手势

• Pinyin: shǒu shì
• Hanzi breakdown: 手 = a pictograph of a hand; 势 = 执 + 力 (to hold + force — power expressed through physical stance or position)

Meaning

Gesture; hand signal. A movement of the hand or arm used to communicate meaning, convey instructions, or express emotion.

Encompasses both intentional communicative gestures (OK手势, 竖大拇指 — thumbs up) and instructional signals (交通手势 — traffic control signals; 潜水手势 — diving signals). Also covers gestural performance (演讲手势 — oratorical gestures) and cultural taboos (某些手势在不同文化中含义迥异 — some gestures have very different meanings across cultures). Key collocations: 打手势 (to make a gesture), 示意的手势 (a beckoning gesture), 禁止手势 (a prohibitive gesture).

Examples

1. 聋哑学校老师用系统化的手势与学生流畅互动，这套体系已成为大陆聋人社群的重要交流媒介。 Teachers at the deaf school use a systematic set of gestures to interact smoothly with students, and this system has become an important means of communication in mainland deaf communities.
2. 演讲中，手势应自然配合内容、强化重点，而非机械夸张，否则会分散注意力。 In a speech, gestures should naturally match the content and emphasize key points, not be mechanical or exaggerated, or they will distract the audience.
3. 不同文化中，同一手势可能含义相反，如OK手势在部分拉美和中东地区会被视为冒犯。 In different cultures, the same gesture can mean the opposite; for example, the OK gesture is seen as insulting in parts of Latin America and the Middle East.

Usage Guide

Context: communication, public speaking, culture, sign language, cross-cultural

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 跨文化商务谈判前，须了解对方文化中手势的含义，因为普通问候或赞许动作也可能引发误解。(Before cross-cultural business negotiations, one must understand the meanings of gestures in the other culture, because even ordinary greetings or approving motions can cause misunderstandings.)
• 优秀外科医生在复杂手术中可用简洁手势向助手传递指令，提升高压下的协作效率。(An excellent surgeon can use concise gestures to give assistants instructions during complex operations, improving teamwork efficiency under pressure.)

Don't Say

• 手势 when referring specifically to sign language as a system — use 手语 (sign language — a complete linguistic system) rather than 手势; 手势 refers to individual gestures or signals, while 手语 denotes a full structured language used by the deaf community

Origin & History

手 (hand) + 势 (posture, trend, force — 执 to hold + 力 force, suggesting power expressed through physical position)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal