Every culture has certain greeting rules. In some countries, the greeting is so unusual that it causes surprise and smiles among representatives of other cultures.
10 types of greetings different nations world:
1.
To one of the most unusual ways greeting each other should be attributed custom of the Tibetans.
When they meet, they stick out their tongues. This tradition has a long history and dates back to the 9th century, to the reign of the Tibetan persecuting king Landarm, who allegedly had a black tongue. The Tibetans were afraid that Landarma would be reincarnated, so in order to prove that they were not evil, they began to greet each other by sticking out their tongues. Thus, sticking out the tongue signals that the person is not possessed by demons.
2. Indigenous people of New Zealand (Maori) When they meet, they touch each other's noses, thereby symbolizing the breath of life.
3. In Japanese culture It is customary to bow when meeting.
There are 3 types of bows: short and a slow bow expressing deep respect; average bow (at an angle of 20-30 degrees) with a delay of several seconds and small tilt of the head and torso.
4. Indian greeting “Namaste” (literally “Bow to you”) is accompanied by a slight tilt of the head and folded palms up at chest level.
The higher the level of the person you greet, the higher your palms should be. Most high level- at forehead level.
5.
Traveling around Kenya, you can become an eyewitness to the unusual greetings from the Maasai tribe.
The warriors form a circle and begin to compete with each other in the height of their jumps, thereby showing the guests their strength and courage.
6. Welcome to VAI in Thailand - placing joined palms to the chest or head: the closer the palms are brought to the head, the more respectful a Thai resident is to the person he greets.
7. By ancient custom residents of Mongolia As a greeting, they may be given a strip of silk or cotton - khadu - in white, light blue or light yellow, and in some regions smoking pipes and snuff boxes are used instead.
8. In France In an informal setting, even unfamiliar people perform a symbolic kiss when they meet, taking turns touching each other’s cheeks. The French greeting sounds: “How is it going?”
9. In the Philippines, when they greet an elder, they gently take his hand and press it to their forehead. This gesture is called "Mano" and is used to show respect. 
10. Handshake- the most common greeting, widely used in American, Slavic and most European cultures.
Before leaving for an unfamiliar country, it would be a good idea to find out something about its customs and norms of everyday etiquette. How not to screw up when making decent and not so good gestures with your fingers. Now let's sort out the greetings so that you can extend your hand in time and not grab it for an inappropriate kiss.
Handshake
Where?
Europe, USA, Australia, some countries in Africa, Asia, Arab countries
The habitual shaking of a familiar person's hand when meeting is one of the most common forms of greeting in the world. Even medieval knights extended their hands to each other, as if saying: “my friend, look, there is neither a sword nor an ax in my hand.” And that was the most real sign trust. Among the ancient Greeks, shaking hands was an expression of friendliness and hospitality. With such a pleasant meaning it has survived to this day. But don’t rush to put your hand forward to everyone and everywhere - there are still nuances.
Today, almost all Western Europeans shake hands. The British are a little different in this matter: they prefer to nod their heads slightly, and only let good friends touch their precious hand. In Great Britain, it is generally customary to touch your interlocutor as little as possible.
In the United States, people most often shake hands in a formal setting or when meeting for the first time. Walking around the office to shake everyone's hand on a regular workday is not customary here. Just like constantly shaking the hands of all the other people you see often.
And if you still think that a handshake is an exclusively masculine gesture, then you are deeply mistaken. In the USA and Western Europe women often shake hands with each other and with men (in situations conducive to this). So here it is important not to screw up and not be considered an unenlightened person on the topic of gender equality. And here Eastern Europe is a little behind in this regard: here the woman herself can extend her hand for greeting if she wants. Men most often do not extend their hand to women first.
As for Asia, there is no handshake here. traditional form greetings. But when a friendly Japanese sees a European, he will most likely shake his hand in a Western manner.
IN Arab countries After shaking hands, men usually press their right hand to their heart, thereby expressing respect and friendliness. Well, if very close people meet, it’s not out of place to hug and even kiss twice. Arab women They don’t shake hands, and forget about kisses and hugs right away.
Kisses
Where?
France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey, Latin America, Arab countries
Greeting kisses can also be completely different: from hot with passionate hugs to complete imitation with minimal pressing of cheeks to each other. Most often, people who know each other kiss when they meet, so don’t get your hopes up (or, conversely, don’t worry) - no one is going to kiss you right away.
