# Universal sign **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151 "2001-07-04T00:46:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![insider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@insider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/insider)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/1 "2001-07-04T00:46:47Z")
Is there any such thing as a universal sign that all humans will recognize? ---
**Author:** ![Gaspode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gaspode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaspode)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/2 "2001-07-04T00:51:10Z")
A smile A good solid punch in the nose Both seem to have pretty clear intentions to all normal humans. Come to think of it most facial expressions seem to cross cultural and linguistic boundaries. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/3 "2001-07-04T00:57:05Z")
I would suppose that a male grabbing his own genitals suggestively would be universally comprehended as “hey, baby”. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/4 "2001-07-04T00:57:50Z")
How about a wave, like you’re waving hello? I think that’s pretty much the same in all cultures, but IANAA (Anthropologist) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/5 "2001-07-04T01:03:31Z")
The golden arches. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/6 "2001-07-04T01:07:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > **I would suppose that a male grabbing his own genitals suggestively would be universally comprehended as “hey, baby”.** Or “I need to go to the bathroom”… How about pointing, to indicate direction? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/7 "2001-07-04T02:25:27Z")
There are at least two words universally recognized… **ok and taxi** ---
**Author:** ![RAWisSYDNEY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4491bb/32.png) [@RAWisSYDNEY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWisSYDNEY)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/8 "2001-07-04T07:52:53Z")
Holding your hands to mouth as if you were choking could indicate the fact that you are choking. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/9 "2001-07-04T08:09:59Z")
Rubbing your eyes or yawning to indicate sleepyness. Poking your index finger into a hole made by connecting the thumb and fore finger of the opposite hand. Batting your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/10 "2001-07-04T09:02:01Z")
Spitting in someone’s eye might mean “Will you marry me?” somewhere, but I have my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/11 "2001-07-04T12:51:34Z")
Throwing one’s arms open wide as if to embrace. I would think that says “glad to see you” in any culture. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/12 "2001-07-04T16:40:08Z")
Waving your hand can also mean “hey, don’t park that thing there”, or “Stop! Stop!” In some cultures it’s considered the height of rudeness to point your finger. Holding your hands to your mouth as if you were choking could also mean, “I’ve got something really awful in my mouth and I’d like to spit it out”. Or, “I’m grinning like a maniac at the idiotic thing you just said, but I’m too polite to let you see how I’m laughing at you, so I’m covering my mouth.” > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by wishbone \* > \*\*Rubbing your eyes or yawning to indicate sleepyness. > > Poking your index finger into a hole made by connecting the thumb and fore finger of the opposite hand. > > Batting your eyes.\*\* A. “I have something in my eye/I’m bored”. B. Wouldn’t mean anything if you were talking to a group of nuns. C. “I have something in my eye.” Throwing your arms wide can also mean, “I surrender. Shoot me.” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/13 "2001-07-04T20:00:45Z")
… when the waiter looks at you, scribble on your palm. The bill will arrive. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/14 "2001-07-04T20:55:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > > > [@](#): > > > > A. “I have something in my eye/I’m bored”. > > That too. > > > [@](#): > > > > B. Wouldn’t mean anything if you were talking to a group of nuns. > > If you did it real fast with the devil in your eye I think they would eventually get the point. They may not respond to it but they would definitely get the point. > > > [@](#): > > > > C. “I have something in my eye.” > > Not if you are smiling with “come hither eyes.” > > \*\* ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/universal-sign/71151/15 "2001-07-05T05:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RAWisSYDNEY \* > \*\*Holding your hands to mouth as if you were choking could indicate the fact that you are choking. \*\* Actually, holding both of your hands to your neck is the universal signal for choking.