Abstract:Body language is the major part in intercultural communication. Hand gestures have conveyed different kinds of messages when people communicate or negotiate. With the development of economic globalization, hand gestures of the body language are widely applied into the intercultural communication by their simplicity. Different cultures generate different hand gestures except some worldwide-known hand gestures. While the verbal language is used widely, it is also important to learn about hand gestures. In this thesis, it briefly introduces some hand gestures often used in foreign countries and compares the similarities or differences of the inner meaning of hand gestures according to cultural background in different countries. Further understanding of the meanings of hand gestures in intercultural communication is conducive to avoid intercultural misunderstanding and conflicts. 

Key words: hand gestures; human interaction; intercultural communication

摘要:　肢体语言是跨文化交际中的重要组成部分。在人与人沟通或谈判时，大部分的人会使用手势语来表达各种信息。随着经济全球化的发展趋势，肢体语言中的手势语以其简单明了的特性而广泛应用于跨文化交际中。除了一些世界公认的手势语外，在不同文化里，大部分的手势语的含义会有差异。在日常交流中，虽然使用口头语言的机会较多，然而手势语也同样重要。本文通过介绍一些国内外常用的手势语并比较手势语的含义在不同国家的差异性，深入了解在跨文化交际中常见手势语的含义，这对于尽可能地避免跨文化交际时的文化误解和冲突有着重要意义。

关键词：手势语；人类交往；跨文化交际