Many people have studied body language to figure out what an individual is saying nonverbally through unconscious gestures or movements. Facial expressions and how someone holds their body are supposed to tell us what a person really means, even if it conflicts with that person’s words.

One area of body language isn’t that difficult to interpret. In fact, the meanings of some hand gestures seem fairly straightforward—like the infamous middle finger. Interestingly, most hand gestures never started with the insulting, neutral, or positive meanings they have today. Many have changed meanings so much that you may be surprised by their origins.

10 Middle Finger

The infamous middle finger is one of the most offensive hand gestures out there. It can mean anything from f—k you to f—k off, go f—k yourself, and shove it up your a—. The sign did not mean any of these when it originated in ancient Greece. The meaning was no better, though. It was used to ridicule a man penetrated during gay sex.

The Greeks called the gesture katapygon. The term spilled over into ancient Latin where it was called digitus impudicus (“shameless, indecent, or offensive finger”). By the 1700s, the gesture meant sexual intercourse or a penis. When used to depict a penis, the fingers on either sides of the upright finger represented the testicles.^[1]

Italian immigrants introduced the gesture to the U.S. in the 1800s. At that time, it took on its modern meaning. The gesture became popular and replaced yelling as a method of showing discontent with a person.

9 Salute

The origin of the salute is somewhat obscure. One theory claims that it first appeared in ancient Rome when soldiers raised their hands to greet other soldiers. This is disputed because there is no evidence that Roman soldiers raised their hands in greeting.

Another theory claims that the gesture originated in medieval Europe when fully dressed knights raised their visors with one hand to show approaching knights that they were friendly. This idea is also disputed. A third undisputed theory claims that British soldiers created the salute.

Before the 18th century, British soldiers removed their hats to greet higher-ranking soldiers. This became an issue in the 1700s when British soldiers started wearing elaborate hats. Junior soldiers started slapping their hats to greet senior soldiers because removing the hats was a chore. The British army later formalized the gesture and turned it into the salute that we know today.

However, unlike the U.S. military that salutes with the palm facing downward, British soldiers salute with the palm facing outward. This is because the U.S. military salute is based on the British Navy salute. The British Navy salutes with the palm downward because sailors often had dirty palms.^[2]

8 Handshake

A handshake is the most common hand gesture out there. Like other frequent hand gestures, its origin is somewhat disputed. Many agree that the handshake started hundreds of years ago when men moved around with weapons.

Men in close contact shook their right hands to prove that they did not have weapons on them. They even moved their hands up and down—just as we do today—to make weapons hidden in their sleeves fall out.

Another likely origin indicates that the gesture may have begun as a sign of sealing an oath or promise. An artifact from the ninth century BC even depicts King Shalmaneser III of Assyria shaking hands with the king of Babylon to seal their alliance.

Whichever is true, the Quakers were the first to use the handshake as a form of greeting. In the 17th century, the Quakers adopted the handshake over concerns that bowing the head or removing a hat did not show equality.^[3]

7 Crossed Fingers

Crossed fingers are used for luck or to indicate a lie or preplanned ploy to renege on a promise. Its origin is disputed, which isn’t surprising as its dual use could indicate two different origins. Some say that the gesture first appeared in pre-Christian Europe.

Europe was a hotbed of superstition at that time. A common superstition was that good spirits lived at the intersections of crosses. If two people made wishes while creating a single cross with their index fingers together, they believed that the good spirits would be inclined to grant their wishes.

Others say that the gesture first appeared after Christianity reached Europe. Christians were persecuted at the time, so they created several secret symbols, such as the cross, for identification. Back then, two people created the cross symbol differently. Each made an “L” sign with the thumb and index finger. Then they would cross their index fingers with their thumbs touching.

Whichever explanation is true, the gesture became common during the 14th century when soldiers fighting the Hundred Years’ War crossed their fingers for luck and protection. Soldiers made the cross with two of their fingers because it was sometimes impossible to create the symbol with another soldier.^[4]

For the lying connotation of crossed fingers, it is believed that early Christians made the cross when they told a lie because it supposedly protected them from the wrath of God. At the time, the punishment for being Christian was death. As a result, Christians often denied their faith so they would not be killed.

