What are the V fingers meaning?
 

this is nothing serious but i am curious :)

i have seen many photos and videos of japanesse girls (not sure about boys), where they actually put their hand up with both first and second finger stood up in a shape of letter V.

something like this
http://thewondrous.com/wp-content/up...83-600x901.jpg

i just wanted to know what does it mean. is it like a greeting or does it have any deeper meaning? or is it just like saying: "hello I am here and I am cool" :P you know, girls from where i come don't do that :P

It's a peace sign. I believe the practice of making the gesture in pictures was started by a Japanese female Olympic figure skater who did it to promote the message of peace (the v sign is close to the shape of a dove's clawprint).

Yup, although in some countries the same gesture with the back of the hand facing out (like the girl on the left) is considered a rude gesture. What a crazy crazy world we live in.

Thus exposing the fact I didn't click the link. Stupid, stupid me :o

It's a peace sign as above, although I have never heard of it being supposed to look like a dove's foot and doubt that that is the origin. Basically people do it now because it is just what you do in photographs, it's become a tradition, and everyone from 2 year-olds to grandmothers does it these days, although it's mostly associated with high school girls.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about its use in Japan:

One account of the V sign's use in portrait photographs claims that during the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Hokkaidō figure skater Janet Lynn stumbled into Japanese pop culture when she fell during a free-skate period—but continued to smile even as she sat on the ice. Though she placed only third in the actual competition, her cheerful diligence and indefatigability resonated with many Japanese viewers, making her an overnight celebrity in Japan. Afterwards, Lynn (a peace activist) was repeatedly seen flashing the V sign in the Japanese media. Though the V sign was known of in Japan prior to Lynn's use of it there (from the post-WWII Allied occupation of Japan), she is credited by some Japanese for having popularized its use in amateur photographs.[25] According to another theory, the V sign was popularized by the actor and singer Jun Inoue, who showed it in a Konica photo camera commercial in 1972. Japanese may also be associating with their onomatopoeia (gitaigo) for smiling. The number "two" is "ni" in Japanese, and the onomatopoeia for smiling generally begins with the sound "ni-", such as "niko niko" or "niya niya."

It did not say it in your quote there, but when the Allies used it the V stood for "victory".

:)

YouTube - Japan Interviews - #2 - Peace Sign!!

My students told me it was V for Victory when I asked after moving to Japan. Like a nonverbal ganbatte! I'm sure for different people, they have come upon via the different ways mentioned above.

Most of the time is joined with the phrase "Peace" (instead of "cheese").

I always get my students to say "Map" for pictures, because of the similarity of Chizu and Chiizu.

I know, it was popularised by Churchill during WW2, but since we were talking about it as the "peace sign" rather than the "victory sign" I didn't mention it. I would say the majority of Japanese people don't realise it was originally V for victory, since most wouldn't know the word victory in any case. Most Japanese people will tell you it means ピース.

Argh, you beat me to it ;)

thank you for answer ;) so it is peace, that is very nice :vsign: just noticed there is even smily for that

yes there are some other countries where it is used to express other gestures, even rude, also i think it was used as revolutionary symbol during ending of last century here, and students in our country use this to get noticed by teacher during the running class so teacher knows when they need assistance. but at that case they will hold a hand over they head, not aside the torso ;)

My assumption was that it meant peace, but also as mentioned i have seen people use it in a victory sense too. But it's funny how a simple turn of the hand and the meaning switches so quickly.

In the UK the other way around simply means 'F*** Off' as i expect it does everywhere else. Pretty much the opposite of peace.
Although in my experience the middle finger at someone is used more commonly as a rude gesture.


It's funny because it's so common in Japanese photos yet if someone of another race did the :vsign: in their holiday photos they would probably look silly. Yet the Japanese don't. Maybe it's just because i'm used to seeing them do it? But i'd look like an idiot if i did the same thing...haha

That is my understanding of it too.

It's not just the Japanese that do the 'V' sign either. My fiancee is Malaysian and for some reason, her and her friends can't help flicking the 'V' every time a picture is taken. :eek:

Actually that way of giving someone the fingers (palm in V sign) is apparently limited to the UK, Ireland, NZ, Australia and South Africa. It's not used that way in the US or Canada- they only use the 1 finger version.

In most countries it's just another way of saying "two"- I was pretty surprised when I first came to Japan and was working in a restaurant, and Japanese customers would order two of something by giving me the fingers! I got used to it after a while though :vsign:

This is very typical in Asia. Taiwan, HK, China, Korea.... years ago (sorry don't have links or quote or anything to this). My understanding of this is also "victory", and it was heavily "promoted" by Jackie Chan in the early 80s, as Mr Chan love to pose with this V sign during any kind of press or promotional event of his new movies.

I've heard both victory (which does make sense considering what the gesture looks like) and peace.

And also "Screw you" or something to that effect, but let's assume that's not it in this case, hm? :D Also I think that in that particular sense the hand is facing the other way.

It's because it's a very british thing relating to the use of longbows. I'm not sure why it never survived in the states because it's old enough to pre-date the Mayflower by at least aprox. 200-250 years. Perhaps the puritans just weren't that into it.

The two fingered "salute" with the plam inward/knuckles to the recipient is rather unique tot he UK, but seems well understood in Italy and France. Even many Americans get the general idea when the see it.

This is just my guess, but along with various cultural gestures turning up in the U.S. there is just a general perception that if someone raises the hand to you with the knuckles facing you its some sort of insult. The only differences between the number of upright fingers or even a fist, seem to be the specifics of the insult.

As for the V with the palm facing out, I have also heard various explanations - the most common being a take off on either the Peace sign from the '60s or the V for victory. Generally I just regard it as a sign that everything's good either way.

Funnily enough, in a certain (number of?) culture(s) the exact same thing applies to "showing ones palm" to people in gestures. I'm not sure where, exactly, (just something I read in passing) but I think it might've been Greece or somewhere not too far away. (From there)

At any rate, showing your palm is considered rude or even offensive.. to indicate numbers, 5, "STOP!", etc. you should let the palm face towards you.. Kinda confusing, eh?

Bottom line: if you're not sure where you are, lay off the gestures. :D

yep, I thought of that right after I posted - like in the "talk the hand" that was popular a while back - definitely insulting.

It's not unique to the UK- I listed the countries where it is commonly used above. Unsurprisingly they are countries with strong historical links to the UK.

It means, "I'm a ninja, and I will poke you in the eyes."

What does the V-Symbol mean in terms of hidden meanings.

I have heard about DaVinici code and "V" is the symbol for the holy grail.

In Hebrew 'V' means vav = 6

Anybody else knows something about it?

Oddly, living in America never prevented me from knowing people who do the V sign, or developing a habit of using it in pictures. I guess it's cause I lived in an Asian community? V signs pretty much define the pictures my friend's and I take! :vsign: it's also interesting how where I am now, no one does the V sign!
It also takes a lot of will-power to not make the sign x)

I thought it was a whole Winston Churchill V for Victory thing. And it means peace here! Related to happyness and hippies, haha.

As mentioned, the other way round means 'f**k off.' xD

Wow, really? I should start using smilies more often.
:vsign: :vsign: :vsign: :vsign: :vsign: :vsign: