- because the water isn't clean if there is any water to wash with at all.
The thumb is known as "bong" in Thai. The gesture of bonging is used by kids when they are angry at friends. Never used by adults hence not really offensive
I have MS and tend to shake my legs a lot. It's either that or my whole body has tremors. But generally when I get bored quickly I tend to do it more. So if I were stuck listening to a long presentation then I might do it. It does help keep you focused actually.
The only things I would add are that using both hands when giving and receiving something is also a Korean thing too, and using your left hand is viewed the same way in Saudi Arabia (Used to live in both these countries).
I know that this would be completely unrelated to your channel content, but could Felicia please please pleaseeee upload a tutorial for her makeup and hair? She looks gorgeous here!
That last gesture ''The fig'' is a gesture against the evil eye in Sicily and one of the few pagan signs that survived the fall of Rome. I have a necklace of it in Rose wood and a few weeks I saw some one sell an 19th century auctioneer hammer with the gesture on it for ALLOT of money. The other sign against the evil eye (making the horns) is now mostly used in Metal concerts. Just funny how cultures differ.
You guys are missing one more. In america, the A-OK sign is offensive in vietnam. (You make a circle with your thumb and index finger). It's the equivalent of giving someone a middle finger in the US.
Thumb between index and middle finger (the fig): In Russia (which actually is part of Asia) and probably all the ex-Soviet republics and maybe even more countries in that region (Turkey, etc.) .... that gesture is the same as the U.S.A. gesture of sticking up your middle finger. So it definitely spread much further than just southeast Asia.
In Thailand, children only do thumps up when they joke around with friends. It's not an offensive gesture at all. In fact, I do not really see they do that anymore.
when I heard about "the fig" I was pretty suprised because it is "t" in American sign language, and the one Mia described is "n". But only on the right hand, the left is for numbers, the right is for the alphabet.
I live in the Philippines and we don't really consider that motion as disrespectful. But we do associate it with like the person doing the motion is going to give something to you.
The two Japanese ones, One hand giving and shaking your legs, is so true. I'm half Japanese so like everytime I give something in one hand to like for example my grandparents, I always have to remind myself to give the gift in two hands. For the shaking legs, I always like do it in restaurants when I'm like hungry and stuff but like when my mom sees this happening.. She'll say : No no. Don't do that. That's impolite;and stuff like that.
Another Thai here, the thumb up is nothing to be worried about unless you are a preschool yourself. Its meaning is exactly what Mia explained, so is the ring finger for reconciliation.
I think I remember reading that the don't give something with your left hand is a tradition from a time when they didn't have toilet paper, and couldn't wash there hands often.
Thumbs up & down is usually used when environment is not desirable for verbal conversation, in the Philippines at least. For example in a construction site where machines are roaring or conversing to a person across another room through a glass.
Also in WITNAM, if you cross your pointer finger over your middle figer and point it at someone, it just basically means like you are flipping someone off
Interesting. About the last gesture. (the fig / thumb between index and middle finger) In American Sign Language that gesture (with thumb pointing upwards) is the letter "n". The gesture with the thumb between your middle and ring finger is the letter "m". Notice the similarities between the single "hump" of a lowercase "n" and the bad hand gesture?
In Malaysia,Thailand and Singapore the curling your index finger means death.Its probably not used anymore since there's no problem doing it now in Malaysia.
I used to live in China when i was younger with my grandparents. I am a lefty. In school the teachers would always force me to write with my right hand. I use chopsticks at home, my grandma would force me to use my right hand. As of now i livd in the states, i could eat with my right hand but write and do everything else with my left.
Funny that the "fig" gesture has surprised two Chinese girls so much because the gesture is widely used in China (even Sammo Hung produces it once in an old Hong Kong kung-fu movie) , and not only in China... Don't know if you guys include Russians, Ukrainans and Eastern Slavs in general into the notion of "Western people" (which is as meaningless in itself as "Asian people" is) , but the "fig" gesture is very common there as well. They even call it "figa" (or "dulya") . Wouldn't dare to guess what the "fig" means for the Indonesians but when the Slavs show a "figa" they mean "whatever was that you wanted you'll only get over my dead body" . Sometimes, for additional degree of insult, the thumb is quickly moved up-down . Very nice trigger for a brawl.
I came from Russia, and the fig is very common there. When we show it, we usually say "fig tebe", which could translate to "fig for you". I see it as a way of saying no.
another one i heard about but havent yet checked for confirmation is the 'peace' sign with two fingers. in the US its common to see it both palm forward and back of hand forward. either way. but i think in the UK if you do it with the back of your hand forward its seen as a sign of flipping the bird to someone. correct me if in wrong.
Apropos these cultural differences, there was a rather politically incorrect episode of the sitcom "Are You Being Served" (was there any other kind?) in which they got into a situation that they had to get out of by telling some visiting Japanese businessmen that the back-of-the-hand-forward V was "the English workingman's salute". Hilarity ensued.
The Index-Middle-Thumb-Thing we do here in Germany as a children's game. The thumb represents the nose and when you show that to a child, you basically stole their nose and they have to try to get it back. Interesting how things differ :)
Dang, this is hella old, but I think Mia got the thumb and pinky Indonesian gesture mixed up. When I was a kid, thumb was "we're friends/still friends" gesture after you get into a fight. Pinky is the "enemy" gesture and there's a word for it: "siwak". When kids get angry, they would yell out that word while holding up the pinky to show that you're enemies for life..........but that's like 10 mins or just the rest of the school day at worst........kids have short memory span.
Some people don't shake their leg intentionally or out of nerviousness. I think it's called Restless Leg Syndrome and it can run in families. It runs in my family. I will unintentionally shake my leg. There are also people with ADHD. People in the Western world don't normally shake their legs either and find it weird too. The people that do often do, because they have Restless Leg Syndrome or have a condition of some kind. Just something to keep in mind.
In America, people normally shake hands, as a way of greeting, only with their right hand. We never do that with our left hand. Why is that? Well, I don't know.
in Indonesia (especially Javanese people) staring the older people or people we respect right into the eyes while having a talk with them is considered impolite or rude because they believe that it's like you disagree or you're against them. so we have to like stare down at somewhere while nodding, to show that we understand what they're talking about.
// what if you are shaking your leg or foot because your ADD. . . also the crossing of your fingers is either good luck or an action to get out of a promise
I've never heard of thumbs up gesture being rude in Thailand. I've already seen many Thais do it and it's fine and it's commonly used icon/sticker in Facebook and Line. One thing I've learned is never touch their head (especially if you aren't really close with them) or never touch the head of someone older than you because it's disrespectful. But someone younger than you is fine (again you have to be close or friends with them to do that) I've confirmed that with a thai friend of mine. In Philippines, curling your finger is ok to do with close friends especially when friends joke around but don't do that with strangers or someone who you just met because it's rude.
