Gesture in different languages

Gesture in Different Languages

Discover 'Gesture' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which we use body movements to convey information, emotions, or requests. From a wave 'hello' to a nod 'yes', gestures are a significant part of human interaction and can vary greatly between cultures. In some cultures, for example, a 'thumbs up' is a positive affirmation, while in others, it can be considered rude. Understanding gestures in different languages and cultures is crucial for effective communication and building strong relationships.

Gestures have been an essential part of human history, with cave paintings depicting early humans using hand gestures to communicate as far back as 40,000 years ago. Moreover, gestures can also play a vital role in accessibility, helping those who are deaf or hard of hearing to communicate more effectively.

If you're interested in learning more about the cultural significance of gestures and how to translate them into different languages, keep reading! Here are some sample translations to get you started:

Gesture


Gesture in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgebaar
Afrikaans gebaar derives from Dutch and means not only "gesture" but "deportment" and "conduct".
Amharicየእጅ ምልክት
Hausaishara
The word 'ishara' in Hausa is derived from Arabic and can also refer to a sign, symbol, or clue.
Igbommegharị ahụ
Malagasyfihetsika
The word "fihetsika" can also refer to a movement of the body, or a particular way of carrying oneself.
Nyanja (Chichewa)manja
Nyanja (Chichewa) 'manja' comes from the Bantu root '-anji' with the same meaning.
Shonachiratidzo
The word "chiratidzo" (gesture) in Shona is also used to refer to a sign or signal.
Somalitilmaam
The noun 'tilmaam' comes from the verb 'tali' meaning to tell or to say.
Sesothoboitšisinyo
In Sesotho, the word "boitšisinyo" not only means "gesture", but also refers to "a way of doing something" or "a habit"
Swahiliishara
Ishara can also mean 'signal', and in some contexts can refer to a 'secret' or 'code'.
Xhosaumqondiso
Umqondiso is also used in Xhosa for a ritualistic dance performed in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Yorubaidari
"Idari" also means "sign" or "movement" in Yoruba.
Zuluisenzo
Isenzo is a Zulu word meaning "gesture," but its etymology can also be traced to "an action taken," "a signal," and "a motion passed."
Bambarataamasiyɛn
Eweasidada
Kinyarwandaibimenyetso
Lingalaelembo
Lugandaakabonero
Sepeditaetšo
Twi (Akan)nneyɛeɛ

Gesture in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicلفتة
The word "لفتة" originally meant "a glance, a look" in Arabic, but now also refers to a "gesture".
Hebrewמחווה
The word "מחווה" in Hebrew has the same root as "חווה", meaning "to experience" or "to live through", suggesting that a gesture is an expression of one's experience.
Pashtoاشاره
The Pashto word 'اشاره' can also mean 'sign' or 'hint'.
Arabicلفتة
The word "لفتة" originally meant "a glance, a look" in Arabic, but now also refers to a "gesture".

Gesture in Western European Languages

Albaniangjest
The word "gjest" in Albanian can also mean "movement" or "sign".
Basquekeinua
In Basque, the word "keinua" can also refer to a type of traditional Basque dance.
Catalangest
The Catalan word "gest" also denotes the legal right to manage another person's property during that person's incapacity.
Croatiangesta
The Croatian word "gesta" originates from the Latin word "gestus", meaning "bodily movement" or "attitude".
Danishhåndbevægelse
Håndbevægelse, meaning gesture in Danish, originates from the Old Norse "hendfang" (hand grasp).
Dutchgebaar
In the sense of a facial expression it can be derived from "gebeer" ("behavior") or "gebaren" (to behave).
Englishgesture
The word 'gesture' can also refer to a symbolic action used to communicate a particular emotion or intention.
Frenchgeste
The French word "geste" can also refer to a medieval epic poem or a series of heroic deeds, both derived from the Latin "gestum," meaning "deed" or "accomplishment."
Frisiangebeart
Frisian "gebeart" originated as a cognate of the English word "behavior" and the German "Gebaren".
Galicianxesto
The Galician word "xesto" is sometimes used to refer to an angry or impulsive outburst.
Germangeste
The etymology of "Geste" in German is the Latin word "gestus", which means "bearing, demeanor, conduct".
Icelandiclátbragð
The Icelandic word "látbragð" can also refer to a person's temperament, character or disposition.
Irishgotha
Gotha is also the Irish word for "act" or "play" (as a drama), and the name of a goddess in Celtic mythology.
Italiangesto
The Italian word "gesto" originally meant "action" or "deed" and is still used in that sense in legal contexts.
Luxembourgishgeste
In Luxembourgish, "Geste" can also mean "behavior" or "attitude".
Malteseġest
The Maltese word "ġest" is derived from the French word "geste" and can also refer to a movement of the hand or a sign.
Norwegiangest
The word "gest" in Norwegian can also refer to a "deed" or "action".
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)gesto
In Portuguese, "gesto" can also mean "action", "deed", "achievement", or "attitude".
Scots Gaelicgluasad-bodhaig
The word "gluasad-bodhaig" in Scots Gaelic may also refer to a person's "conduct" or "behavior".
Spanishgesto
"Gesto" comes from the Latin "gestum," which could also mean deed or act.
Swedishgest
The word gest, which means "guest" in Modern Swedish, is derived from Old Norse and could also mean an invited ally fighting alongside the main forces.
Welshystum
‘Ystum’ derives from the Old Irish ‘gesta’ or ‘gesstum’, both of which stem from the Latin ‘gestus’, ‘carriage’.