If there are going to be kisses, it is important not to overdo it with the number of them. So, in Belgium and Italy two kisses are exchanged, in Spain - three. In the Netherlands and Sweden they kiss three times, but in Germany social kissing is not accepted. In France, acquaintances (and even strangers) release from two to five supposed kisses into the air, touching each other's cheeks in turn. In general, in France the number of kisses varies so much depending on the region that there is even a special interactive map so as not to kiss forever.
In Turkey, when meeting, men who are relatives or friends usually kiss. In Arab countries, greeting kisses from men are also quite common. But kissing with the opposite sex here, as we noted above, is an absolute taboo.
Embrace
Where?
Latin America, possible in Spain, Italy
Latin Americans tend to express their emotions violently. This also applies to everyday greetings. So, if you are welcome here, in addition to the standard handshakes and kisses, expect warm and sincere hugs. Most likely, only those whom they see for the first time will not get hugs (and even that is not a fact).
And yet, remember that hugs are a rather intimate thing; it is better not to be the first to hug in foreign countries. Well, you never know.
Bow
Where?
Japan, China, Korea and other Asian countries, India
In Asian countries they love all these ceremonial things, and bowing here is still an integral part everyday culture. You can bow in different ways depending on who exactly you are going to bow to.
So, the Japanese, when they see a friend or acquaintance, bend forward quite a bit, about 15 degrees. Deeper bows are usually reserved for very respected people. Europeans in Japan usually shake hands, but it is better not to rush to make physical contact with the first one. Personal space is a very important thing for the Japanese, and violating it on your own initiative is not a good idea.
In China, it is not very common to bow to everyone - this is considered an extremely respectful gesture, not for every mere mortal. The Chinese bow for everyday greeting is something like a normal nod of the head. Well, a handshake is becoming more and more common here, especially if you need to say hello to a person of European appearance.
You can also be greeted with a slight bow in Korea and Singapore. In India, women usually bow with their clasped palms to their chests, but men have mostly switched to handshakes.
If you get confused and forget everything
We understand that it is difficult to remember the traditions of greeting all countries. Therefore, if you suddenly get confused, just act according to the situation and do not make sudden movements. There is no need to be the first to hug and kiss another person if you are not sure that this is appropriate. But a friendly smile and a willingness to extend a hand to a new acquaintance will help you get out of most awkward situations.
When in the midst cold war Americans Brian and Michael McCorman from Nebraska, as a sign of protest against increasing international tensions, sent letters with warm greetings to all corners of the world and asked the recipient to simply greet someone else.
Each nation has its own customs to greet each other, but international etiquette is essentially the same: goodness and prosperity, Have a good day or success in work.
Englishman greets an acquaintance with the question “How do you do?” — (literally “How are you acting?”), Frenchman will ask: "Comment ca va?" ("How is it going?"), German - "Wie geht"s?" ("How is it going?").
Italians The acquaintance’s progress is not at all interested in him; when they meet, he will exclaim: “Come sta?” - “How are you standing?” Chinese will ask: “Have you eaten today?” Zulus state: “I saw you!”, Greenlanders they will simply say: “Nice weather!”, and Navajo Indians They will exclaim optimistically: “Everything is fine!” Persians They will advise: “Be cheerful!” Arabs they will say: “Peace be with you!”, and Jews- "Peace to you".
The most common greetings Mongols: "How are your cattle?" and “How are you traveling?” IN Malaysia They ask: “Where are you going?” (to which they vaguely answer: “To take a walk”). The famous "Salaam!" means "Peace be with you!" (like "Shalom"). IN Iran they say: “Be cheerful!”, Georgians greet with the word “Gamarjoba!” - “Be right!”, or “Win!”. Japanese they will say: “Konnitiva” - “here is the day”, “the day has come”, Highlanders of the Pamirs and Hindu Kush greet each other with the wishes “Be vigilant!”, “Don’t know fatigue!”, Vainakhs- the wish “Be free!”
IN African tribes groups Basotho the best greeting, when addressed to leaders, sounds like “Greetings, wild beast!” Maori they will say something like “Thank you for this morning (day)!” Hindu greets God in the person of the person he meets - “Namaste!”, and North American Indians sometimes they greet with the words “You are my other “I”.
IN Ancient Egypt During a short meeting, it was not customary to be interested in the state of health; they asked another question: “How do you sweat?” Romans greeted each other with the wish of health “Salve!”, and ancient Greeks They said to each other “Rejoice!”
