It's a cultural habit. Chinese traditional etiquette dictates when women smile/laugh, their teeth should not be visible. So I was told as a kid that I need to cover my mouth when smile or laugh. In fact this is a pretty common etiquette through out East and Southeast Asia.
It is also a way of concealing our emotions from others, to avoid showing that we are afraid, shocked or disgusted. Many experts say that the response is learned as a form of politeness but, like many other gestures, this behaviour is seen across various different cultures.
In some Eastern cultures, especially Japanese cultures, covering the mouth when talking is polite if they are laughing or eating, etc. Sometimes, we may think before we speak.
Covering The Mouth
The hand covers the mouth as the brain subconsciously instructs it to try to suppress the deceitful, or in other cases unintended, words that are being said. Sometimes this gesture might only be several fingers over the mouth or even a closed fist, but its meaning remains the same.
You could also mistakenly spit out the content of your mouth when you laugh. In this case, the polite thing to do would be to cover your mouth. Some people may cover their mouths when laughing for other reasons or just out of habit. If you catch yourself doing that, you might want to pause and ask why.
The Closed-Lip Smile
This can show someone is hiding something or apprehensive about the situation. It can be natural and uses eyes the way the Duchenne smile does, but does not always convey joy. Someone might be happy about something they don't want to talk about, or they're trying to hide being uncomfortable.
To help stop the spread of germs:
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Pursed. Lips which are pulled inwards from all directions are an indication of tension and may indicate frustration or disapproval. Pursed lips are a classic sign of anger, including when it is suppressed. It is effectively holding the mouth shut to prevent the person saying what they feel like saying.
If his gaze keeps slipping down to your lips while he's talking to you, it's a sign that he is admiring you, fantasising about you and might even want to start a stable, long-term relationship with you," says Madan.
"We lick our lips in anticipation when we see something we desire," she says. That anticipation might even be making him feel uneasy. "When we get nervous, our saliva glands stop secreting, and our mouths get dry—leading to lip-licking," says body-language expert Patti Wood.
My lips disappear when I smile
A thin upper lip may not help with the fact that the lip disappears, but it is quite often due to the muscles around the mouth. Some muscles might be too strong, which would cause curling of the upper lip inwards or/and lift the upper lip showing too much gum.
People often cover their mouths when lying. A hand on the mouth or even a touch of the lips shows you that they are lying because this unconscious body language represents a closing off of communication.
As we age, our facial muscles begin to sag and the same can happen to your upper lip area. When the upper lip area begins to sag, it may curtain your upper teeth when you smile. People opt for lip lift treatment or lip fillers for lifting the upper lip.
Nervousness: The person may be nervous or anxious and covering the mouth may be a way to cope with these feelings. Trying to hide something: The person may be trying to hide what they are saying or trying to conceal their expressions, such as a smile or a.
It means she's fond of you,perhaps a crush,or maybe she's just a little shy,nothing to get wet about. She accidentally either must have smiled or covered it up .
If she focuses on your mouth and not your eyes, perhaps she's uncomfortable about what YOU may see in her eyes. It doesn't “mean” anything, but it does show that she is paying attention to you. Much better than if she were looking out the window, or at someone else.
Studies show that men will often gaze from face to breasts and the midsection if they are attracted to someone. So if you catch him looking at the ground, he might actually be trying to take a quick glance at your body.
A lady's mouth is often the very first part of a woman a guy will see. Not only are great lips and teeth sexy, but guys will look to your mouth for social cues, as it's the most expressive feature you possess.
If you notice he is making more eye contact with you or you catch a guy staring at you, he is probably attracted to you. He may be enthralled by your good looks and may be fantasizing about kissing you. Perhaps he stares at you and smiles; that could mean he likes you, too.
He is looking at your lips
If his gaze keeps slipping down to your lips while he's talking to you, it's a sign that he is admiring you, fantasising about you and might even want to start a stable, long-term relationship with you," says Madan.
/ˌtaɪtˈlɪpt/ Add to word list Add to word list. Someone who is tight-lipped is pressing their lips together to avoid showing anger, or is refusing to speak about something: He's been very tight-lipped about what happened at the meeting.
Chronic lip biting is a common anxiety symptom and can even be an example of a body-focused repetitive behavior, or BFRB. Once you identify your biting as a nervous habit, you can start to consciously adjust your behavior, and even reach out to friends and family for support.
A polite way. A quiet, low-key way. It's the feminine urge to cover our mouths when we eat. More than that, to eat coyly, as though we're a bit embarrassed to be seen eating, actually.
When we cough and sneeze, those droplets go into the air. "It's our responsibility to cover mouth and nose so those droplets don't go into the air... so they don't spread to other people," says James Mamary, MD, a pulmonologist with Temple Lung Center at Temple University Health System in Philadelphia.
Ministry of Health & Medical Services
Cover your mouth and nose with tissue/cloth and throw it away immediately after use. Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve. Cough or sneeze inside your shirt, blouse.