Gesture in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianжэст
The Belarusian word "жэст" comes from the French word "geste," which means "action, deed, or movement."
Bosniangesta
The word "gesta" in Bosnian also means "deed" or "action".
Bulgarianжест
The word 'жест' can also refer to 'sign language' or 'a motion made to convey a message'.
Czechgesto
In Czech, "gesto" also means "attitude" or "demeanor".
Estonianžest
"Žest" is derived from the French word "geste", meaning "deed" or "action".
Finnishele
In Finnish "ele" can also mean a hand or a paw, deriving from Proto-Uralic *el-
Hungariangesztus
In Hungarian "gesztus" also means "gesture" in the sense of body movement or action that conveys a feeling, emotion, or thought.
Latvianžests
The word "Žests" derives from the Latin word "gestus" and also means "action" or "movement" in Latvian.
Lithuaniangestas
In Lithuanian, the word "gestas" can also mean "feat" or "deed".
Macedonianгест
The word "гест" in Macedonian comes from the Latin word "gestus" meaning "motion of the body".
Polishgest
The Polish word "gest" also refers to facial expressions or body language.
Romaniangest
"Gest" in Romanian means "gesture", but it also derives from the Latin "gestus", meaning "bearing" or "carriage"
Russianжест
The word "жест" (gesture) in Russian is derived from the Latin word "gestus", meaning "carriage of the body, posture, attitude".
Serbianгеста
The word 'геста' (gesture) in Serbian originally meant 'deed' or 'action'.
Slovakgesto
V slovenčine slovo gesto (gesto) tiež znamená výraz tváre, mimiku, škleb.
Sloveniangesta
In Slovenian, the word "gesta" can also mean "face" or "mimicry".
Ukrainianжест
The word "жест" can also mean "a gesture made to show contempt or mockery".

Gesture in South Asian Languages

Bengaliঅঙ্গভঙ্গি
"অঙ্গভঙ্গি" also means "makeup" in Sanskrit.
Gujaratiહાવભાવ
Hindiइशारा
'इशारा' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'संकेत', meaning 'sign', 'indication', or 'gesture'.
Kannadaಗೆಸ್ಚರ್
It is derived from the Sanskrit word "geshtura," meaning "action" or "deed".
Malayalamആംഗ്യം
The Malayalam word "ആംഗ്യം" comes from the Sanskrit word "आंग" meaning "part of the body" and is related to the English word "anatomy".
Marathiहावभाव
The word "हावभाव" also refers to the movements of various organs of the body like the eyes, brows, lips, and neck to express a particular state of mind.
Nepaliइशारा
The word "इशारा" also has alternate meanings like "hint" or "sign".
Punjabiਇਸ਼ਾਰੇ
The word 'ਇਸ਼ਾਰੇ' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'अञ्जलि' (añjali) which means 'to join the hands or to fold the hands in greeting'
Sinhala (Sinhalese)අභිනය
The term 'abhinaya' is also used in Sanskrit theatre and classical Indian dance forms, where it refers to the art of expressing emotions and conveying a narrative through body language, facial expressions, and gestures.
Tamilசைகை
The Tamil word "சைகை" can also mean "signal" or "sign".
Teluguసంజ్ఞ
In Telugu, "సంజ్ఞ" (gesture) also signifies a bodily position or attitude that conveys a meaning.
Urduاشارہ
The word "اشارہ" (ishara) in Urdu is derived from the Arabic word "أشار" (ashara), meaning "to point out". However, it can also refer to a sign, a gesture, an indication, or a hint.

