Question

把中指放在食指上的那个手势是什么意思?

Answer 1

语国家的人有不少‘手语’,其一就是cross one's fingers或keep one's fingers crossed.Cross one's fingers.即把中指放在食指上,作有点像十字架的交叉状.十字架在西方代表上帝,所以cross one's fingers有‘祝福’、‘祈求好运’的意思,例如：I am crossing my fingers that nothing untoward will happen to him.（我祈求不幸的事不会降临他身上）.Keep your fingers crossed for him.即‘为他祝福吧’.留意cross your fingers是说的多,确实做这手势的少.
说到手指,不能不谈谈‘伸出中指’这个下流手势,英文叫做give someone the finger,例如：The presidential candidate appeared quite unperturbed when a few in the audience gave him the finger.（听众席上有些人向总统候选人伸出中指,但他若无其事）.要说得幽默一点,把gave him the finger改为gave him one-finger salutes（一只手指的敬礼）也无不可.
此外还有thumbs up（拇指向上）、thumbs down（拇指向下）的手势.古罗马斗士战败,观众做出拇指朝上手势,是说‘可以饶他性命’；做出拇指朝下手势,则是说‘杀却’.今天,thumbs up常用来表示嘉许或接受,thumbs down则表示不满或反对,例如：The authorities have given the thumbs up./ thumbs down on our plan.（当局接受 / 否决了我们的计划）.