Your Thumbs Up Just Started a Fight in Greece
That innocent thumbs up you flash to your waiter after a great meal? In Greece, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia, and elsewhere, it means “Up yours!” There, a thumbs-up is synonymous with giving somebody the middle finger. Picture this: you’re sitting at a beautiful taverna in Santorini, the Mediterranean breeze in your hair, and you give your server what you think is a friendly approval sign. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifts and you’re wondering why everyone’s glaring at you. In Iran, giving thumbs up means indecent and offensive insult which means “sit on it”. This is similar to raise your middle finger up. So keep this in mind while giving a thumbs up in Iran, it may land you in trouble. What started as a simple “great job” gesture just became the equivalent of telling someone to sit on something very unpleasant. The worst part? You’ll probably keep doing it all evening, wondering why the service suddenly got terrible.
The Peace Sign That Screams Something Else
Trying to order two beers from the bartender or wish someone peace in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand? Make sure that when you have your index and middle fingers pointed up in the V shape, your palm is facing outward. Otherwise, you’re giving the equivalent of the middle finger. It’s such a simple flip of the hand, but the difference is massive. You think you’re channeling your inner Winston Churchill with a victory sign, but you’re actually delivering a British-style middle finger. In India, when you raise pointer and middle finger up, it means peace or victory. But in England, Australia and New Zealand never use this gesture to express peace or victory. According to British, the ‘V-shape’ symbol means the ‘F-word’ in actions. Imagine posing for that perfect London selfie with Big Ben in the background, flashing what you think is a peace sign, only to discover later you’ve been flipping off everyone in your vacation photos.
Your Friendly Wave Becomes a Greek Insult
To most Westerners, waving seems like a friendly gesture, and one you’d never expect to be misinterpreted. But in Greece, take care. “Generally, you don’t want to raise your arm and wave your hand to say ‘hi’ to someone, as to a Greek it means, well, F-U,” says James Stathis, president of CelebrateGreece.com. Specifically, the insulting gesture is called a mountza and typically involves extending all five fingers while raising your arm. This one hurts because waving is so automatic – we do it without thinking. Don’t use the palm-out, fingers-up “stop” sign in Greece, or you may not be able to stop someone from punching you in the face. This gesture is an insult to Greeks — a stigma that apparently dates back to Byzantine times, when shackled criminals were paraded through the streets and gawkers were allowed to smear charcoal or excrement in their faces using their open palms. The historical context makes it even worse – you’re essentially invoking an ancient form of public humiliation. That cheerful hello just became a declaration of war.
The OK Sign That’s Definitely Not OK
Turns out making a circle with your index finger and thumb is not OK in certain countries. In France, for example, it means “zero” or “worthless.” In Venezuela, Turkey, and Brazil, it’s a vulgar slang that will offend pretty much anyone you flash it at. This gesture is particularly dangerous because it feels so universally positive. You’d never suspect that something so seemingly harmless could cause such offense. In the United States of America, the “OK” sign is a universal symbol of approval. But in other countries, such as Brazil, France, and Germany, the same gesture can be considered offensive and can mean “you’re a big zero” or “you’re a real loser.” Think about it – you’re trying to tell your tour guide that everything’s perfect, and instead you’re calling them worthless. In fact, some of the ‘innocent’ gestures we use over here – like the OK sign – are considered extremely offensive in other parts of the world; using the OK sign in Greece, Spain or Brazil is not a good idea. Because the OK symbol in those countries actually represents a bodily orifice…if you use that symbol in a conversation with a local you’re basically calling them an a**hole.
Your Left Hand Just Ruined Dinner
In many Middle Eastern countries and countries with large Hindu populations, such as India, Malaysia and Singapore, the left hand is considered the bathroom hand. In these countries, “it is considered disrespectful to offer or accept anything with your left hand, especially food. This is especially true if you visit a temple and choose to make an offering and/or participate in a prayer or ceremony where you are asked to take something such as holy water,” says Sriram Srinivasan, travel blogger for UPGRD.com. This rule goes deep into cultural beliefs about cleanliness and respect. In these countries, the left hand is traditionally seen as unclean, because it is associated with cleaning yourself after using the bathroom. Avoid using in: The Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, and Africa. Imagine sitting down to a beautiful home-cooked meal with a local family in India, reaching out with your left hand to accept their hospitality, and watching their faces change from welcoming to horrified. The worst part is that you might not even realize what you’ve done wrong until much later, if at all.
Your Crossed Fingers Cross a Line
Crossing your index and middle fingers won’t bring you good luck in Vietnam. There, crossed fingers symbolize a part of the female anatomy and can be considered very rude when flashed at another person. This one’s especially cruel because crossing your fingers is such an innocent, hopeful gesture in Western culture. You do it when you’re wishing for something good to happen, like hoping for good weather or crossing your fingers that your flight won’t be delayed. In Vietnam, is it better not to cross your fingers to wish for luck. This is considered to resemble the female genitals, hence it is considered extremely insulting if aimed at another person. Picture yourself in a Vietnamese market, crossing your fingers while hoping the vendor accepts your bargaining price, completely unaware that you’re making a gesture that’s deeply offensive to them. The irony is brutal – you’re trying to bring good luck while accidentally creating the exact opposite situation.
What would you have guessed that such simple, everyday gestures could land you in hot water across the globe? The scariest part isn’t just the embarrassment – it’s how these misunderstandings can completely derail what should be amazing travel experiences, turning friendly encounters into tense confrontations before you even know what went wrong.
