{"id":4136,"date":"2015-08-03T16:12:03","date_gmt":"2015-08-03T15:12:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eurotalk.com\/blog\/?p=4136"},"modified":"2026-08-25T13:15:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T12:15:52","slug":"greet-people-around-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/en\/news\/greet-people-around-the-world","title":{"rendered":"How to Greet People From Around the World"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"422\" src=\"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1199393039-700x422.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1199393039-700x422.jpg 700w, https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1199393039-250x151.jpg 250w, https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1199393039-768x463.jpg 768w, https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1199393039-120x72.jpg 120w, https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/GettyImages-1199393039.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<style>\n.videoWrapper {\n  position: relative;\n  padding-bottom: 56.25%; \/* 16:9 *\/\nheight: 0;\nmargin-bottom: 2%;\n}\n.videoWrapper iframe {\n  position: absolute;\n  top: 0;\n  left: 0;\n  width: 100%;\n  height: 100%;\n}\n\nli {\nfont-size: 125%;\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever experienced that awkward moment when you go in for a kiss when the other person goes in for a handshake and you end up with a punch in the gut? Here is our guide to greetings around the world so you don\u2019t end up in that awkward situation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The UK\/North America<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If you haven\u2019t met the person before then it&#8217;s best to go for a simple handshake.<\/li><li>If you&#8217;re attempting to look stylish, or you&#8217;re at an impressive event, then you can kiss them on both cheeks.<\/li><li>If you are meeting a friend then a friendly hug or a kiss on each cheek is allowed.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/eurotalk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/kiss.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/eurotalk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/kiss-300x243.png\" alt=\"kiss\" class=\"wp-image-4218\" width=\"300\" height=\"243\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>South Korea<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The bow is the traditional Korean greeting<\/li><li>When men are meeting someone they know they shake hands, however this does not happen between different&nbsp;genders.<\/li><li>Korean women will not shake hands with Western men.<\/li><li>Western women, however, may offer their hand to a Korean man.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">France<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>When meeting a girl you can kiss them, one on each cheek.<\/li><li>Men stick to handshakes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Netherlands<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The handshake is very important, you shake everyone\u2019s hand on arrival and again when you are leaving<\/li><li>When meeting up with a friend it is normal to kiss three times on alternate cheeks.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"videoWrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Iwe5KDJYxTM\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Argentina<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is normal to kiss everyone of the cheek, just once and always the right cheek<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Thailand<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>In Thailand you greet someone with the &#8216;Wai&#8217;, this is when you press your palms together in a prayer pose, and bow your forehead to touch your fingertips. The higher your hands, the more respect you have for the other person.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"videoWrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"580\" height=\"435\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tec9pCjkoxo\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">India<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A typical greeting is when you place your palms together in the prayer position and bow slightly, and say &#8216;Namaste&#8217;.<\/li><li>However, when Indian people&nbsp;meet a Westerner they will shake their&nbsp;hand.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"videoWrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VglGNNr1bok\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">China<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You no longer have to do the cupped-hand bow; it is now acceptable to do a handshake. If you are in a formal situation, then out of respect you should lower your head.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inuit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>When they are meeting someone they rub their noses together.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/eurotalk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/inuit.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/eurotalk.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/inuit-300x269.png\" alt=\"inuit\" class=\"wp-image-4217\" width=\"300\" height=\"269\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tibet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It is very polite to stick your tongue out at someone; it shows you have no evil thoughts.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"videoWrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"580\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rMmyMA8oI3U\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever experienced that awkward moment when you go in for a kiss when the other person goes in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[3985],"class_list":["post-4136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-languagelearning","tag-general"],"acf":[],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":4136},"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":3,"label":"Language Learning"}],"post_tag":[{"value":3985,"label":"General"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Richard Howeson","author_link":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/en\/news\/author\/richard"},"comment_info":2,"category_info":[{"term_id":3,"name":"Language Learning","slug":"languagelearning","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":254,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":3,"category_count":254,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Language Learning","category_nicename":"languagelearning","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":3985,"name":"General","slug":"general","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3985,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":135,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4136"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10427,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4136\/revisions\/10427"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/utalk.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}