The "V for Victory" gesture is more complicated in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, where turning the palm of your hand toward your body (a relatively meaningless distinction in the United States) makes it a very rude gesture, meaning, in polite terms, "shove it." Pres. Bush did this one.
Watch where you give the OK gesture. In Latin America and France it is like the middle finger.
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The "V for Victory" gesture is more complicated in the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, where turning the palm of your hand toward your body (a relatively meaningless distinction in the United States) makes it a very rude gesture, meaning, in polite terms, "shove it." Pres. Bush did this one.
Watch where you give the OK gesture. In Latin America and France it is like the middle finger.
Thumbs up in Asia and some Islamic countries is considered rude.
The curled finger meaning come here means death in Singaopore and is rude in Japan.
And don't put your feet on the table of show the soles of your feet in Thailand.
Making a stop sigh gesture with your hand is asking for permission to speak in Asia.
Hands on hips is considered arrogant in Asia. But picking your nose is all right.
A finger to the forehead means "brainy" in the U.S. In Singapore, it means "crazy." In Malaysia,

Maoris rubbing noses in N.Z is a greeting but if another culture rubbed noses they would be called poofters or very quere. Also when we want to say 2 in sign language we use our forfinger and index finger, but in parts of europe they use the thumb and forfinger.Very confusing when you're trying to order meals etc.

I think flipping the bird is universal.

When Clinton put two thumbs up when he was president on tv, that was an obscene gesture in the Middle East.

Here´s more from geocities...


Thumbs up sign – no meaning in Asia. Obscene in many Middle Eastern coun...

When Clinton put two thumbs up when he was president on tv, that was an obscene gesture in the Middle East.

Here´s more from geocities...


Thumbs up sign – no meaning in Asia. Obscene in many Middle Eastern countries, Nigeria, Australia and Afghanistan. Okay sign obscene in some countries.



Pointing with index finger – rude to Asians and others.



Most of Europe waves goodbye with just the fingers moving. American “good-bye” wave with the entire hand means “come here” to people from Southeast Asia, is an insult in Greece, and means "no" in many other countries.



The two-finger V sign means victory with palm facing out. With the palm facing it, it either means two or "shove it" depending on what country you are in.



Crooking finger to say “come here” is obscene in Japan. In Yugoslavia and Malaysia, it is used to call animals. In Indonesia and Australia, the gesture beckons prostitute. In Vietnam it is used to call animals or an inferior person. Can be threatening or hostile.



Smiling has different meanings – some groups will not smile in photographs because they believe it makes them seem frivolous or shallow. Smiling in some countries indicates sadness or anger.



The fig gesture (fist with thumb between index and middle finger) is an obscene sign of contempt in many European countries, but in some South American countries, it means good luck (many wear pendants or other jewelry with this sign).

When I was in the Dominican Republic, this one English gentleman, and I use the term lightly, asked me everyday at poolside if he could buy me a drink! The drinks were free! I nodded no, and mouthed the words, thankyou anyway! That gesture was futile! So after a week of this, I pushed him in the pool! That gesture was futile! He kept it up for the next three days until I left for home! So, do elderly English dudes not understand 'nodding no' or 'pushing in pool'?...

When I was in the Dominican Republic, this one English gentleman, and I use the term lightly, asked me everyday at poolside if he could buy me a drink! The drinks were free! I nodded no, and mouthed the words, thankyou anyway! That gesture was futile! So after a week of this, I pushed him in the pool! That gesture was futile! He kept it up for the next three days until I left for home! So, do elderly English dudes not understand 'nodding no' or 'pushing in pool'?