Work in progress! Native speakers are still checking every phrase. Spot something off? Tell us.
cursing.in curse like a local

Greek · Hands & Trouble · hand gesture

η μούντζα (φάσκελο)

i moúntza (fáskelo)

Screw you / here's five of everything for you — the definitive Greek insult gesture.

4/5 Fighting words

aimed at a person, will start something

The gesture

"Open palm, fingers spread, thrust toward someone's face — the five fingers 'smear' at them."

What your hand is actually doing.

How to use it

THE Greek gesture, and the one that gets tourists into real trouble. You thrust an open palm, fingers spread, toward the target's face — the mούντζα (or φάσκελο). Its origins are murky: by tradition, Byzantine authorities smeared cinders (μούντζος) on the faces of chained-up criminals — a folk etymology, not settled history — but the open hand still reads as "filth on you." Crucially for visitors: the ordinary "stop" or "hi, five!" open-palm wave reads as this insult here, so wave with your palm angled or closed, not shoved face-out at someone. Fighting-words 4. Roughly "screw you," and everyone from drivers to grandmothers deploys it. See the double moutza for the escalation.

Heard in the wild

Της έριξε μούντζα και έφυγε με τσιρίδα λάστιχων.

He threw her the moutza and sped off with tires screeching.

Where it lands

Greece & Cyprus (universal); genuinely offensive, not a joke gesture

Quick answers

What does "η μούντζα (φάσκελο)" mean?
In Greek, "η μούντζα (φάσκελο)" means "Screw you / here's five of everything for you — the definitive Greek insult gesture.". Literally it's "Open palm, fingers spread, thrust toward someone's face — the five fingers 'smear' at them.". THE Greek gesture, and the one that gets tourists into real trouble. You thrust an open palm, fingers spread, toward the target's face — the mούντζα (or φάσκελο). Its origins are murky: by tradition, Byzantine authorities smeared cinders (μούντζος) on the faces of chained-up criminals — a folk etymology, not settled history — but the open hand still reads as "filth on you." Crucially for visitors: the ordinary "stop" or "hi, five!" open-palm wave reads as this insult here, so wave with your palm angled or closed, not shoved face-out at someone. Fighting-words 4. Roughly "screw you," and everyone from drivers to grandmothers deploys it. See the double moutza for the escalation.
Is "η μούντζα (φάσκελο)" offensive?
Yes — very. It rates 4/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Fighting words). aimed at a person, will start something. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
How do you pronounce "η μούντζα (φάσκελο)"?
This one's a hand gesture — there's nothing to pronounce. Open palm, fingers spread, thrust toward someone's face — the five fingers 'smear' at them..

Related in Greek

η διπλή μούντζα i diplí moúntza gesture The double moutza — twice the insult, maximum contempt. η χειρονομία του μαλάκα i cheironomía tou maláka gesture You wanker / you idiot — the gestural version of malakas. το «όχι» με το κεφάλι to «óchi» me to kefáli gesture No. — the head-toss that foreigners fatally misread as 'yes.' μαλάκας malákas mah-LAH-kahss Asshole / idiot — OR — dude / mate. The single most important word in Greek. γαμώτο gamóto ghah-MOH-toh Damn it! / Dammit! γαμώ το / τη / τον… gamó to / ti / ton… ghah-MOH toh The productive Greek curse engine — 'fuck the [anything]' — how most heavy curses are built.

The same idea, elsewhere

Via concepts like "Screw you".

how to say "Screw you" →how to say "Get lost" →

Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.