American Hand Gestures in Different Cultures - 7 Ways to Get Yourself in Trouble Abroad

[xXjesperoXx]

1:01 Did he say Norway?

[ApertureScience27]

Greek people must be angry a lot

[awesomeguy411]

and now i know!

[MrWileCoyot]

@awesomeguy411 And that is half the battle! GO JOE!!!

[flowiepanda]

im from russia and this is the first i hear about the thumbs-up and a-ok being offensive. in fact, i've used it while i was in russia with other russians. i guess i was telling them that they were homosexuals...

[Revulai]

Greece has a problem with everything

[vanmaren962]

lol so pretty much dont move your hands while in Greece

[WCFPfilms]

I love how everyone comes to a video to be educated about hand gestures, but instead everyone acts like they are hand experts, just graduated from Hand College with their Master's degree in Handoliogy.

[PimsleurApproach]

@WCFPfilms ROTFL.

[DJJudgeJesus]

Don't use American hand gestures in Russia and Greece. Ok, got it.

[jovix002]

come here doesn't have a negative meaning in the Philippines! The "loser" gesture actually has a positive meaning. YAY

[blackmancer]

You are wrong on the peace sign in Australia. Its only when you turn your hand around so back of your hand is facing the person. I'm from Australia

[PimsleurApproach]

@blackmancer Yes, that's why the illustration depicts the hand with the knuckles facing outward.

[Starkiller1701]

@blackmancer And Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during the Second World War also used this gesture to denote victory

[onelazynoob15]

Wait I thought \m/ means rock on not Texas Longhorns, unless this means that Texas is the origin of rock, that'll be cool. \m/ Texas, Rock Hard and Live Long \m/

[HitachiHenemaru]

What does a hand gesture have to do with archers?

[Randomness65535]

I'm russian, don't live there but pretty sure thumbs up means the same thing for russians as it does for people in the US.

[MissDedodakes]

The peace sign is offensive in South Africa as well. My dad is from SA and we were taking a pic, and my bro flashed the peace sign at the camera and dad got really po'd.

[italykoreaaustralia]

the 'peace' or 'victory' sign isn't offensive at all in australia, regardless of which way the knuckles are facing. if anything it's just a stupid pose teenagers overuse in pictures.

[Bossy87]

omg

[hashtaglmao]

i know where im going next summer .... here i come Greece :D!!!!!

[MsEmmyD]

I used 'thumbs up' in Greece. Damn.

[antijelly]

It's funny because the phillipino hand gesture for "come here" seems like the american "shew! go away! "XD so confusing when i'm at my phillipino friends house

[LoadedBrainz]

Watches video.// Get dressed where going the Greece!

[whitedovegrl66ify]

lol.i better be more careful with my hands then i think.

[Buahahahahahahaha]

The peace one is an f bomb offense in Iran too

[Toitlescc]

'but in greece, it means eat sh*t'

[Ochoparentesis]

Yes, you will note that in the video that the knuckles are facing outward.

[MugzieIsGir]

Tthe come hither symbol, it shouldn't be used in South Korea either... for the same reason.

[wwesdrocks21]

so thats why the australian kid got nervous and confused when i was showing him the peace sign

[silverdragon13b]

now i know where i am using the peace sign

[MrJepcats]

@DaJbro024 Yes, you will note that in the video that the knuckles are facing outward.

[blizzerdbiworrior]

The "come here" gesture is also offensive in Hong Kong.

[JJWOOLF]

0:29 Turn it around and is internationally peace and victory.

[dgillespie13]

So, pretty much no hand gestures in Greece, of any kind, at any time. noted.

[squaferno]

I just won't use a hand gesture outside my country.

[HBSschemers]

Disney taught me all this already lol

[Myrdin90]

In Norway the "texas Longhorn" is connected to Satan

[DaJbro024]

in case you didnt know, In the UK, we use the peace sign. If you do it with your palm turned towards you, then it is swearing

[whateverlolawants]

There is a gesture for telling someone their spouse is cheating? That's pretty specific. How often does someone need to say that? And without words?