6 Sign of the Horns

The sign of the horns is a hand gesture with various meanings and uses in different cultures. It is formed by extending the index and little finger while holding the middle and ring fingers down with the thumb. In Italy, when made with the “horns” pointed downward, the sign is used when confronted with unfortunate events or to ward off bad luck or the “evil eye.” It is called a corna, meaning “horns.” Also, in Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean, it can also be seen as an offensive gesture when directed at a person and swiveled back and forth. Then, it is a sign of cuckoldry.

It is also a sign seen in rock ‘n roll culture. It was first seen on the album cover for a band named Coven and then on a Beatles album cover (Yellow Submarine). It was made famous in the heavy metal scene by Ronnie James Dio. Dio claimed that it was not a sign of the devil, but instead, it was a sign he learned from his Italian grandmother—a symbol to ward off the evil eye. The horns became popular in metal concerts very soon after Black Sabbath’s first tour with Dio. The sign would later be appropriated by heavy metal fans.^[5]

The “sign of the horns” is also associated with gang membership or affiliation with Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). The significance is both the resemblance of an inverted “devil horns” to the Latin letter ‘M’ and the broader demonic connotation of fierceness and nonconformity.

To anyone in Texas, the hand gesture is most well-known as the Hook ‘em Horns sign for the University of Texas at Austin. The gesture is meant to approximate the shape of the head and horns of the UT mascot, the Texas Longhorn Bevo. Other sports teams also use this gesture, or a slight variation, to represent their various mascots—bulls, bison, and devils.

The symbol was also described in Bram Stoker’s Dracula in 1897.

5 V-Sign

The V-sign could have a different meaning depending on where you are. The palm-facing-outward version common in the U.S. is used to indicate peace or victory. The palm-facing-inward method common in Britain is considered an alternate version of the middle finger.

The origin of either sign is disputed, and whether they are of the same origin remains unclear. Some believe that the gesture first appeared during the Battle of Agincourt between England and France in October 1415.

French soldiers hated the highly effective British archers so much that the French cut two fingers off the hands of captured British archers. The fingers were the most important for using a bow. Other archers realized this and began raising two fingers at French soldiers as an insult.^[6]

Another story indicates that the V-sign originated from the cuckold gesture made with the little and index fingers. The cuckold gesture was usually directed at the husband of an adulterous wife. While derogatory, it was not considered a serious insult.

4 Thumbs Up And Thumbs Down

A thumbs-up is a symbol of approval. A thumbs down shows disapproval. Both gestures originated from the gladiator combats of ancient Rome. They were called pollice verso (“turned thumb”) at the time.

At the end of bloody combat, the referee was sometimes asked whether a defeated and badly injured gladiator should be killed or spared. The referee turned to the spectators, who indicated their choice by giving a thumbs up or thumbs down. A thumbs up meant the loser should be killed. A thumbs down (indicating “swords down”) meant the loser should be spared.^[7]

3 Clenched Fist

The clenched fist is the ultimate symbol of solidarity. It has been used by oppressed, resistance, and political groups to show solidarity, defiance, struggle, triumph, resistance, and power. Most Americans will be surprised to learn that the gesture is actually a communist symbol.

The clenched fist first appeared during the Spanish Civil War between the fascists and the communists. The fascists used an open palm salute as their symbol. Searching for a symbol of their own, the communists settled for the clenched fist.

The communists soon used the symbol to show they weren’t pushovers. Unlike the open palm that depicts a palm, four weak fingers, and a thumb, the clenched fist depicts four weak fingers and a thumb made into a powerful fist. Other communist groups later adopted the symbol, and it soon spilled over into civil rights groups and anti-colonialist opposition.^[8]

2 Shaka Sign

The shaka sign is made with the pinky finger and thumb pointing upward while the other fingers rest on the palm. It is popular in Hawaii where it is often accompanied with the greeting “Shaka, brah!” It means everything from hello to goodbye, thank you, hang loose, right on, no need to rush, and everything is all right.

