Touching Someone's Head: Is It Really Taboo?

[ouijaboard]

Obviously if I go around patting the head of an elderly I'm not going to win any friends (this is true ANYwhere, I think), but would it still be bad if I pat the head of a peer I'm reasonably well-acquainted with?

[liuzhou]

It is taboo among Buddhists who consider the head to be the highest part of the body, both literally and figuratively. The taboo is much stronger in south-east Asia, especially Thailand. I still wouldn't do it in China, though. Or anywhere else.

[skylee]

Just curious, why would you pat someone's head if that someone is not a cute little kid? It seems condescending to pat an adult's head.

[ouijaboard]

It's a gesture of friendship...

I can see how it can easily be interpreted as an insult, but if it's done playfully by someone I like I honestly don't mind.

[liuzhou]

You might not mind. Many people would mind - some very much..

[Scandinavian]

I think outside of very close friendships, boyfriend/girlfriend or parent/child relationships this would be a no-no in most of the world. My wife touching my head, awesome, colleague or the likes, not awesome. (this is from a northern European perspective)

[imron]

I agree with the above post. It's not taboo for someone to touch my head, but unless it was some sort of close relationship like the ones mentioned above, it would seem like a pretty strange and awkward thing to do.

[roddy]

Do not touch an adult's head unless you're lining them up for a kiss or a punch.

[frankwall]

I guess its also ok if you're a doctor or something. Otherwise, don't even think about it.

[li3wei1]

Or a barber/hairstylist. How do they deal with it? Other occupations with this problem would include masseurs and make-up artists.

[陳德聰]

Don't touch my head unless I have given you explicit or implicit permission.

If you are a hairstylist and I have come to you out of my own free will, you can probably accept that as implicit permission.

I don't have arms, would you please put my hat on for me?

If you are a loved one, well, what are we doing later?

This is a bit absurd.

[T-revor]

Funny post. I remember being in Hong Kong when I was 7 years old. I had a huge afro of dark curly hair. Everywhere I went people were touching my hair so I figured it was just a cultural thing --that maybe it was good luck or something. I hadn't really thought about it again until now. I spent the rest of that summer of '88 in New Zealand where strangers rub noses. That's weird.