Nepedia
Back to Discover
Independent Reader
📖

Shrug

language culture Maturity 5-7 Next article →

A shrug is a way to move your body.

Shrug
Shrug

You do it by raising both shoulders. You might also tilt your head to one side. Some people turn their palms up. Others may raise their eyebrows. You might even pull your lips down.

A shrug can act like a word. It is an emblem, or a sign. In the United States, it can mean "I do not know." It can also show you do not care. This is true in Sweden and Morocco too.

But meanings change in other lands. In Japan and China, people do not shrug much. In the Philippines, Iran, and Iraq, it may seem impolite. There, it can look like a sign of too much confidence.

There is a special way called the Gallic shrug. You raise your shoulders and eyebrows at once. You also stick out your lower lip. Then you make a small sound.

You can even use a shrug on a screen. There is a shrug emoji. People also use a "shruggie." This uses a Japanese character called tsu.

Shrug
Shrug

It is a way to talk without using words.

185 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (2)
File:Shrug.jpg
Shrug.jpg
File:Diagram showing how to do shoulder shrugs after breast reconstruction surgery CRUK 152.svg
Diagram showing how to do shoulder shrugs...
More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.