The origin of the shaka sign is disputed. Two stories attribute its start to a Hawaiian named Hamana Kalili. Although both versions agree that Kalili had lost three fingers on his right hand, one claims that he unwittingly created the gesture when he used his right hand to bless a person.^[9]

The second version states that Kalili started the gesture when he used the hand to ward off children trying to jump on trains. Other sources say that the gesture was first used by a surfer who had three fingers bitten off by a shark.

A fourth explanation states that the sign was used by the first Spaniards who landed in Hawaii. The Spaniards supposedly made the gesture at the natives but raised their thumbs to their lips. This showed that they were friendly and wouldn’t mind sharing a drink with the natives.

1 Vulcan Salute

The Vulcan salute resembles the V-sign except that it is done with four fingers on the same hand. With all fingers on that hand initially together, the middle and ring fingers move away from each other to create the letter V. The Vulcan salute is considered a greeting by fans of the Star Trek series and people who just love sci-fi.

Leonard Nimoy first used the Vulcan salute when he played Mr. Spock in a 1967 episode of Star Trek. Initially, it was a greeting among members of the Vulcan race in the series and meant “live long and prosper.” The gesture was created by Nimoy, who wanted the Vulcans to have a unique greeting.^[10]

Nimoy borrowed the Vulcan salute from a similar Jewish gesture depicting the Hebrew letter shin, the first letter in “Lord.” Jewish priests can use the gesture to bless people during services, which Nimoy had seen when he was younger.

How can one express the complex emotion of love?

A broad range of art forms have been used for this very purpose. There’s no doubt you’ve heard the romantic tale of the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum built by an emperor for his favorite wife who died giving birth to their 14th child. It’s both achingly stunning and depressing. A teardrop glistening on the cheek of time, as the poets say.

This domed symbol of love, however, isn’t the only grand romantic gesture made through art. From Picasso to the simple farmer, men have wooed women by whatever means are at their disposal. Art and creativity are as varied as people.

10 A Lopsided Portrait In A Ring

Most women would be revolted at the gift of a misshapen, Frankenstein-esque portrait of themselves embedded in a ring, but Pablo Picasso could get away with it. He painted his lover, Dora Maar, surrounded by flowers on a ring that he designed.

It was an apology gift after they had a dramatic fight one night along the River Seine. He was sore because she had convinced him to sell a painting for a mere ruby ring. So she yanked it from his hand and threw it into the river in a rage.

That ring was never recovered, but Picasso did present her with this work of art as an apology. Their affair was tumultuous and eventually ended. But she kept the ring until her dying day in 1997.^[1]

9 Performance Art With A Twist

Life and love don’t always go as planned, but the journey is always poetic. Two lovers, Marina Abramovic and Ulay, wanted to be the first couple to walk the Great Wall of China, each beginning at opposite ends and meeting in the middle. When they finally reached each other, they planned to marry on the spot.

It was many years later that the Chinese government finally gave permission for this powerful art performance that pushed the boundaries of convention. In 1988, they went through with the project. They called the piece, simply, The Lovers. It took three months to reach each other. She began her journey on the side with the mountains, and he walked from the Gobi Desert. When they finally embraced, they wept.

At this point, there had been numerous infidelities. Layers of resentment had built up to a breaking point. Instead of marrying at that meeting, they broke off the relationship in a surprising twist. The idealized romantic gesture had turned a corner. The Lovers demonstrated the course of a real human relationship. As often happens in art, the meaning changed halfway along.^[2]

8 A Good Old-Fashioned Sonnet

Sonnets from the Portuguese was never intended for publication by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She wrote them for Robert Browning, and the sonnets described their entire intimate relationship from start to finish.

After they were married, he insisted that she publish the collection. They threw the word “Portuguese” in the title to shift the focus from an autobiographical nature. He told her that they were the best sonnets since Shakespeare.

Still, they remain some of the most famous love poems from the Victorian Age. The first line of “Sonnet 43,” for example, is one that you probably don’t know that you know: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”^[3]

7 A Protest Of Love . . . For Love

There was an art movement of “happenings” in the 1960s, and one such performance took the form of a “Bed-in for Peace.” John Lennon and Yoko Ono decided to spend their honeymoon in bed, surrounded by protest signs, at the Hilton in Amsterdam. The Vietnam War had been raging for 14 years at this point. So, what did they have to lose?

