Different ways of counting using hands

This looks ordinary, but if someone ask you to show how you count 1 to 10 with your fingers, how do you do?

If you never traveled to another country you will think people count same as you, but this is not true.

WWII had a notorious way to detect spy: by they way they count with the hands

In America is well-known we start with index finger and move to the middle and so one. The last finger raised is the thumb.

However in Japan the way is different. With the 5 fingers up, the first come down is thumb and they stay under to the others fingers, making a ✊ with the thumb under all

But this is not all. Americans in geral when go 5+ they use the two hands open showing all the fingers

However Chinese people adopt another way to count. The number 6 is the thumb and pink up, the 7 is all the fingers together. 8 is the thumb and index finger up and finally 9 is kind of hook you do with the index finger

In japan is also different: after 5 you need to add an extra fingers in your palm, like 7 will be your left hand open and you put 2 fingers from your right hand in your palm.

Visit www.iprofevolution.com

This small details can contribute for your students understand you better.

How about you: what is the way you count?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download