Sun 2008/06/08 13:34
A list of "7 Innocent Gestures That Can Get You Killed Overseas" (depending on where you live) at Cracked. Did not know about the "Thailand / The Philippines / China" one and not sure if its true - which makes me wonder if any of them are true. Can anybody living in these regions confirm? Are there any taboo gestures in your region that one should look out for? Image via Moe Imouto.
Posted on Sun 2008/06/08 13:34 by
People in Asian countries tend to point with their middle fingers a lot... is that considered an innocent gesture?
(ID #207508) Posted on 2008/06/08 13:44
Procrastinator Extraordinaire
the whole middle finger thing as an insult is western in origin. i havent really noticed Chinese people using their birdfinger to point at stuff
(ID #207516) Posted on 2008/06/08 13:52
it's not very common (I think) and yes it is innocent. My little cousin used to do it but we told her not to since it looks strange and attracts attention.
(ID #207565) Posted on 2008/06/08 15:17
Procrastinator Extraordinaire
the whole finishing your entire meal as an insult thing in the Philippines is not true and ive never heard of it. maybe in China or thailand but not in my homeland. and not all filipinos have chinese blood in them so you cant point that one out. one thing filipinos will always do to a guest is try their best to offer them food no matter how little there is.
(ID #207513) Posted on 2008/06/08 13:49
Im a Filipino raised in the philippines and I have never heard of that one. In fact in the philippines people are poor that we are taught NEVER to waste food and finish our portions completely.
(ID #207531) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:15
He's right about that mr.choo. Since we are a poor country.
(ID #208018) Posted on 2008/06/09 04:58
daichouginga in Byston Well, the land between the earth and the sea (Registered on 2008/06/04 10:04)
Professional Bum Mode
I also didn't heard of that 'leave a little bit of food after eating' as a courtesy to the host. In contrary, my mom always says to me to eat all the food that I got in my plate because it's not good to have wasted food after eating.
(ID #207534) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:18
I've never heard of this one in China either. The reasoning behind it sounds like how hosts would be in China but don't worry, they'll feed you ~ very well~ there if you're a guest :D
(ID #207567) Posted on 2008/06/08 15:19
I was raised in China, and the rule about China is really wrong. As a host I feel bad if my guest finished his/her food and i dont have more to offer
(ID #207657) Posted on 2008/06/08 17:52
When we visited China my brother drank all of his coolede down green tea, so the waiter immediately, yet ever so quietly filled it up again, and without noticing he took another hearty sip of the boiling drink.
(ID #207731) Posted on 2008/06/08 20:11
I don't know, is there any culture where if you finish the meal you were given, is considered an insult? I would think that in just about every country that would be considered a compliment.
(ID #207799) Posted on 2008/06/08 22:09
Engineering research
It not an insult per se but a chinese host will have an obligation to feed you till you can't eat anymore. That's why one will leave behind some food as non-verbal indication of "Gochisosama"
(ID #208255) Posted on 2008/06/09 12:23
I better keep that in mind. haha
(ID #209559) Posted on 2008/06/10 21:36
Structural Engineer
actually...i think heard that it is true...but it is very old and not really a popular custom...i believe it means that if you finish the meal completely that the host did not satisfy your hunger, coz living some food means your too full to eat more...btw im also filipino so i'm not just making this up hehehe but of course im not 100% sure
(ID #207812) Posted on 2008/06/08 22:37
The one about Thailand and finishing your meal is not at all true. No one in Bangkok or any province goes by this. They make more of a fuss about crossing your spoon and fork vs. lying them side by side on a plate when you are done. The whole left hand thing, what do you expect for muslims? A backwards religion from backwards people that degrade women.
(ID #207965) Posted on 2008/06/09 02:47
Procrastinator Extraordinaire
whoa take it easy there bro. we're not here to insult Islam.
(ID #207979) Posted on 2008/06/09 02:58
My greek friend told me about the hand palm gesture, we found ways to do it him any time we could ^^ Funniest one was "stop! hammer time" XD I read this article before, I've heard about these gestures before but can't really confirm if true or not. Cracked is known for writing funny but not exactly accurate articles. Check out the "5 Most Terrifying Rites of Manhood" one ^^;;;;;;
(ID #207518) Posted on 2008/06/08 13:53
Combining insults with the power of MC Hammer... BRILLIANT!!
(ID #207583) Posted on 2008/06/08 15:35
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
About the brazillian gesture... it depends on the region, but it's not as bad as the article says, since people don't use that nowadays. And it used to have other meanings too. The stuff about having to eat everything with forks and knifes is complete BS though. Fancy restaurants yes... but in regular pizza places, McD's and pretty much any other fast food place people eats stuff with their hands too. I guess pretty much anywhere else.
(ID #207525) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:06
Super-Duper Student
Being Filipino myself, I'd say the opposite was true about finishing your meal! My parents, grandparents, relatives, etc. all told me to finish my food or else I'd be seeing 0's on all my test scores, lol
(ID #207532) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:15
my mom said that my future husband will have a mole on his face for every grain of rice i left in my bowl.