The global press was in the bedroom 12 hours every day with cameras rolling and peace discussion flowing. Yoko Ono said, “[As an alternative to war,] everybody should just stay in bed and enjoy the spring.”

She was an artist in her own right who was involved with the Fluxus movement, which created art from everyday life. Lennon and Ono used their honeymoon to spread their message to “make love, not war.” As of 2016, the suite in which their performance took place could be rented for $2,400 per night.^[4]

6 A Surprising Symphony

For seven years, Richard Wagner, the famous composer of the Romantic period, had an affair with the married Cosima von Bulow. Finally, she divorced and they were able to marry in 1870. In that first year, Wagner composed a tender serenade for Cosima in secret.

This gift of love surprised her on Christmas morning at sunrise as it was played by a small ensemble on the winding staircase outside her bedroom. It was also Cosima’s birthday. She wrote in her diary:

As I awoke, my ear caught a sound which swelled further and further; no longer could I imagine myself to be dreaming, music was sounding, and what music! As it died away, Richard came into my room with the five children and offered me the score of the symphonic birthday poem—I was in tears, but so was the whole house.^[5]

5 The Acting Role Of A Lifetime

She was a fiery redheaded actress with an unparalleled sense of humor, and he was a devilishly handsome Cuban musician who performed at a nightclub. That’s right, we’re talking about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.

After a six-month courtship, they were married. Then CBS wanted to transfer her I Love Lucy persona from radio to television. She insisted that the spouse be changed to her real-life husband, Desi. Executives weren’t convinced that was a good idea. Arnaz had a strong Cuban accent, and they were certain he wouldn’t appeal to a wide audience. Lucille Ball wouldn’t take no for an answer, of course.

They toured together in a vaudeville act to show that they could win over the hearts of the masses. She was correct. And this acting role gave Desi the opportunity of a lifetime to star in a hit show for six seasons with 40 million viewers tuning in each week. Lucille’s romantic gesture of artistic opportunity was above and beyond the gift of a lifetime.^[6]

4 A Thoughtful Invention

In the early 1900s, an architect from Wisconsin named John W. Hammes had a brilliant idea to make his wife’s chores a little easier in the kitchen. “Happy wife, happy life,” as they say. He wanted the kitchen cleanup to be a smoother process, so he had an epiphany. He went immediately to his basement and started brainstorming designs for his invention.

Finally in 1927, he invented the first garbage disposal. These early prototypes were called “electric pigs.” After being granted a patent, he started selling them in 1938.^[7]

3 A Song Written For His Best Friend’s Wife

In the 1960s, Eric Clapton and George Harrison were good friends. It’s common knowledge that Eric fell in love with George’s first wife, Pattie Boyd. She was the muse for George’s song “Something.”

Then Eric wrote a song for her that she happened to like even more, and it won her over. Pattie said, “We met secretly at a flat in South Kensington. Eric had asked me to come because he wanted me to listen to a new number he had written. [ . . . ] He . . . played me the most powerful, moving song I had ever heard. It was ‘Layla.’ ”

It was later the same night when George confronted them and asked what was going on. Eric responded, “I have to tell you, man, that I’m in love with your wife.” What followed was perhaps the most epic rock duel in history. (Eric won.)

Pattie ended up with another classic song written for her by Eric called “Wonderful Tonight.”^[8]

2 Graffiti

In England, graffiti isn’t the taboo art form that it is in the USA. For example, Banksy’s art is adored and protected all over the country. When a man asks a woman to marry him by spray-painting a brick wall in Ohio, he’s arrested and fined. When the same thing happened in Sheffield, England, the spray-painted proposal was admired and untouched for more than 10 years on a bridge along the skyline.

