THAI GESTURES AND CHINESE GESTURES: A CONTRASTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Gestures play a significant role in communication, with their types varying across sociocultural contexts. This study aims to compare the types of gestures used by Thai and Chinese informants. The data were collected through questionnaires completed by 50 Thai and 50 Chinese participants. The results reveal that Thai gestures were categorized into 12 types, with the most common being gestures related to mental activities and judgements, the gestures relating to actions, the gestures relating to people and objects. Chinese gestures were classified into 11 types, with the most frequently used involving mental activities and judgements, the gestures relating to actions, the gestures relating to people and objects and money-related gestures. Most gesture types appeared in both cultures, except for gestures related to expressing physical conditions, which were found only in Thai culture and absent in Chinese culture. The findings suggest that the prioritization and frequency of gesture use may reflect distinctive cultural identities between Thai and Chinese societies.