Contents Various Aspects of Body Language

2. Finger, Hand and Arm Gestures

Body Language in Different Cultures: 10 Ways to Speak Volumes Without Saying a Word
We’ve selected 10 country-specific gestures to highlight below. This is just a small sample of the big pool of body language. You’ll find many variations of the gestures below, sometimes even within the same country. We hope you enjoy this brief encounter with the wonders of non-verbal communication!

1. The Korean Bow

Bowing is important in many East Asian cultures, including Japan, China and Korea (among others). While Western countries reserve the bow at the end of a (hopefully) great stage performance, bowing in these East Asian countries is part of basic etiquette to show respect and gratitude.
In Korea, you bow when initially meeting a person, to say “Hello,” to bid “Goodbye” and to say “Thank you” and “I’m sorry.”
Generally, the lower you bow, the more respect and deference you show the other person. And the longer you keep your head bowed also signifies your seriousness.

2. The German “1”

You probably use your fingers to count things, like signaling how many mugs of beer you want on a Tuesday night. In Germany, if you’re not careful, you might get drunk a little bit quicker. Not just because they have humongous beer mugs, but because they have a different way of finger counting.
In the U.S., the number “one” is signified by the pointer finger. In Germany—and a few other European countries like France and Italy—they start counting with the thumb. This slots the pointer finger at “two.” If you show the waiter a pointer finger, he might think that you’re saying “two” and bring you a pair of those huge mugs.
In the WWII movie “Inglorious Basterds,” an American undercover officer gives himself away when he asks for “three” glasses while signaling the waiter with his three middle fingers (pointer-middle-ring fingers). “Three,” in the German way of counting things, should have been thumb-pointer-middle fingers.