And while the Western world might attach a very different meaning to this gesture, it has never been known as a profanity in Japan.
The middle finger is a brotherly gesture in Japan. When used in the context of Japanese Sign Language, it's translated as 'ani' to mean older brother.
Pointing the finger is considered rude in Japanese culture because the person pointing is associated with explicitly calling out the other individual for their wrong behavior or actions.
In India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka the social circles exposed to the western cultures use the middle finger gesture in the same sense that it is used in those cultures. The same is true for most South Asian countries. In Portugal this gesture is also called "Pirete" or "Manguito".
'Phallic gesture'
"It's one of the most ancient insult gestures known," says anthropologist Desmond Morris. "The middle finger is the penis and the curled fingers on either side are the testicles. By doing it, you are offering someone a phallic gesture.
ਵਿਚਕਾਰਲੀ ਉਂਗਲ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦੇ ਹੱਥ ਦੀ ਤੀਜੀ ਉਂਗਲ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਹਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਆਮ ਤੌਰ ਉੱਤੇ ਇਹ ਹੱਥ ਦੀ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਵੱਡੀ ਉਂਗਲ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। Also see "Middle finger" on Wikipedia.
10: The Middle Finger
The middle finger is probably the most obscene gesture in the U.S. The most offensive gesture in America is flipping someone off.
Obscene Gestures: Raising one's middle finger or making the 'V' sign with one's palm facing oneself is considered very rude in Australia.
Though many western countries recognize a "thumbs up" gesture as an affirmative sign or sign of approval, in Australia it is considered a rude gesture having a meaning similar to that of a raised middle finger.
If you want to say “OK” you can give a person a thumbs-up or put your hands up above your hand, bend them in the elbows a bit to form a big “O” (called maru in Japanese). Remember, however, that thumb-down is an offensive sign in Japan.
The ?emoji expresses extreme contempt or even hate.
Showing someone or something your middle finger is giving them a clear sign that you dislike them and/or do not find them worthy of your respect. It is meant to offend and insult.
The victory sign is made by holding up your index and middle finger to make a V shape. This hand gesture means "victory" or "I did it". And this V hand sign is one of the most frequent Korean gestures taken while taking photographs in Korea. This V hand gesture is not only used as a symbol of peace in Korea.
Gestures: It is considered rude to make a fist with your hand while placing the thumb between the middle and index finger.
Also in Japan, holding up a pinky while speaking of two people signifies that they are in a relationship. This pinky substitution is considered vulgar and old-fashioned, however, in some anime scenes is intentionally used to enhance its silliness.
In Western culture, "the finger", or the middle finger (as in giving someone the (middle) finger, the bird or flipping someone off) is an obscene hand gesture.
Three fingers to the palm indicates “three” and so on.
In certain Commonwealth countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, an outward-facing V sign is an obscene gesture equivalent to giving someone the middle finger. The gesture is often performed by flicking the V up from the wrist or elbow.
Cheeky: Used widely in Aboriginal Australia, the word cheeky isn't only used to refer to insolence but also behaviour that is dangerous. A dog prone to biting people, for example, would be described as “cheeky”.
Who uses ? Thumbs Up emoji? In some cultures, including Australia, Greece, and the Middle East, the thumbs-up gesture can be considered obscene, equivalent to “Up yours!”
And that seems to be behind Australia's broad application of foul-mouthery: we've adopted it all. “Swearing is not just frequent in Australia,” says Krafzik. “It's also frequent in other countries. It's that swearing seems to be found in more contexts and more situations across more social classes downunder.”
Australians respect people with strong opinions, even if they don't agree. Avoid discussions about the treatment of the aboriginal people. Don't comment on anyone's accent. Accents often distinguish social class.
Flash someone a well-meaning "thumbs up" sign in Russia, and they'll interpret it as a vulgar insult. Rude Hand Gestures of the World: A Guide to Offending without Words, a new title from Chronicle Books, delves into the varied interpretations of hand signals around the planet.
Thumbs-Up. Avoid using this gesture in: Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Italy, and Greece. The gesture of 'Thumbs-up may look cool on Facebook or USA, but in Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Italy, and Greece, it means "up yours." So, to avoid any awkwardness, next time you must reconsider what you are doing.
Iran: Thumbs-up
“Unfortunately, in Iran and neighboring countries like Afghanistan, the thumbs-up is equivalent to the middle finger!” explains Dana Hooshmand, an author for Discover Discomfort, a language- and culture learning resource. In America, the middle finger is the profane one; in Iran, it's the thumb.