Gestures Used in Japan (9 photos)

To help you blend in, use purely Japanese gestures.





Upside-down OK



Thank you for the illustrative vocabulary, Japanese man in a jacket.

This donut hole signifies great wealth or an item that cost someone a pretty penny. You can use this OK to discuss someone and their new purchases.

Fist to the Nose





The Japanese have never shown me anything like this.

Actually, this is how they show a Tengu – a long-nosed creature from Japanese folklore. It's a gesture to show someone's arrogance or haughtiness. Supposedly, the Japanese don't gossip about their colleagues... BUT THEY DO. And when you gossip about someone, you can show that they're being arrogant.



Tengu is a demon like this.

Grinding with a grinder in the palm of your hand

You need to rub your fist in a circle across your palm, as if you were grinding something in an old coffee grinder.



Make that disgusting face too!

In Japan, this is the gesture of grinding sesame seeds, and sesame seeds were ground for someone to be flattered, to give a gift to win their favor. So, in Japan, grinding sesame seeds is synonymous with sycophants. You can tease someone when you see them giving you an expensive gift. Or, as always, you can GOSSIP WITH COLLEAGUES.

Barrier



I've seen it many times in school dramas.

In our country, "no" is shown by shaking the head; in Japan, "that's not true" is shown by waving the arm, bent at the elbow. This should be shown when someone makes a mistaken judgment or assumption. Usually in movies or anime, a guy is asked, "Is this your girlfriend?" And he starts waving his hand around like crazy, "No, no, that's not it." The gesture is expressive, but not offensive. It won't get you into a discussion.

Pointing to your nose



You can also put your finger on your nose when talking about yourself.

Just clarifying, "Is this me? You mean me?" Here, when people can't believe they were called to the board, they point to their hearts: "Me, or what?!" But in Japan, they point to the tip of their nose. It looks a bit teasing, but the gesture is neutral.

Stick out your pinky



Don't mix up your fingers!

"Is this your boyfriend, your girlfriend?" A purely Japanese gesture, but quite well-known thanks to social media. It's also often seen in Japanese films. You can casually insert it into a conversation when someone comes up; it's a good way to clarify whether this is your boyfriend. Or perhaps your lover.

Chop the air with your hand and move forward



This is an old man's gesture; if a young person did it, it would be kind of funny.

This is a Japanese sign for crossing the road, designed to attract the attention of drivers. There are many traffic lights in the country, but older people still do it as a precaution, or if they're crossing slowly and afraid of missing the mark. Older people also start doing this in crowds when they're too dense for anyone to part and let them pass. Which of these gestures is missing from nonverbal communication in our culture?