[NikkieRoZenFried]

In Great Britain, it doesn't mean that unless.. Oh wait, you answered that already? damn.

[gmosphere]

The mst3k version of pod people had a guy flashing the ok sign and saying it stinks

[Hatorah]

The Texas Longhorn is an Illuminati goat's horn sign. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. Google Satanic signs and it will come up. Whoever posted this is only wanting to conceal this truth but then comes along lil ol me.Ha. Good try buddy.

[1acroyear1]

Umm... so what exactly is on the "like" and "dislike" buttons in Russia, Greece and Sardinia?

[forallpurposesonly]

1:25 We do that also here, but it's rare

[628318darkartist]

this is very interesting.

Anywhere else in the world, does pointing your middle finger at someone mean something good?

[TuxTurner]

Britain doesn't care about peace signs unless they're turned backwards. It had to do with archers. Long story.

[PimsleurApproach]

@TuxTurner Yes, you will note that in the video that the knuckles are facing outward.

[Nayrbarr1234]

@PimsleurApproach I think the trouble that people are having is that, in my experience, I've never seen anyone (British or otherwise) using the knuckle out version to denote piece.

[Anotherwizard312]

@TuxTurner That's why it's backwards in the video..

[Prodigiousguy8]

The peace sign is backwards. That's what differentiates it.

[Maloccoda]

the peace sign is only offence in GB and Ireland if you show the back of your hand, its too do with English longbow men in the 100 years war

[PimsleurApproach]

@Maloccoda Yes, you will note that in the video that the knuckles are facing outward.

[SuperCoatrack]

@Maloccoda being from New Zealand and i'm sure its the same for most australians, i had no idea that thats what it meant and it gave me no offense for that reason, but it does happen occasionally oddly enough

[DownThereForDancing]

@Maloccoda The first part is true, however the longbowmen thing is a common misconception.

[LightningStripeDFTBA]

In the UK, we use the peace sign. It offends nobody in my area. If you do it with your palm turned towards you, then it is swearing.

[PimsleurApproach]

@LightningStripeDFTBA Yes, you will note that in the video that the knuckles are facing outward.

[LightningStripeDFTBA]

@PimsleurApproach ah, sorry, I thought it was from the point of view of the gesturer.

[daredog9]

@PimsleurApproach do you ever get tired of saying the exact same thing over and over again

[Shibi181]

@daredog9 Yes, you will note that in the video that the knuckles are facing outward.

[PimsleurApproach]

@daredog9 Not really ;)

[jedihacim]

@PimsleurApproach i love how your responses were the same

[ElHasZardo]

@LightningStripeDFTBA in the UK i have used it in a wave, and was given a funny look, but it was a co-worker and he knew i was canadain but you could tell it ment something else to him (side wave knuckles out)

[Dalatron]

@LightningStripeDFTBA Same in Australia.

[happyirishbahai]

So does that mean that the thumbs up on youtube is offensive in some countries?!

[Wildifepro]

Wait, the two fingers is a sign of victory in the US?

[yourlilemogirl]

@Wildifepro well, i'm guessing that might be why Nixon did it so much? idk.

[jotathenoble]

Ironicly for not get arrested in Greece, tell a guard to put handcuffs on your hands.

[valkireace]

wait so if i thumbs up this vid im telling it up yours?

[Ghelimir]

The moral of the story: If you're in another country simply run around waving your middle fingers at everyone and you will be loved by all.

[grecomic]

Your grasp (if you pardon the pun) seems a tad vague on the 'Victory' sign. It's only rude if you show the recipient the back of your hand (much the same way you flip someone the bird). Winston Churchill was able to display the victory sign in his homeland, controversy-free, because he was careful to show the front and not the back!