Gesture in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)手势
"手势" also refers to the sign language used by deaf or hard-of-hearing people.
Chinese (Traditional)手勢
手勢 (手式), an abbreviation of 手勢語 (手式語), is a noun used in Chinese that also refers to 'sign' or 'sign language'.
Japaneseジェスチャー
Originally written in kanji as ジェスチュア, the word now appears in katakana due to influence from English pronunciation.
Korean몸짓
The term "몸짓" is derived from the Chinese character "身", meaning "body", and "짓", meaning "action" or "movement".
Mongolianдохио
The word 'дохио' can also mean 'sign' or 'signal'.
Myanmar (Burmese)အမူအရာ

Gesture in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiansikap
Sikap's root in Javanese/Sundanese refers to a person's spiritual essence or composure, distinct from its modern-day meaning.
Javanesepatrap
The word "patrap" in Javanese can also mean "behaviour".
Khmerកាយវិការ
The word "កាយវិការ" in Khmer can also refer to a person's physical appearance or physique.
Laogesture
The word "gesture" (ທ່າທາງ) in Lao is used both to describe a movement or posture, and also to refer to a theatrical or dance routine.
Malaygerak isyarat
The Malay word "gerak isyarat" derives from Old Javanese "grak", which also means "to dance" and "to act".
Thaiท่าทาง
The word 'ท่าทาง' can also mean 'manner' or 'appearance'.
Vietnamesecử chỉ
"Cử chỉ" originated from Sino-Vietnamese, meaning "to move" or "to point a finger".
Filipino (Tagalog)kilos

Gesture in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanijest
"Jest" in Azerbaijani also means "joke" or "mockery".
Kazakhқимыл
“Қимыл” (qi’myl) in Kazakh can also mean “movement” or “action.”
Kyrgyzжаңсоо
The word "жаңсоо" may also mean "movement" or "action" in Kyrgyz.
Tajikимову ишора
Turkmenyşarat
Uzbekimo-ishora
The Uzbek word "imo-ishora" is also used to refer to sign language, and has the alternate meaning of "sign".
Uyghurقول ئىشارىسى

Gesture in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhōʻailona
The word "hōʻailona" can refer to either giving or receiving a sign or gesture.
Maoritohu
The word "tohu" in Māori has multiple meanings, including "sign", "omen", and "evidence", and can also refer to a physical gesture or a non-verbal communication.
Samoantaga
Taga can also mean 'to direct', 'to point', or 'to show' in Samoan.
Tagalog (Filipino)kilos
The Tagalog word "kilos" can also refer to a person's mannerisms or behavior.

Gesture in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarauñnaqa
Guaraniteterechaukapy

Gesture in International Languages

Esperantogesto
The Esperanto word "gesto" is derived from the Italian word "gesto", meaning "action".
Latinmotus
"Motus" may refer to a physical movement, a mental or emotional stirring, or a signal.

Gesture in Others Languages

Greekχειρονομία
The word "χειρονομία" also refers to an ancient type of shorthand in which words or syllables were expressed with hand gestures.
Hmongyoj tes
The word "yoj tes" can also mean "motion" or "movement" in Hmong.
Kurdishbidestûlepnîşandanî
Turkishmimik
In French, the word "mimique" also means "facial expression".
Xhosaumqondiso
Umqondiso is also used in Xhosa for a ritualistic dance performed in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Yiddishהאַווייַע
In Yiddish, the word "haveye" (האווייַע) is similar to the Yiddish word "have" (האבען) meaning "to have"}
Zuluisenzo
Isenzo is a Zulu word meaning "gesture," but its etymology can also be traced to "an action taken," "a signal," and "a motion passed."
Assameseভংগীমা
Aymarauñnaqa
Bhojpuriहाव-भाव
Dhivehiއިޝާރާތް
Dogriशारा
Filipino (Tagalog)kilos
Guaraniteterechaukapy
Ilocanogaraw
Krioaw yu mek yu an
Kurdish (Sorani)ئاماژە
Maithiliहाव-भाव
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯏꯪꯒꯤꯠ
Mizozaizir
Oromomilikkita qaamaan kennuu
Odia (Oriya)ଅଙ୍ଗଭଙ୍ଗୀ |
Quechuayachapay
Sanskritव्यंजकाः
Tatarишарә
Tigrinyaኣካላዊ ምንቅስቓስ
Tsongaxeweta

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