Japanese · Hand Gestures · hand gesture
指差し
yubisashi
Pointing at people (rude)
2/5 Bar-safe
coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances
The gesture
"pointing a single finger directly at a person"
What your hand is actually doing.
How to use it
Pointing a finger straight at a person is distinctly rude in Japan — accusatory and childish. Locals gesture toward people with an open, flat hand instead, palm up. (Confusingly, deliberate "pointing-and-calling" — yubisashi-kōshō — is a revered safety ritual for train drivers and factory workers; that's pointing at signals and gauges, never at people.) Point at things, not humans.
Heard in the wild
人を指差すのは失礼だよ。
Pointing at people is rude.
Where it lands
Nationwide
Quick answers
- What does "指差し" mean?
- In Japanese, "指差し" means "Pointing at people (rude)". Literally it's "pointing a single finger directly at a person". Pointing a finger straight at a person is distinctly rude in Japan — accusatory and childish. Locals gesture toward people with an open, flat hand instead, palm up. (Confusingly, deliberate "pointing-and-calling" — yubisashi-kōshō — is a revered safety ritual for train drivers and factory workers; that's pointing at signals and gauges, never at people.) Point at things, not humans.
- Is "指差し" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 2/5 (Bar-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. coarse but friendly; fine among acquaintances.
- How do you pronounce "指差し"?
- This one's a hand gesture — there's nothing to pronounce. pointing a single finger directly at a person.
Related in Japanese
小指 koyubi gesture His/your woman — girlfriend, mistress, or 'the lady' お金のサイン okane no sain gesture Money (NOT 'OK' — context-dependent) 中指を立てる nakayubi o tateru gesture Up yours (imported Western gesture) おいでおいで oide oide gesture Come here うるさい urusai oo-roo-SIGH Shut up / you're too loud / quit nagging のろま noroma no-RO-mah Slowpoke / dead weight
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