Viral Tiktok Hand Gestures Exposed: What Chinese Insult Signs Actually Look Like

Explore the essential facts related to Viral Tiktok Hand Gestures Exposed: What Chinese Insult Signs Actually Look Like with our comprehensive overview.

A major source of confusion stems from finger-counting systems. While Westerners count from one to ten using both hands, Chinese commerce has relied on a single-handed dactylonomy system for centuries. This allowed merchants to hold an abacus or merchandise with one hand while bidding prices with the other.

Between the numbers one and five, the system matches Western habits. The divergence begins at six:

• Six (六): The thumb and pinky extend while the three middle fingers curl into the palm. Westerners frequently mistake this for the Hawaiian "shaka" or a phone gesture. In modern internet parlance, doing this quickly also means "awesome" or "smooth" (borrowed from the homophone liù).
• Seven (七): The thumb, index, and middle fingertips touch together, pointing upward. In southern regions, it is sometimes shown with the thumb and index finger extended downward.
• Eight (八): The thumb and index finger form an "L" or point outward like a handgun. In Western contexts, pointing this at someone could look aggressive; in a Chinese restaurant, it merely tells the waiter you want eight dumplings.
• Nine (九): The index finger curls into a hook while remaining fingers curl into the palm.
• Ten (十): Displayed either as a clenched fist, two index fingers crossed to form the character 十, or crossed index and middle fingers on one hand.

None of these numbers carry an offensive intent. Treating them as aggressive body language creates friction where none exists.