Russians, Europeans, and Americans shake hands as a greeting gesture. A young American greets his friend by clapping him on the back. In France, in an informal setting, even unfamiliar people kiss when meeting and saying goodbye, touching each other’s cheeks one by one and sending one to five kisses into the air.
Emotional Latinos hugging, freezing Laplanders rub their noses against each other, Polynesia rub their noses and stroke each other on the back, men Eskimos lightly punch each other on the head and shoulders.
Friendly Japanese bow as Chinese. However, in modern China, acquaintances greet each other with the favorite gesture of actors and politicians - clasped hands raised above their heads. And our greeting gesture - the palm facing the interlocutor, swaying left and right - will be interpreted by the Japanese as a farewell gesture. The Japanese greet each other by waving their open palm facing the interlocutor away from themselves (back and forth).
Samoans sniffing each other Tibetans take off the headdress right hand, A left hand put it behind the ear and stick out the tongue. In North Africa, it is customary, after bowing, to raise the right hand to the forehead, to the lips and to the chest - this should mean “I think about you, I talk about you, I respect you.” Some African peoples pass the pumpkin in their right hand as a sign of greeting and deep respect. In the tribe Akamba in Kenya they spit on people they meet as a sign of deep respect, and in the tribe Maasai when they meet, they first spit, then spit on their own hand, and only then shake hands. On Zambezi clap their hands and curtsy.
IN India as a sign of greeting, hands are folded together and respectfully pressed to the chest, and Arabs cross them on the chest. Some Indian tribes in America, it was customary, just in case, to squat until the stranger they met approached and noticed this peaceful pose. Sometimes they took off their shoes.
IN Egypt and Yemen the greeting gesture resembles a salute - the palm is placed on the forehead. IN Latin America men, when greeting, perform the following ritual: they hug and first knock three times with their hand on the friend’s back, holding their head above his right shoulder, and knock on the back three more times, holding their head above his left shoulder.
Tajiks shake an outstretched hand with both hands - to extend only one in response is disrespectful (the rule is not universal, but it is mandatory, for example, for a host greeting a guest).
IN Russia Since ancient times, people have been asked about health when meeting, and this tradition has survived to this day. Analogues of the neutral “Hello” are the friendly “Hello” or “Great!”, the official “Allow me to greet you!”. Older people sometimes say: “My respects” and “Good health to you.” Greetings to a worker - “God help you!”, to someone who comes - “Welcome!”, to someone who has washed in the bathhouse - “Enjoy your steam!” and so on. There are forms of greeting: “Good morning”, “Good afternoon”, “ Good evening", "Good night"…
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
On World Greetings Day, celebrated today, we decided to compile a selection of accepted different countries a world of unusual ways to say hello that tourists should know about while traveling.
Tibet
The mysterious eastern people have a curious custom, noted by the famous naturalist Przhevalsky: when meeting and saying goodbye, the younger Tibetan takes off his hat in front of the older one and, slightly bowing his head, sticks out his tongue. According to one version, in this way he assures his interlocutor that he is not possessed by demons, because they are characterized by a green tongue. According to another, the tradition appeared during the reign of Landarma, the owner of the black tongue. After his death local residents, fearing the return of the villain from the world of the dead, they checked whether any of their fellow citizens had the same black organ. Today, the tradition lives only among the elders of the people and Tibetan lamas - by showing their tongue, they demonstrate a kind of reverence and respect for their fellow tribesman.
Kenya
One of the most famous tribes in East Africa, living on the border between Kenya and Tanzania, has preserved its way of life and traditional way of life since ancient times, without being tempted by the benefits of civilization. The Maasai, whose exact numbers are unknown, consider themselves the elite among African peoples and were once one of the most formidable and warlike tribes. To show your military might and agility, the most strong men When greeting the tribe, they perform the traditional Adamu dance: sitting in a circle, they compete in the dance to see who can jump the highest. Before shaking hands, Maasai men always spit on their hand, and women greet each other by touching their palm to the palm of their interlocutor and singing a traditional song.
