Japanese people use gestures to make their emotions and intentions clearer to others. Common gestures in everyday life include bowing, pressing hands together in prayer, and beckoning.
This article provides a detailed explanation of gestures used in Japan. Use it as a reference to learn about the various Japanese gestures and try incorporating them into conversation with Japanese people.
Table of Contents
- What are gestures?
- Japanese Hand Gestures and Their Meanings
- The Same Gesture Has a Different Meaning Overseas
What are gestures?
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Gestures (ジェスチャー, Gesucha-) is a way of expressing emotions and intentions through body movement and hand motion. Gestures play a supplementary role to words, making it easier to convey your thoughts to others.
While many gestures are used in daily life in Japan, they are not universally understood. By learning Japan specific gestures, you can better understand what Japanese people want to communicate and apply this knowledge to daily life and interactions.
Additionally, for those who are not yet fluent in Japanese, learning gestures can make it easier to express yourself.
For basic Japanese greetings that can be used with Japanese gestures, have a look at this article.
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Japanese Hand Gestures and Their Meanings
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In Japan, it is common to use gestures in daily interactions. Here, we will introduce gestures that are frequently used by Japanese people, give them a try in actual conversations.
1. Bowing (お礼議する, Oreigi suru)
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Bowing is the most commonly used gesture in Japan. The act of bowing, where one leans forward and lowers their head, carries various meanings. Bowing is done during greetings, to express gratitude, or to apologise. Additionally, when seeing guests, it is sometimes performed until they are out of sight.
2. Hands Pressed Together (手を合わせる, Te o awaseru)
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The gesture of pressing hands together is often performed when apologising or making a request. When apologising, people say “I’m sorry” while pressing their hands together, and at shrines or temples, they do so while praying. This gesture is also used when asking for favours, and when expressing feelings of joy, gratitude or deep emotion. Since the gesture can carry various meanings, it is important to interpret it based on the speaker’s words and expressions.
The gesture of pressing hands together is said to originate from Buddhism, which is why it is also used in countries like India and Thailand. In Japan, it is widely used, so it helps to understand its different meanings.
3. Pointing to Oneself (自分を指す, Jibun wo sasu)
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When Japanese people indicate self-ownership or refer to themselves in conversations, they often point to themselves. For example, if asked, “Whose is this?” they might reply, “It’s mine”, while pointing to themselves. In many other countries, people tend to place their hand on their chest to refer to themselves, so the gesture of pointing at oneself can sometimes be seen as unusual.
4. Beckoning (手招きする, Temaneki suru)
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Beckoning is a gesture used to invite or call someone over. It involves having one’s palm facing toward the other or down, and making an up and down motion with the hand. In countries like the United States, the beckoning gesture usually has the palm facing upwards and waving it towards oneself.
5. Waving Hands (手を振る, Te wo furu)
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The gesture of waving hands has multiple meanings. Additionally, the meaning can change depending on the position and manner in which the hand is waved.
Front Gesture
The gesture of holding up a hand in front of one’s face and waving it horizontally is a sign of refusal. It is also used to express rejection, such as “It’s not me”, “I don’t know”, or “That’s not right”.
Side Gesture
Waving one’s hand horizontally next to the side of one’s face is used to bid farewell when saying “Goodbye” or “See you again”. It is also used to indicate one’s location, like “Here I am” or “I’m over here”. Waving your hand widely over your head is similarly used for farewell or to call out to someone at a distance.
6. Forming a Circle with Index Finger and Thumb (人差し指と親指で丸を作る, Hitosashi yubi to oya yubi de maru o tsukuru)
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This gesture has two very different meanings which we will explain below.
Understood / OK
The gesture of forming a circle with index finger and thumb with palm facing forward can mean “Understood” or “Okay”. It can also mean “That’s fine” or “No problem” when used to express one’s opinion or judgement.
