We all greet our friends and family when we see them after a long time. Sometimes, it is just a hello and other friendly words, and sometimes, it is a big hug, but don’t you wonder how people greet each other around the world? Surely different cultures must harbour different greeting styles! Here are the top 15 different ways people greet each other around the world.
Top 15 Different Ways People Greet Each Other Around The World
1. Tibet
In Tibet, people greet each other in a unique way, i.e. by sticking their tongues out. Yes, you read it right, the action we usually see children perform to get on each other’s nerves and make fun of each other is a traditional greeting style, which dates back to who knows when and is still performed today by some elderly people and even some young ones.
2. United Arab emirates
In U.A.E., people greet each other by bumping their noses. Not just relatives or close friends but people on formal businesses also perform this to convey their hearty feelings and warm wishes and to show each other that they think of them as a peer, rather than a formal acquaintances.
3. New Zealand
People of New Zealand have a traditional and rather intimate way to greet each other; they convey their friendly feelings by rubbing noses and foreheads with each other, yes noses again! Although you have to take the other person’s permission first and it is only performed between very close people.
4. Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, people greet each other by clapping their hands. Good applause is seen as a warm welcome. The first person claps once and the second person claps twice to respond. Men and women also have different clapping styles. Talk about a greeting that sounds more like a code.
5. Malaysia
Malaysian people greet each other by putting their hands to their hearts. It is considered very formal, but it is traditional. The action signifies an open heart and goodwill for the other person. It is polite for men to wait for women to extend their hand for a handshake, and if they don’t, then they put a hand on the heart, and a slight nod works just fine.
6. Thailand
In Thailand, people greet each other by bowing their body in a slight arc. Place your hands high on your chest and deliver a graceful bow, and you will master the greeting style of Thailand. The higher you place your hands, the more respect you are giving. This gesture is called the wai.
7. Greenland
If you thought that rubbing noses was a very intimate gesture of greeting then brace yourself for the greeting style of Greenland. People of Greenland sniff faces showing their affection. Place your nose and upper lips on the other person’s cheek and take a deep breath; you are now greeting the other person in true Greenland fashion.
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8. The Philippines
In the Philippines, people greet each other by taking their right hand and pressing it gently to their forehead. This gesture sounds serene and is performed to show respect to elders or even people your age or smaller. This gesture is called ‘mano’.
9. Mongolia
When guests arrive in their homes, Mongolian people greet them by presenting them with a cotton or silk cloth traditionally called ‘hada’. The receiver takes it with both hands and bows slightly as a thank you gesture. Beautiful, isn’t it? Greeting others with a small gift!
10. Botswana
People in Botswana greet each other with a complicate gesture, which requires a person to extend their right arm and place their left hand on their right elbow and interlocking their hand with the other person hand extended in the same gesture and asks ‘lae kae?’ which means ‘how are you?’. It is a traditional greeting style and not very common among people.
11. Greece
In Greece, people usually men greet each other by patting the other’s shoulder or back. It is rather a formal greeting and generally not put into practise by close relatives and family members. However, if you make a new friend feel free to pat their shoulder to show your friendly feelings.
12. India
In India, the greeting style of joining one’s hand in front and uttering ‘namaste’ is rather a popular one. But people from different regions have modified the gesture and the uttered words to suit their tongue, thus adding curious contrast to the gesture.
13. Kenya
The Masai tribe of Kenya performs an elaborate rite in welcoming someone. They form warriors circles and compete who can jump the highest. They also perform one of their unique dance called ‘Adamu’ or the jumping dance, which is more or less of the same thing.
14. Belgium
In Belgium, people greet each other by pressing a kiss to their cheek. They perform this greeting regardless of gender and how well they know the other person. It is beautiful in its own way and is also traditional.
15. Argentina
In Argentina, people hug each other and kiss each other on cheek to show that they are happy to see them. These intimate gestures suggest that they have friendly feelings in their hearts and trust in the person.
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