Greetings Around the World: Bows, Kisses and Handshakes

The greeting is the first thing you do in any encounter, which is why it is also the first thing you can get wrong. The good news: every greeting culture has a safe default, and it is almost always the local version of "good morning".

Bows — Japan and South Korea

Japan uses a small bow (eshaku, about 15°) for casual greetings and deeper bows for formal respect. South Korea pairs a slight bow with a handshake, and the depth signals deference to seniority. As a visitor, a small nod-bow is always correct.

Palms together — Thailand, India, Cambodia

• Thailand: the wai, palms pressed at chest height with a slight bow. Return one when offered.
• Cambodia: the sampeah, the same gesture with a gentler bow.
• India: Namaste, palms together with a small nod. Universally welcome and never wrong.

Cheek kisses — France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Brazil

Two kisses is the standard in France and Spain, sometimes three in parts of Switzerland and Belgium, and one is common in Brazil. The direction varies by region — let the other person lead and follow their movement. In business settings across all of these countries, a handshake is the safe opener.

The greeting that opens doors

In France, entering a shop without saying "bonjour" reads as rude — not cold, actively rude. The same logic applies to "buongiorno" in Italy and "bom dia" in Portugal. Greet first, ask second.

When in doubt

A smile and a locally pronounced "good morning" beats a confidently executed gesture you are unsure about. Nobody expects a visitor to know every custom — they notice the effort, not the precision.