Wai is culture or gesture?

Yesterday a student used the sentence “A wai is a Thai culture.” I told her that we can’t say it that way in English. I thought she might have been thinking in Thai speaking English.
I think I understand what the student means, but in English we would say that the wai is a gesture used among Thai people or in Thai culture. Just like we can’t say that a handshake is an American culture. We would have to say that a handshake is a gesture usually used in meeting new people in American culture.

So is it just a problem of translation?

rungphet031 4em

I said this word today. I could not come up with an English word.
I translated to the way to pay respect to someone who is older than you are.
I would say it is a gesture in this way.
It can be considered as culture since we have been doing this
from time to time generation to generation.

Kuntida 005 3EN

For me, I think that it can be both culture and gesture.
Wai or paying respect is one of good manners of Thai people that we will do when we meet other people.
It is seperated into different kinds depending on your age or status.
I think it is a good thing that everyone should do.

Suwara 044 3EN

From my opinion, I think it is kind of culture.
Culture means something that has been knowing for a long time.
Wai is like one of Thai culture.
People know it and it is well known.
They know why people Wai.

I think it is culture.

Wanipa036 3EN

I thing Wai is both culture and gesture.
Thai people always greet seniority by Wai; that means it is a gesture.
Moreover Wai also represents our identity; this is culture.
It does not matter that it is culture or gesture or not.
It shows the respect to elders.
That is enough.


Patnarin029  3EN

Wai is a way to show respect to people, so I would say gesture. Sometimes someone are reckless for
showing respect to people, especially teenager in these day. I have been taught to Wai not only 
showing respect but also how humble you are.

Saowanaree 037 4EN

It's sound like both culture and gesture.
Wai is the gesture that Thai people do to show respect to old people.
It is the culture in Thailand that we do follow our predecessor.
So, I think that we can tell to foreigner in both ways, just tell to them to understand.

Pornrawin 048 3EN

I think it can be both of them.
Thais use wai as a polite gesture to say hi, thank you or even say good bye.
Thais had been doing for long time.
We can say that is our culture.
That is a good manner that Thai people and thai tourists should have.

Naruechaya 053 3EN

The wai is a unique culture, graceful action practiced throughout Thailand. It plays a very important part in showing respect and is central to Thai etiquette. For the most part Thais do not want to touch your sweaty, grubby little hands, so it's a good idea to learn how to wai. The European kiss-on-each-cheek-greeting will certainly alarm a Thai, especially if you are a man doing this to a woman who isn't your wife or girlfriend!

The wai can be very confusing, especially at large gatherings when you feel like you have been waiing, bowing and smiling a hundred times. However, the plus side is, when being wai-ed to by others you do start to feel quite important!


Thanachit 015

I think it's gesture which is a part of culture. We do this gesture which Thai called Wai to pay respect to the elder or even say thank you to people or greet people. Why I think it's a part of culture because in other countries such as Japan and Korea, they bow to respect, greet or thanks people, it's differ from other country. So our gesture Wai must be culture too.

Pattreeya 056 4EN

It's just culture.
Thai poeple need to pay repect for elder or appreciating someone.

Patimaporn 021 4EN

I think Wai is a culture.
We you Wai to show that you respected to someone or something.

Aekkachai 3EN 047

Wai is culture for sure!!
Gesture means the action of doing something but Wai is more than that.


Dolnapa 051 3EN

Wai is absolutely culture because
Wai is special and traditional for Thai people.
enough, sir

Pakkapon 031 3EN

In my opinion, I think it's culture.

Plengpailin030 3EN

a greeting gesture or greeting custom to be precise
gesture is too general
a middle finger is also a gesture

Peerapong 054 4EN

Culture

It is a kind of showing our respect.



์Naphatporn 020 3EN

Wai is a good culture for me.
We Wai each other to show the respect.
In Thailand, Wai is a good traditional that everyone does in a common practice.

Farada 061 3EN

For me, Wai is culture.
It's the way to pay respect to someone who is older than me.
It's a good and appropriate thing that we should do.

Sirirat 033 4EN

I think Wai is Thai culture.
I have to do that when I was little girl.
Now I still do it. It's the way to show respect to older and senior.

Areeya 039 4EN

It is both culture and gesture.
We pay respect for people who are older than us to show that we respect them.
It's like a symbolic for Thai people.

Suttida 058 4EN

In my opinion, Wai is the gesture.
It is the action Thai people do for greeting each other or respect some thing.

Massupha 003