China
Residents of the Celestial Empire, instead of greetings, usually exchange phrases that are strange for any European: “Have you eaten rice yet?”, “Yes, thank you, and you?” Moreover, it does not matter at all whether you have already eaten or not - this greeting simply serves as a tribute to politeness, because daily bread is a very important part of Chinese culture. The famous koutou bow and the ladies' version of wanfu, which originated as a tribute during important ceremonies back in the days of the legendary Yellow Emperor, are today used only by the Chinese who have reached old age and religiously observe traditions. Young Chinese residents, like their European peers, tend to shake hands or even hug, although in China kissing when meeting is completely unacceptable. Another unusual feature for us is that if a Chinese person’s right hand is not free, he will easily shake your left one.
Thailand
Like almost any country professing Buddhism, Thailand has from time immemorial shown the level of respect for the interlocutor by touching the center of spiritual forces - the head, having formed a special greeting system called “wai”. Thais greet their interlocutor from a distance by placing their joined palms to the head or chest: the closer the palms are brought to the head, the more respectful a Thai person is to the person he is greeting. The one who is younger in age is always the first to greet the elder, crouching in a low bow, and in return receives a polite wai with his hands folded on his chest. Greeting peers is intended to symbolize their equality: both interlocutors bow slightly, folding their hands near their chests, or shake hands in a European manner. When addressing any monk, one should bow deeply with a greeting wai at the level of the forehead, without blocking the path - this shows the deepest respect for the servant of the Buddha. The most respectful wai should be reserved for the temple: you need to move to the altar on your haunches, and then bend down three times to the floor while sitting.
India
In order to greet someone, a resident of India will stop and, folding his arms near his chest and joining his palms, bow slightly - this is what the famous Indian Namaste looks like. The word, which came from ancient Sanskrit, translated means: “I bow to you.” With this gesture, Indians turn to the divine principle hidden in every person, so the greeting extends to everyone, regardless of income level, age and gender. In India, no one will approach a woman by shaking her hand or putting a hand on her shoulder; you will not see hugs or kisses when meeting her - here it is customary to show respect. You should approach spiritual mentors or parents by bowing low at your feet. Every year, Western methods of greeting - a casual "Hello" or a simple handshake - are becoming more common in the country, and Namaste is practiced only among those who honor old traditions.
Tell me how you say hello and I'll guess where you're from. Greetings reflect features national character. Let's see how people in other countries greet each other.
Pedantic Germans wish each other until 12 noon good morning, from 12 to 17 - good afternoon. Then the good evening begins.
Career-obsessed Brits and Americans first ask: “How are you?” Acceptable answer: “good” or “ok.” Saying “badly” is considered indecent.
In France, even strangers kiss when meeting and saying goodbye, touching each other’s cheeks.
In Europe and New Guinea, it is a common custom to greet without words, simply by raising your eyebrows. Only on the mainland this gesture is used when greeting friends and family. And on the Pacific island - foreigners.
Emotional Latinos definitely try to hug each other.
Laplanders rub their noses against each other. Apparently to warm up a little.
People in India ask the question in the morning: “Did mosquitoes bother you too much last night?”
Curious Samoans sniff each other.
Mysterious Tibetans remove their headdress with their right hand, and put their left hand behind their ear and stick out their tongue.
The Zulus exclaim in surprise: “I see you!”
The Japanese take greetings very seriously. They use three types of bows - saikeirei (the lowest, for the most respected people), medium (at an angle of 30 degrees) and light (at an angle of 15 degrees).
When Jews and Arabs meet, they say: “Peace be with you!”
Greenlanders always exclaim: “Nice weather”, even if this is not true.
In Malaysia, people often greet with the question: “Where are you going?” The standard answer is a vague one: “Go for a walk.”
The traditional greeting in Thailand is called "wai". Place your palms together and press them to your forehead, nose or chest. The position of the hands is determined by the status of the opponent. The more significant the person, the higher the palms and the longer the “wai” lasts.
Representatives of the Tuareg tribe living in the Sahara begin to greet each other from a distance of one hundred meters. They jump, bow, make faces - and so on for half an hour. Alert Africans are trying to recognize whether a stranger is approaching them. In case of danger, they have enough time to prepare for defense.
The Akamba tribe of Kenya spit on each other as a sign of deep respect.
Next door to the Akamba live the Maasai, who also love to drool. They first spit on their hand, and then extend their palm to the person they meet.
The natives of New Zealand do not greet very friendly people. First they shout intimidating words, then slap their hands on their thighs, stomp their feet and bend their knees. Finally, their eyes bulge and their tongues stick out. Those who are not scared are most likely one of their own!