(ID #207570) Posted on 2008/06/08 15:21
Speedgrapher
haha, that cracked me. The mole man just flashed through my head.
(ID #207623) Posted on 2008/06/08 16:36
I heard that one from my parents too >.>
(ID #207705) Posted on 2008/06/08 19:40
china/thailand/etc. etc one is more if you're invited to someone you know's house... not a restaurant...
(ID #207533) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:16
Illustrator & Designer
Contrary to the article, I, too, was always told to eat all my food on my plate/bowl because it's not good to waste food. My mum and grandma also told me that if I didn't, my future wife would have a face full of pimples and moles! I've held of some of these gestures like the Greek and Brazil one but some seem really not so true.
(ID #207541) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:34
Part human, part student, 100% loser
I don't know any gestures except for the middle finger one... I don't use them at all, coz' I'm a good boy... *coughs*
(ID #207548) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:46
Yeah I read this one the other day, pretty interesting stuff. Danny you should probably compile a list for Japan. The only one I really know of is not to stick your chopstick straight down into your rice.
(ID #207552) Posted on 2008/06/08 14:57
chopstick thing is the same for chinese culture too, reason is that it looks like a grave.
(ID #207571) Posted on 2008/06/08 15:22
don't think so... well a lot things in Chinese culture is made up by parents to discipline their children. With chopsticks I know in the old days u are not allowed to suck on them or keep them in the mouth. And you not suppose to point chopstick at someone, well, you dont really point folks or knives to someone..
(ID #207658) Posted on 2008/06/08 17:55
Engineer first, On-taku second.
Not exactly. But that's probably because I heard different. From what I've been told, it is because the spirits are not strong enough to pick up their chopsticks from the table to eat the rice at their funeral. So to help them, we poke the chopsticks vertically into the rice, and to the very bottom of the bowl, to help the, eat easier. If that's true, I don't know. @_@
(ID #208281) Posted on 2008/06/09 12:50
Director/代表取締役
Was going to compile one but it started to get too long. Will do so when I got a bit more time.
(ID #207646) Posted on 2008/06/08 17:23
Student/Part-timer
Yea, was reading this up on digg yesterday. When I got to Chinese custom of leaving food on plate it made me wonder how prevalent that really is, or if it was confined to certain areas. Ive never been informed nor ever taught that this gesture of leaving food is what guests are supposedly to do...
(ID #207662) Posted on 2008/06/08 18:06
As the post above said, Filipinos in general find the "finish you food and look like an a**" quite the opposite. It's true that a very fine meal can set one back as much as $80-200+ (that amount is considered expensive here). Well, the exception might be in upper society (I've encountered this by experience and it is NOT the norm) a faux pas of finishing your food would be interpreted by some as a no-good person or ill-mannered (it's not a general thing though). I was once stuck for a birthday at the Mandarin and they took out plate by plate so much food and it sort of made me cringe especially that good food IS a great blessing to mankind and we simply throw it out right? In my opinion, I find it offensive to leave a morsel especially in the mornings when my family don't eat at the same time and have a shared meal....I don't know of other countries though
(ID #207679) Posted on 2008/06/08 18:48
Student and full-time otaku
Ok, another thing learned. I almost feel thankful for never going far abroad. Are there also Japan-only innocent-gestures-that-get-you-killed? BTW love the Erika pic ^^
(ID #207681) Posted on 2008/06/08 18:55
something is very wrong if i only open the link to this article for the Erika picture...
(ID #207721) Posted on 2008/06/08 20:00
I hvae heard of the thumbs-up thing so that might be true. And about the flowers, we always give odd number of flowers but I didn't know why. So if you give even number of flowers here it's not that offencsive but you can get strange looks simply coz ppl are wondering whether you don't know of this rule.
(ID #207762) Posted on 2008/06/08 21:03
Nandeyane~
Wow, will look out for these... I guess I wouldn't succeed in doing so though, the thumb up for example is something I use often, and I would probably use it without thinking :P
(ID #207764) Posted on 2008/06/08 21:03
Dyslexic Social Studies student, struggling gundam modeler and gamer
The thing about the Philippines... Filipinos are hospitable and tend to give their guests good food and make sure that they won't go hungry, of course if you receive such special treatment you are somewhat obliged to finish what is served on your plate. That way you'll be complementing the host and give him the assurance that his guest is comfortable. Although some snotty people would think bad of you if you clear up your whole plate, but this is rare. Besides what kind of person would like to waste food. He,he, somehow this reminds of an episode of Rockman EXE Stream...
(ID #207813) Posted on 2008/06/08 22:43
i thought the articles in cracked.com are normally too exaggerating?
