Never expected this to have a Wikipedia article
☞ Fig sign - Offensive hand gesture
The fig sign is a mildly obscene gesture that uses a thumb wedged in between two fingers. The gesture is most commonly used to ward off the evil eye, insult someone, or deny a request. It has been used at least since the Roman Age in Southern Europe and parts of the Mediterranean region, including in Turkish culture. Some countries in Asia, Slavic cultures and South Africa use it too. It is used playfully in Northwestern Europe and North Africa, countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, Libya, Tunisia and Czech Republic to pretend to take the nose off a child.
Give it back!
I learned not to steal noses from the Japanese or the Turks.
always good to check the connotations of any gesture before using it in a new country lol
OK