Recently, the words were even immortalized by the city in bright, neon lights: “I Love You Will U Marry Me.” The street artist finally stepped forward and admitted that he had done it. Although he was afraid of heights, he wanted to illustrate his love as boldly as he knew how. In neon permanence, this demonstration of love glows on.^[9]

1 A Secret Clearing

When his wife’s heart gave out, farmer Winston Howes was grief-stricken. In a final act of love, he planted thousands of oak trees near his farmhouse but kept a heart-shaped meadow open in the middle. He made sure that the heart pointed toward his wife’s birthplace. Howes said, “I sometimes go down there, just to sit and think about things. It is a lovely and lasting tribute.”

For years, this special meadow remained a family secret. Then one day, a man in a hot-air balloon flew overhead and took a photograph of the heart-shaped field. It’s designed so perfectly between the trees that you can even see it on Google Maps. Howes even planted daffodils that bloom every year in the spring.^[10]

Gestures are a crucial and irreplaceable part of how we communicate with each other, whether it’s serious conversations that have to be ended with the “talk to the hand” sign or casual occasions like asking the waiter how much the drink costs in a crowded bar. It’s not just a substitute for the spoken word, either. In many cases, gestures help get the point across much more effectively than any string of words ever could.

As any traveler will tell you, though, gestures aren’t universal even if you think they are. In many countries, signs that you may have grown up with may mean something completely—and bafflingly—different elsewhere. These are some of the most confusing gestures that you either never knew existed or know to mean something completely opposite of what they do in these places.

10 Shaking Hands Over A Threshold

We understand that shaking hands isn’t a globally recognized form of greeting like it is in most of the Western world. Many countries do it differently, like folding your hands and doing the namaste in India or bowing to each other in Japan.

Even in those countries, however, handshakes aren’t considered to be offensive or inauspicious. They just think that their way of greeting is better than the handshake, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

In Russia, though, shaking hands over a threshold (for example, while entering the house) is considered to be incredibly bad luck as the threshold is where the ghost of the house is believed to reside. While that’s also something we have no problems with, it does raise the important question of why the spirit of the house is choosing to stay in such a cramped space in the first place.

Nevertheless, when you’re in Russia, always wait to step inside a house to offer the handshake.^[1]

9 Toasting

One of the best parts of traveling around the world is exploring the drinking cultures of various countries, something you’d never be able to do just sitting at your local bar. The first thing you’d notice is how different places do toasts.

While some countries don’t toast at all and just get busy drinking as soon as the drink is poured, other places like to do it with the classic “cheers” to give the whole thing a communal vibe. Not in Hungary, though. There, saying “cheers” and banging your beer glasses together brings back some horrific memories from the country’s past, which is a strict no-no.

You see, back when Hungary was under the Austrian Empire and tried to revolt, the rebellion was brutally crushed by the empire’s forces. To celebrate the victory, the Austrians did the whole cheers routine right before executing captured Hungarian leaders.

This lingers in the psyche of the nation to this day. They even outright banned the practice for 150 years. Even when the ban was lifted, the Hungarians just never took to the practice like other parts of the world.^[2]

8 Patting On The Head

Patting on the head is usually reserved for rewarding a kid for an accomplishment that isn’t good enough for an actual physical gift or in postcoital situations where cuddling after the act isn’t a desirable option. It definitely doesn’t carry any negative connotation, even though it doesn’t fit most situations other than those specific ones.

That’s not true for many parts of Asia, though, where it’s considered extremely rude to even touch the head, let alone outright pat it.

In many Asian countries, the head is considered to be the most important part of the body. Touching it in any way is strictly off-limits without proper consent. It’s mainly restricted to countries with large Buddhist populations like China and Thailand, though we’d suggest just not doing it in any Asian country to be on the safe side of things.^[3]

7 Devil’s Horns

If you’ve ever been to a rock concert, you’re familiar with the devil’s horns. Made by keeping the index and the little finger upright with the two middle fingers held down with the thumb, this is a universally accepted gesture for calling something “metal,” so to speak.

Originally made popular by Ronnie James Dio, once a vocalist for Black Sabbath, the gesture is generally understood to carry a positive tone, though not in Italy.

