When you set out to explore the planet, you quickly learn that words are only half the conversation. The other half is made up of 10 weird gestures that locals use to say everything from “welcome” to “watch out” without uttering a single syllable. These body‑language quirks can be as friendly as a wave or as risky as a faux pas, so keep reading to avoid accidental offense and maybe even impress a few natives along the way.
10 Weird Gestures Explained
10 Shaking Hands Over A Threshold
We all think of a handshake as the universal “nice to meet you” in the West, but cultures differ. Some bow, some perform a namaste, and many have their own spin on greeting with the hands.
Even in places where handshakes are common, they’re not seen as unlucky. The idea is simply that each culture prefers its own method of showing respect.
In Russia, however, shaking hands while standing on a doorway’s threshold is believed to invite bad luck. The threshold is thought to be the dwelling’s spirit’s domain, and greeting someone there is thought to disturb that spirit.
So, when you walk into a Russian home, hold off on the handshake until you’ve crossed the doorway. That small pause keeps the house’s ghost happy and your visit trouble‑free.
9 Toasting
One of the greatest joys of traveling is sampling the drinking rituals of different nations. While many places raise a glass and shout “cheers,” some cultures have a very different relationship with toasting.
In Hungary, clinking glasses and shouting a hearty “cheers” is more than just a social nicety—it’s a painful reminder of a dark chapter in the country’s history.
During the 19th‑century revolt against the Austrian Empire, the Austrians celebrated their crushing of the Hungarian uprising by forcing prisoners to toast before they were executed. The memory stuck, and for over a century the practice was banned outright. Even after the ban lifted, Hungarians never really reclaimed the clink‑and‑cheer tradition.
8 Patting On The Head
Patting a child on the head is often a light‑hearted way to say “good job” or to show affection when other gestures feel too intimate.
However, in many Asian societies the head is considered sacred, the highest point of the body, and touching it without permission is seen as a serious breach of etiquette.
Countries with strong Buddhist traditions, such as Thailand and parts of China, treat any unsolicited contact with the head as disrespectful. To stay safe, it’s best to avoid patting anyone’s head unless you’re absolutely sure it’s welcome.
7 Devil’s Horns
Rock fans worldwide recognize the “devil’s horns” hand sign as a badge of metal allegiance, thanks to its popularization by Ronnie James Dio of Black Sabbath.
In most places the gesture is a positive, rebellious emblem, but Italy flips the script entirely.
There, flashing the horns is an insult implying a man’s wife is cheating on him. Depending on the context and how drunk the onlookers are, the sign can spark anything from a heated argument to a full‑blown bar fight.
6 Shake And Nod
If you love hopping from one culture to another, you’ll quickly learn that a simple nod for “yes” and a shake for “no” works in almost every corner of the globe.
That universality, however, has an exception: the Balkans. In Albania, Bulgaria, and a few neighboring nations, the meanings are swapped—shaking your head means “yes” while nodding means “no.”
So, before you flash a confident nod in a Balkan café, double‑check the local custom, or you might end up ordering the wrong dish entirely.
5 The OK Sign
The classic “OK” hand gesture—forming a circle with the thumb and index finger while the other three fingers point upward—usually means everything is fine.
Divers, for instance, use it underwater to signal that their gear is functioning properly, making it a handy safety cue beneath the waves.
But head south to Brazil and many Latin American nations, and the same sign flips to a vulgar insult meaning “screw you.” Even Richard Nixon’s 1950s visit to Brazil turned awkward when he flashed the gesture, prompting a chorus of bewildered reactions.
4 Thumbs Up
Raising a thumb while keeping the other fingers clenched is widely understood as a sign of approval or agreement, especially in the United States.
Travelers quickly discover that in Iraq and parts of the Middle East, the same gesture is a crude way of telling someone to “shove it up his ass,” a meaning that dates back to U.S. troops being jeered during the Iraq War.
Interestingly, the gesture’s origins trace back to ancient Rome, where a raised thumb signaled a condemned gladiator’s fate—though the precise evolution from “kill” to “okay” remains a mystery.
3 Shaking Head At An Angle
While most of the world uses a straightforward nod for “yes” and a shake for “no,” India adds a nuanced twist: a sideways, half‑nod, half‑shake motion that can convey a reluctant or half‑hearted agreement.
This subtle head tilt can be highly contextual, sometimes even dripping with sarcasm, and is best interpreted by listening to the surrounding conversation.
If you spot an Indian colleague giving you that tilted look, you’re likely witnessing a polite, if not entirely enthusiastic, assent.
2 Three‑Finger Salute
Raising fingers in the air is a common way to celebrate—think two fingers for a gun‑like gesture or three fingers for a pop‑culture reference.
Fans of “The Hunger Games” often flash three fingers as a sign of rebellion, but in Thailand that very salute is illegal because it was adopted by protestors against the military government.
If you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, it’s safest to keep your fingers down unless you’re prepared to face possible arrest for political dissent.
1 Cutis
The “cutis” gesture involves forming a fist, tucking your thumbnail under your front teeth, and then flicking it outward. It looks like a goofy party trick, but in India and Pakistan it’s a blunt way of saying “screw you.”
The sign can also be performed with the fingers extended instead of curled, but its meaning stays the same—a direct insult that’s not widely recognized across the entire subcontinent, though it tends to be understood in the northern regions.
Because its usage is inconsistent and potentially offensive, it’s best to avoid the cutis gesture altogether when traveling in South Asia.