Don’t let your lacking knowledge of hand signals kick you out of Vietnam
Spoken languages might cause some trouble when you travel to other countries, especially to other continents due to cultural differences. However, it would be much more difficult when you use hand signals on your trips. Since it is not spoken, it is visual, and it is the symbols, people would have different ways to guess its meaning.
Moreover, it is also the local culture. A hand signal in your country might have a lucky meaning, but it is an insulting image in others. Especially, the western countries have a hugely different culture compared to Southeast Asian countries. Thus, when you travel to Vietnam, you might notice these hand signals not to be kicked out of Vietnam.
Cross fingers
In the western, when you cross your fingers, it means you are sending a lucky wish to the others. However, do not cross your fingers when being in Vietnam. It is an insulting hand signal. In the Vietnamese opinion, the image that two fingers cross is the same as the vagina. Besides, it is also a signal that the rude guys use to curse someone.
I had a chance of working with a guy from Poland. When we were going to launch the product, he sent me a message with only two words “Cross fingers”, I was shocked. I thought I did nothing to make him that much angry. And we were so polite in communicating from the very first days of collaboration until that time. Luckily I tried to search on Google about what a cross fingers hand signal means in Poland and I was clear about that. And lucky for me that it was just in a chatting box but not a face to face conversation. I cannot imagine what would happen if I see that signal directly.
V hand signal
A V hand signal in western countries might have victory meaning. Or if it is with the back of the hand facing outward, it is an insulting meaning. However, it is a greeting in Vietnam.
Two fingers image indicates two in counting. And in Vietnamese, two is pronounced as /hai/, same with “hi” in English. When you see some Vietnamese give you a V hand signal, do not forget to say “hi” to them as a reciprocation.
=> Culture shocks when first coming to Vietnam.
ILY hand signal
You might know that the ILY hand signal is an expression of love. It is a combination of raising your thumb, point and little fingers. In Vietnam, you can see this hand signal in the concert, music performances in the bar, pub, or tea house.
And especially, it is the most popular signal of rock music concerts. To the Vietnamese, the ILY hand signal is a way to say “Let’s rock it!”. So do not try to confess with your Vietnamese crush by this signal, it has no meaning of love expression.
Rather than hand signals
Hand kisses
Normally, you might kiss a woman’s hand as a greeting. However, there is no kissing hand between friends in Vietnam. Be aware that it is a love sign in this country. Only the man who loves a woman can kiss her hand.
=> What to do when being invited to a Vietnamese meal?
Touching a person’s head
Touching head has two meanings in Vietnam. It is a way that older people give their kids praise. And there is only an adult who can touch the head of children. Besides, it is a loving action that the man usually does with his lover. You might know that in Thailand, the touching head is strictly rude. But it is a love expression in Vietnam that replaces the sentence “well done!”.
Hook your little finger with other’s
It is a hand sign of “I promise!”. When a Vietnamese want to promise something to someone, besides saying that “I promise,” they will also hook their little finger with other’s.
Do you have any experience that hand signal causes you trouble when you are in Vietnam?
