three fingers? what does this mean?

OK i dont know what this means does it just mean three or what? I have seen youg teenagers holding up their index,middle and thumb finger out. what does this mean?

You mean when taking photographs etc? Ususually people would hold two fingers up, though with the thumb I can see some people holding that out as well. People do it when taking photos, or doing other things.

There was a long discussion about why people do this, there was no clear consensus, some say that the two finger V meant victory, but that didnt really make much sense (to me at least), the most common things is when taking photos its always akward on what to do with your hands, so people give the two finger (if you you want to count the thumb as a finger 3 fingers somtimes) like the "peace" sign.

I'm not sure if this is what you might be describing or not.

Or yes they can just be saying "three" of somthing at the moment you saw them.

I don't know if it helps but when the middle and ring are together, the tumb relax but pointed out, and the other two bent down. Well its a promotation thing for Dane Cook's TOURGASM.

If it helps you welcome, if not I am sorry.

http://www.morinaga.co.jp/cm/index.html

I just thought that this TV ad might be where it's coming from... if you go to the upper left corner of this page where you see Media Player or Flash player boxes, you'll be able to see the TV ad. It's based on the Fleming's law (of electric current, I think), where those three fingers are involved.
Sorry if I'm completely off :)

The thumb is generally not held out, but maybe it's becoming the cool thing to do. When Japanese hold up two fingers, it's usually taking a picture and it meanse peace. It's just the cool thing to do right now.

It's a typical and universal hiphop/rap music gesture, isn't it? It comes with a "Yo!" especially with fingers facing down. I thought that the TV ad is a parody of this hiphop/rap movement.

I don't know if there is any meaning to it, but I do know that certain artists do this instead of obviously "giving the (middle) finger". Unfortunately I say, the kids hardly mean no harm.

I think Uco is right.......I really think they are getting it from the hip hop community.

Sorry, I have a correction;

Incorrect: Unfortunately I say, the kids hardly mean no harm.

Correct: Unfortunately I say, those innocent kids usually mean no harm.

ok thank you guys! ^_^ that helps

three fingers up is a national sign for the Serbs.

slightly non-related to the question, but I was under the impression that the "V-sign" for photos represented '2' or "ni" the pronunciation of which caused the subject to smile (rather like saying "cheese" in english) so the hand gesture was like smiling with your hand...

Furan wrote:

I was under the impression that the "V-sign" for photos represented '2' or "ni" the pronunciation of which caused the subject to smile (rather like saying "cheese" in english) so the hand gesture was like smiling with your hand...

Never heard that theory before, but since Japanese people say "chi-zu" and not "ni" when taking photos, I think it sounds pretty unlikely.

ah yes, of course I've heard people say "chi-zu" (cheese) in Japanese too! I've also heard the "ni" thing as well. Maybe it's regional? Makes sense tho...

"niiiii!" :D

When the teenage girls make print club stickers they often write on them using the technology on the machine before they are printed. It seems very common to write "peace" in hiragana or katakana somewhere on the photo if someone is doing the v-sign.

I have seen the 3 fingered version- it is either supposed to be even cuter or cooler than the 2-fingered peace so is also quite popular in photos and print club stickers, mainly with teenage girls.

I have a teenage daughter, she is half Japanese - this is popular with the kids and it is from Hip Hop music.

It means "peace" or "peace out." Gosh adults sometimes!

I asked some of my Japanese students about it and they said that the three fingers mean "double-peace" whereas two fingers just mean "peace".

I know of people who do it in Taiwan where they put 3 fingers next to their face to express stress or frustration. This comes from manga whereby 3 lines are often drawn next to a character's face to depict the character's stress/frustration/exasperation...

Orbiter, that 'duh' reaction is signalled with 3 fingers and not 2 fingers and a thumb as discussed above.