Not looking at people’s eyes is rather a good manner and it’s totally fine. When you bow, you don’t have to look at the person’s eyes you are bowing to. Of course you can use the same gesture when you meet or say goodbye to someone. When you did something wrong, just do the same. When someone does something good for you, lower your head slightly to show gratitude. Bowing is very convenient and can be used in all occasions–from greeting to apologizing. Bow whenever they are thankful, sorry or want to greet someoneĪs most of you guys probably know, the Japanese bow very often. There are a certain number of adults that do this, so I could be wrong, but that’s how they look to me. If you are grown up and don’t want to make yourself look childish, I would recommend that you do not do this. Note that this is usually considered to be a children’s gesture, and adults doing this might look childish.

It might mean “one” to make the whole phrase “a bad one” together. One hypothesis says that it comes from the word “akkan” (rogue) and people used this sign to show their disgust against them, but I’m not quite sure what this “beh” means then. When the Japanese do this sign, they often say “akkan beh.” I tried to look up the meaning of this phrase, but it seemed its origin was uncertain. This might be a bit difficult to imagine, but if you pull your lower eyelid downwards with your index finger while your stick out your tongue, that means you are trying to (jokingly and not too seriously) offend the person you are talking to.įor example, if your mom takes away your snacks and hides them when you were about to have them, you might do the sign to express your resent. If you want to make yourself look embarrassed, you should make an embarrassed expression. Meanings of gestures differ depending on how you do them.

However, don’t do this gesture looking frustrated because it will just make you look literally frustrated even in Japan. This gesture often comes with tongue sticking out and/or shrugging. In the West, scratching your head implies frustration or irritation, but in Japan people pretend to scratch or just pat their heads when they are embarrassed. Nod so many times while they are listening or talking.Cover one’s mouth when they are ashamed or just when they laugh.Bow whenever they are thankful, sorry or want to greet someone.

Zesture meaning