(ID #207895) Posted on 2008/06/09 00:53
radical anime fan in Singapore; starting to freeze up. Mmm, end-of-year weather. (Registered on 2007/01/25 22:08)
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
I don't know about the rest (I did laugh at the way the article was written though) but the "finish your meal" one is partially true in China if you're visiting a traditionalist. Otherwise, chances are you can just go "ah, heck". I wouldn't advise it if you're at a formal meal, though ^_^|||
(ID #207924) Posted on 2008/06/09 01:26
the one about Asians pointing with the middle finger thing is kinda true, but we dont mean it as an insult or anything(well at least most of us do), to be honest i tend to do that too but my friends dont really think of it as an insult unless i say the "F" word when i am pointing with the middle finger, so please, if any of you non-Asians comes to Asia please don't feel bad, we dont mean to offend you
(ID #207962) Posted on 2008/06/09 02:42
Service desk support
The "empty plate = bad host"? True for china at least!! Even families are not immune. My grandma used to give us funny looks when we left an empty plate at english restaurants.
(ID #207991) Posted on 2008/06/09 03:25
Being from South America, I don't believe the second one to be true here unless it was from a non spanish speaking country...
(ID #208016) Posted on 2008/06/09 04:54
We don't have that culture here in the Philippines. But it's strange though how some people don't finish their meals here...as if we're not importing rice from some least likely nations (usa and vietnam).Moreso,during "fiestas",I get upset with guests who take more roast pig&bitter-goat innards than they can eat!They have to finish their food!!!
(ID #208019) Posted on 2008/06/09 05:00
I was singing a song once for my vocal exam about a prostitute or something (it was a Jekyll and Hyde song). There was a line like "so I have over two men for lunch," and I held up what was basically a backwards peace sign on "two." Afterwards my teacher told me that it was a way of flipping people off in Britain, I think (something to that effect anyway). Which, in context of the song, was oddly appropriate, but I didn't have a clue. The middle finger thing is pretty offensive in the US of course, but I use that finger to push up my glasses all the time. I hope I'm not accidentally upsetting anyone when I do that...but oh well I guess.
(ID #208024) Posted on 2008/06/09 05:22
Forgot to point out that Barack Obama used his middle finger to scratch his cheek during a televised speech while talking about Hillary Clinton. People seriously, pardon the pun, flipped out. They thought he was insulting her.
(ID #208026) Posted on 2008/06/09 05:26
radical anime fan in Singapore; starting to freeze up. Mmm, end-of-year weather. (Registered on 2007/01/25 22:08)
Polytechnic Freshman. Mmm... fresh.
I had a classmate stop talking to me for two weeks just because I scratched my left cheek with my middle finger and he HAPPENED to look at me. I mean, what the hell?! Seriously, I think people nowadays are just too suspicious.
(ID #208869) Posted on 2008/06/10 02:38
Part human, part student, 100% loser
LOL, I hope you guys can get back to normal... To me, the middle finger isn't much of an insult, I find it funny... Maybe when someone points a middle a finger at you, do the piece sign or the thumbs up...
(ID #208895) Posted on 2008/06/10 03:27
Chef, Full fledged Otaku, Full time Observer.....
man... shocking revelations....
(ID #208038) Posted on 2008/06/09 05:47
Well, people, you may find those much interesting, especially the lines of etiquette for each region of the world: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worldwide_etiquette *Warps away again*
(ID #208064) Posted on 2008/06/09 06:41
In Brazil, the OK is OK, don't worry... But I never see someone doing the "OK" gesture around, so if u do it problably ppl will know "Ohh, Tourist, let's steal/kill/punish him" anyway...
(ID #208127) Posted on 2008/06/09 09:22
It's stuff like this that makes me feel good that i was born in America. I don't have intentions of ever visiting any of thse countries anyway.
(ID #208247) Posted on 2008/06/09 12:14
Engineering research
I'll contribute one I learn during my 6 mths in thailand. It is rude to point the soles of your feet to another person. So if you have a habit of crossing your legs when seated please be more self-aware while traveling in more rural areas of thailand =)
(ID #208264) Posted on 2008/06/09 12:31
interesting but i have to believe some are a bit exaggerated.
(ID #208376) Posted on 2008/06/09 15:17
The middle two finger is an insult in the uk (middle and index) it relates back to the 100 year war with france where the powerful english longbow would do serious damage to french armies, so much so that if any english archer was caught he had his index and middle finger cut off so he could never again pull the bowstrings. So english archers used to insults the french by flipping them off with their two fingers to be like "oi u haven't got these yet, and i'll use these bad boys to put an arrow through you"
(ID #208495) Posted on 2008/06/09 18:09
だいがくせい
lololol "offendo f**kfestival" cheeky bastards who wrote the article, as for china, if your cant finish, its ok you wont get stabbed as long as you pay
(ID #209299) Posted on 2008/06/10 13:23
im a filipino w/ chinese blood and about the not finishing the meal it is not true same with china don't know about thailand though
(ID #261913) Posted on 2008/08/10 23:03
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