[YingofDarkness]

@grecomic Read the comments the creator of the video already made right below the video. He's addressed this 3 times already -_-

[TheZmon2020]

my hands fell so dirty now "eh you *fingers them to come over here* do you have any so-" phileapen "YOU DARE TO TREAT ME LIKE DOG GO TO JAIL YOU TRASH" "and that kids is how i got my shoulder borken by a police bat" my cousin "how did you go from talking about your plantion in russia TO BEING SENT TO JAIL IN THE PHILPEANS"

[BerryBlossom819]

It basically means. eat Sh**

[Rubixcubexx]

in Ireland and GB people aren't offended by the peace sign!! ?

[MermaidsAreNice]

@Rubixcubexx It depends on which part of the hand is facing the receiver of the signal. The back of the hand means something different than the front of the hand, but in American both sides mean the same thing when giving the peace sign.

[happyirishbahai]

@Rubixcubexx Noooo not the peace sign silly. Us irish and the Brits are offened if you rortate your hand 180 degrees showing two fingers and the knuckles facing the person! Very different!

[SkyBlueNoodles]

The same hand gesture that shouldn't be used in the Philippines shouldn't be used in Korea either because it means the same thing, only i don't think you'll go to jail for doing it in Korea, but just get really dirty looks :P.

[god5peed]

@SkyBlueNoodles i've never heard of anyone being arrested for doing that gesture in the Philippines, although, like the guy mentioned, it's not used for calling people...well...maybe if a girl is trying to seduce a guy... :D

[VocaloidUTAUFan45]

Hmmm... You cannot do that in the Philippines... Umm... Ok...

[bethy2317]

in Britain, the 'Victory' symbol is NOT offensive. I use it all the time when greeting my friends and just in general. It's only offensive if it's the other way round (so your palm would be facing you).

[Nvprazor]

In other words, anywhere else other than the united states do not use your hands. Ever.

[Moonstoneofterror]

Funnier after watching 12 hours of hetalia...

[04Squared]

But don't use any hand signals in Greece, because they hate those.

[koreanpet]

1:47 I can't stop clicking. XD

[lcdstudios]

My uncle went to Brazil for a business trip. One of his friends offended a guy by snapping his fingers. It's amazing how one action can mean something so different to other cultures.

[bytesabre]

Brit here. V symbol with palm facing towards recipient = peace, see Winston Churchil "V for Victory". Palm towards person giving gesture = same as flipping the bird. Please note that flipping the bird US style will also work as intended.

[Readsville]

Note to self, don't go to Greece.

[SuperMusicalDreamer]

But I just HAVE to put up the Longhorn sign and show J. Frank Dobie Longhorn Pride!

[MizMimiCullen]

Oh Greece....

[AABatterykun]

I am tying my hands together next time I travel.

[Ir0nF1st924]

oh pimsleur, you livesaver, you

[TrainerJaz31497]

So, don't go to Greece expecting to congratulate someone.

[0umbrellacorp]

So basically, don't use hand gestures at all, and you're good.

[RetroLaydeh42]

I'll bet any of these gestures would get you in trouble in the Middle East. If you do the 'a-ok' symbol for example, you are signifying 'asshole'. one that is not a hand gesture is making the sole of your foot visible--which is like telling them they are dirty, which would result in you getting beaten severely. Basically, a person should do some research before traveling to avoid offending others or getting in trouble. Even in the US, wearing certain colors in some places can get you in trouble.

[TheAuzyx]

I laughed so hard at 1:49.

[iFlushed]

@TheAuzyx I like how we all know what the bleeped word was. Is that sad?

[TheLOLwutProductionz]

LOL at the last one.

[MEGAGUY21]

D:

[TwentyTwoDCL]

It seems to me that in Greece, people are offended by hand gestures in general.

[cfG21]

@TwentyTwoDCL 148 thumbs up lol

[acedianPianist]

@TwentyTwoDCL This is even more hillarious when you consider that Italians use many hand gestures.

They've not had a peaceful history, together...

[AliensHateUs]

@TwentyTwoDCL That's why they're protesting. They want cool hand gestures to use.