Money
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The same circle formed with index finger and thumb but with palm facing upward means “Money”. The circle represents a coin and is used when talking about money. However, since Japanese people tend to avoid discussing money in public, this gesture is rarely seen in daily life or business settings. It resembles the “Understood” and “Okay” gesture, so be careful not to confuse the two.
7. Forming a Circle with Both Hands (両手で丸を作る, Ryoute de maru wo tsukuru)
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Forming a circle with both hands is a gesture that carries positive meanings, such as “That’s right” and “That’s correct”. It is done by raising both hands above your head to form a big circle.
8. Making a Cross with Hands or Fingers (手や指でバツを作る, Te ya yubi de batsu o tsukuru)
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The gesture of forming a cross has different meanings depending on whether fingers or arms are used.
Arms Crossed
Crossing both arms over one’s chest is a gesture of rejection, meaning “No” or “That’s not good”.
Fingers Crossed
Crossing both index fingers to form a small cross means “Close” or “Settle” and is a hand gesture used when requesting the bill. It is a signal directed at staff to indicate that you would like to pay. This gesture is more commonly used by older generations and is seen less frequently nowadays.
9. Raising a Pinky Finger (小指を立てる, Koyubi o tateru)
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The gesture of a raised pinky finger refers to a lover or woman. It is used to ask a man if he has a lover. The usage of this gesture, or asking if someone has a lover in general, has become less common these days due to privacy concerns.
10. Back-Channelling (相槌を打つ, Aizuchi o utsu)
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Aizuchi (相槌) refers to gestures that show agreement or attentiveness while someone is speaking. This involves nodding one’s head while saying “Uh-huh (うんうん, Un Un)”, “I see (そうか, Souka)”, or “That makes sense (なるほど, Naruhodo)”. Aizuchi is also a gesture that shows respect to the speaker. On the other hand, in some countries, interrupting before someone finishes speaking is considered rude, and using Aizuchi can be rude.
11. Counting (数を数える, Kazu o kazoeru)
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Japanese people count with their fingers, starting with a closed fist, and raising the index finger first (for one), followed by the middle finger (for two), and so on, with the thumb being the fifth and final finger (for five).
Alternatively, starting with an open hand, they count down by folding fingers in reverse order, beginning with the thumb. Since counting methods can vary by country, it can be fun to learn and appreciate these differences.
12. Peace Sign (ピースをする, Pi-su o suru)
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This gesture, with index and middle fingers raised in a peace sign, is a popular pose in Japan when taking photos. It is also used to express victory or joy.
13. Thumbs Up (親指を立てる, Oya yubi o tateru)
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A thumbs up gesture means “Good”, and is often used not just as a gesture but as an emoji. It is used to convey positivity, such as “OK” and “Good”, just like overseas.
The Same Gesture Has a Different Meaning Overseas
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Even gestures commonly used in Japan can have different meanings overseas. Here, we introduce some Japanese hand gestures that carry different meanings abroad for your reference.
- Waving Hand in Front of Face: In Japan, this often means refusal or denial, but in some countries, it is used to indicate “Something Smells Bad”.
- Beckoning: The Japanese gesture of beckoning with palm faced down can mean “Go Away” in countries like Germany.
- Forming a Circle with Thumb and Index Finger: While this means “OK” and “Money” in Japan, in France, it has a negative meaning, implying the other person is “Worthless” or “Useless.
- Raising Pinky Finger: In China, this is an offensive gesture that implies the other person is “Inferior”.
- Peace Sign: Showing the back of the hand while making a peace sign can mean “Screw You” or another insult in some countries.
Gestures vary across cultures. It is important to respect each other’s traditions and customs and avoid gestures that might offend others.
To Close
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Japanese gestures may mean different things even if the motions are the same. Additionally, many of the same gestures may have completely different meanings overseas. Learning Japanese hand gestures can be helpful to communicating with Japanese people. By adding gestures to conversation, you can express your emotions better. Take this opportunity to understand and remember gestures that are frequently used in Japan.
