Extending the middle finger has no connotations whatsoever in Japan. In some instances, it means something like "older brother" when one is indicating by the thumb a father, the pinkie his mistress or the baby, the index finger a mother, etc. But it's still perfectly acceptable to wave your middle finger wildly right under someone's nose, especially if you're talking about family. Which leads to some funny situations, especially at kindergarten.

"Fingerplays" are a popular kindergarten time-killer, and the teachers seem to know hundreds of them. The teacher sits in front of the class, sings some funny repetitious little song, and makes hand gestures to go with the lyrics, and the children follow as best they can. I should have seen it coming when she started a song about each member of a family trying to get in a bathtub in her other hand, finding the water too hot, and squealing and running inside her palm. First everyone stuck up their thumbs for the father, then mother tried the tub. Listening to Japanese all day makes me zone out a bit sometimes, and I was staring dully out the window by the time I noticed 40 kindergarteners giving their smiling teacher the bird. I really need to always carry a camera.

Comments

[Karla]

That even just LOOKS vulgar when I follow your instructions, and I don't even know what it means.

[jarred]

i learned today that holding your hand at chest height with the palm down and waggling your middle finger is extremely vulgar in greece.