The Chinese and Japanese must have some stereotypical hand gestures in speech...

Factual Questions
1

But I can’t think of any.

Egs (some I know):
Southern Italian: consult your local Godfather retailer.

Arabs (Persians too, I think, from seeing interviews): you hold your hand index to thumb tip, like an “A-OK” sign but with the wrist cocked backwards and the extended fingers pulled back a bit. It’s used to signal you’re making a very fine distinction/point, and sometimes, at the most precise moment, you release open your index and thumb, but without flicking.

Jews: One not so well known, but may have been seen:
In Ashkenazic Yeshiva, when discussing a Talmudic issue with a partner, and sometimes in general speech, you’ll have, naturally in any dialectical interchange, one point (issue, argument), another point, and the third point:

With a hitchhicker’s thumb-out fist, the first point is mentioned with the fist prone, the second, spoken immediately thereafter, has the fist and forearm move up and to the left (for a righty) and turn supine, and for the conclusion move like a big thumbs down, almost pushing in a tack.

A more well known one (although not really specific to Jews, but handy):
Why do Jews have short necks?


<shrugs with a face of so-do-I-know? expression.>

Every culture has these. But although I’ve watched Chinese and Japanese people talk forever, I can’t remember seeing any.

I’m learning to speak American Sign Language again, and decades ago my first teacher’s first assignment was to watch conversations through windows or look at people far away that you can’t hear them speak, and watch how many gestures constantly are used with specific meanings, perfectly judged physically,

2

For Japanese, there’s the making of an x (batsu) with one’s figures or both arms, meaning “no good, nope.” Waving one’s hand back and forth, almost like waving goodbye but with the arm and hand stiff either palm forward or turned 90 degrees can mean an embarrassed no such as “No, it’s nothing, really.” In America we often do the “come here” with the hand, palm turned upward and the wag of the index finger. In Japan, palm down with all four fingers wagging in unison means “come here.” And there is the usual V for victory sign (looks like a peace sign) usually used in photos. That’s all I can think of at the moment.

3

(Japanese)
Thumb stuck out of fist = boyfriend
Pinkie stuck out of fist = girlfriend
Thumb stuck between index and middle finger of a fist = sex

4

Girlfriend, or just “someone I can/have had sex with”?

Also Japanese: Hand rubbing agains the back of your head while you make an “Ssss” sucking sound: We don’t say “no” in our culture and you’re putting me in a position where I want to say “no” but I can’t. Instead, I’ll tell you that “it’s very difficult”.

Index finger touching nose: Did you mean me?

5

Chinese - index finger pointing directly to your own nose: me? (not quite the same as in Japan but close)
Cantonese - index finger pointing from the side to one’s own nose: fuck you ya illegitimate bastard
Chinese - counting from 0-9, there are different hand postures for each number. 10 can be done with one hand but more commonly done with index fingers making a cross sign.
Chinese - Thumb stuck between index and middle finger of a fist = “fuck you”
Chinese - hand down you wave it toward yourself = come here. It’s the opposite of the American way, which is considered rude.
Japanese - number 6 is done with two hands. Hold up right hand with the palm outward and the left index finger pressed against the right palm

6

Japanese - There’s a lot.

Hand stiff finger and thumb aligned and straight, perpendicular to the body, with a slightly bowed head means thank you.

Index finger pointed up with the hand closed, like indicating a No. 1, but holding the hand to the head as if making a devil’s horn means anger.

A hand fully extended so the fingers are backward and then held to just the outside of the mouth with your arm crossing your body is the sign for “gay.”

Holding your hands in front of your body as if you were a pregnant woman holding her stomach (assuming you aren’t that fat) is, not surprisingly, “pregnant.”

Holding a closed fist in front of and perpendicular to your nose is conceited.

Spinning an index finger with a closed hand, pointed to the top of the head and then clutching the finger tips together and releasing, palm up is stupid.

7

Holidaying in Kenya, I learned it was impolite to point with a forefinger at an object or direction, the locals jut out their chin with mouth closed as a pointer.

8

It took me years after leaving to stop using Chinese hand gestures when saying a number. In Sichuan province, the words for “four” and “ten” sound basically the same, so people really do have to use the hand gestures they want to be understood.

9

Funny, in that among the folks I work with now almost everyone speaks some Spanish, so when we get confused over whether someone is saying 15 or 50, we just use the Spanish word, since they aren’t similar. Being bilingual (even just a bit) aids in communication!

*15.

Did you mean 15 or 50?

Quince!

OK. Got it.*