Making the devil’s horns in Italy means something completely different and can land you in a verbal argument at best and a full-blown bar brawl at worst. It simply depends on whom you point it toward and how drunk the person is. In Italy, devil’s horns imply that a man’s wife is unfaithful, though more as an insult to him than his wife.^[4]

6 Shake And Nod

If you’re the adventurous kind and regularly find yourself in places with a completely different language and culture, you know that it’s not easy. Other than being ripped off all the time for basic day-to-day commodities, navigation can be a problem, too, as you never know where to go next the whole time you’re there.

Despite the language barrier, there’s one form of communication you can count on to work across the world—nodding your head for “yes” and shaking it for “no.” Universally understood, it’s one of the things that everyone in the world shares no matter where they’re from. Well, except in the Balkans, where it means the complete opposite.

In countries like Albania and Bulgaria, the shake is used to say “yes” and the nod means “no.”^[5]

5 The OK Sign

The OK sign—made by forming an “O” with your index finger and thumb and a “K” with the other three fingers—is another gesture that’s universally recognized. While the intensity of its meaning may vary from place to place, it’s generally taken to mean that everything is okay (as its name suggests).

It’s also an important communication tool if you’re learning how to dive. It usually signals from far away that all the equipment is working as intended.

However, none of this extends to Brazil as well as many other Latin American countries. In those places, the A-OK sign means “screw you,” to put it politely. When Richard Nixon landed in Brazil in the 1950s and made the sign with both hands, the reactions he got from the crowd were exactly what you’d expect them to be.^[6]

4 Thumbs Up

Closing your fingers in a fist with the thumb sticking out is a common gesture to indicate that you’re perfectly fine with whatever you’re pointing toward. It may sound like a strictly American thing. But if you travel around, you’ll know that it’s also intuitively understood in other parts of the world without an explanation.

In Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries, however, the classic thumbs up carries a more negative connotation. In essence, pointing it at someone suggests that you’re asking them to shove it up theirs, as the advancing US soldiers experienced firsthand from the crowd during the Iraq War.

In Roman history, the thumbs up was used by the generals to signal “kill them.” We’re not entirely sure why or when it started being seen as the positive gesture that it is today.^[7]

3 Shaking Head At An Angle

As we mentioned above, nodding and shaking your head to indicate approval or disapproval, respectively, is understood around the world except in the Balkans. It’s one of the few things that is common among humans, and you can count on it to get you around if you’re in a foreign country.

If you go to India, though, you’d come across an additional gesture that’s somewhere between a nod and a shake. If you see it but don’t know how it works, it can be a bit confusing as anyone doing a half-nod-half-shake by tilting the head from side to side is supposed to be. While it’s highly contextual and can even convey sarcasm, it generally indicates a less enthusiastic agreement than an all-out nod.^[8]

2 Three-Finger Salute

Depending on what type of a gig you’re attending, raising a certain number of fingers in the air and grooving is considered to be perfectly normal behavior almost everywhere in the world. Of course, it becomes a bit murkier outside concerts.

For example, doing it with two fingers in the wrong circumstances (like when the other person is drunk and angry) can be taken to mean mimicking a gunshot and could lead to a brawl. However, doing it with three fingers is just a harmless reference to The Hunger Games except when you’re in Thailand. There, it’s outlawed.

Possibly taken from the movie and possibly chosen because of how cool it looks, quite a few people in Thailand had taken to doing the three-finger salute to protest the military rule, which ticked off the government enough to make it illegal.

So unless you’re planning to make a particularly strong political stand the first time you visit Thailand and go to jail for it, we’d recommend staying away from The Hunger Games salute when you’re there.^[9]

1 Cutis

If you don’t know what the Cutis sign is, just make a fist, put your thumbnail under your front teeth, and flick. It sounds like a random thing you can do with your hands at best and a fairly bad attempt at amusing a child at worst. However, if you’re in India or Pakistan, this gesture carries a specific and offensive meaning.

Essentially, the sign is a nonverbal way to say “screw you” in the Indian subcontinent. It can also involve keeping your fingers outstretched instead of curling them into a fist. It’s not widely recognized across the country and would possibly only work in the northern parts. Even so, we’d advise against doing it wherever you are in the region just to be safe.^[10]

You can check out Himanshu’s stuff at Cracked and Screen Rant, get in touch with him for writing gigs here, or just say hello to him on Twitter.