In some parts of the world, "the finger" does not have any meaning at all. In India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka the social circles exposed to the western cultures use the middle finger gesture in the same sense that it is used in those cultures. The same is true for most South Asian countries..
Also, why is the middle finger bad?
"It's one of the most ancient insult gestures known," says anthropologist Desmond Morris. "The middle finger is the penis and the curled fingers on either side are the testicles. By doing it, you are offering someone a phallic gesture.
Furthermore, what is the middle finger in Japan? The middle finger has no cultural meaning in Japan. Unless you had watched American movies most people would not know what it means. The closest equivalent is placing your thumbnail between your index finger and middle fnger, this is said to resemble a clitoris, a very rude gesture in japan.
Also to know, what gestures are offensive in other countries?
Some hand gestures that are innocent in the United States are offensive in other countries. The thumbs up, the "OK" sign, and crossing your fingers are all examples of gestures that are vulgar in certain places outside the US.
What does the OK sign mean in other countries?
In Brazil, Germany, Russia, and many other countries around the world, the OK. sign is a very offensive gesture because it is used to depict a private bodily orifice. The OK sign actually does mean “okay” in the United States, however in Japan it means “money,” and it is commonly used to signify “zero” in France.
Related Question Answers
What is the middle finger called?
24947. Anatomical terminology. The middle finger, long finger, or tall finger is the third digit of the human hand, located between the index finger and the ring finger. It is typically the longest finger. In anatomy, it is also called the third finger, digitus medius, digitus tertius or digitus III.When did the middle finger become rude?
An appellate court in Hartford, Connecticut ruled in 1976 that gesturing with the middle finger was offensive, but not obscene, after a police officer charged a 16-year-old with making an obscene gesture when the student gave the officer the middle finger.Why is the middle finger used?
The middle finger gesture was used in ancient times as a symbol of sexual intercourse, in a manner meant to degrade, intimidate and threaten the individual receiving the gesture.Where did the V sign come from?
Origins. A commonly repeated legend claims that the two-fingered salute or V sign derives from a gesture made by longbowmen fighting in the English archers at the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War, but no written historical primary sources support this contention.What does V sign mean?
: a sign that is made by holding your hand up with your palm facing out and your index and middle fingers in a "V" shape and that is used to mean "victory" or "peace" British : a rude gesture that is made by holding your hand up with the palm facing you and the index and middle fingers in a "V" shape.Is the thumb a finger?
A thumb is a digit, but not technically a finger.Why are two fingers offensive in England?
The story goes that English soldiers waved their fingers at French soldiers who had threatened to cut off captured archers' first two fingers to prevent them shooting arrows. The English were thus boasting they were still capable of doing so.Why do people cross their fingers?
To cross one's fingers is a hand gesture commonly used to wish for luck. Occasionally it is interpreted as an attempt to implore God for protection. The act of crossing one's fingers mainly belongs to Christianity. The earliest use of the gesture had two people crossing their index fingers to form a cross.Why is the V sign rude?
This origin legend states that English archers believed that those who were captured by the French had their index and middle fingers cut off so that they could no longer operate their longbows, and that the V sign was used by uncaptured and victorious archers in a display of defiance against the French.What does thumbs up mean in China?
The appreciative Chinese would say ting hao de (???) meaning "very good", and gesture with a thumbs up, which in Chinese means "you're number one". High officials in the Chinese government see it as a sign of respect.What do long fingers mean?
Arachnodactyly ("spider fingers") is a condition in which the fingers and toes are abnormally long and slender, in comparison to the palm of the hand and arch of the foot. Also, the individual's thumbs tend to be pulled inwards towards the palm. It can be present at birth or develop in later life.What does thumbs up mean in Middle East?
Shayanne Gal/Business Insider. The thumbs-up gesture is a sign of approval in most countries. However, in several countries in West Africa and the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the gesture has the connotation of "up yours!" It's used the same way the middle finger is in the US.Is the OK sign offensive in France?
The 'OK' Sign However, in France this actually means zero, nothing or worthless and it is also insulting in Greece, Italy and Turkey.What does thumbs up mean in Russia?
That innocent "thumbs up"? In Greece, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and several other places, it actually means "up yours."Is the middle finger offensive in Australia?
In certain Commonwealth countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, an outward-facing V sign is an obscene gesture equivalent to giving someone the middle finger. The gesture is often performed by flicking the V up from the wrist or elbow.What does rubbing fingers mean?
Hand-rubbing, rubbing both hands palms together along the fingers' direction may mean that one is expecting or anticipating something or that one feels cold.What does two fingers together mean?
Definition of put/stick two fingers up at someone British, informal. : to make an obscene gesture by holding up the index finger and the middle finger of one hand in the shape of a V while keeping the palm turned inward.What does 3 fingers mean?
The three-finger salute (Serbian: поздрав са три прста / pozdrav sa tri prsta; or three fingers, Serbian: три прста / tri prsta), commonly known as the Serb salute (српски поздрав / srpski pozdrav), is a salute which originally expressed the Holy Trinity, used in oath-taking, and a symbol of Serbian Orthodoxy, thatWhat does thumb between fingers mean?
The gesture uses a thumb wedged in between two fingers. This gesture is most commonly used to ward off the evil eye, insult someone, or deny a request. Because of its origins in Southern Europe or Latin Europe, the gesture was imported to Latin America. 
