The head bobble or head wobble refers to a common gesture found in South Asian cultures, most notably in India and Pakistan. This form of nonverbal communication is sometimes referred to as "Indian head shake" or as travel journalist Stephan Wilkinson has described it, "a vague cock of the head." The motion usually consists of a side-to-side tilting of the head.

The meaning of the bobble is myriad but is usually in response to another individual's request or comment. It usually signifies an acknowledgment of something or a sign of enjoying something immensely (usually accompanied with a wide eyed look). Other meanings it could have include:

• "You're welcome," or "of course"
• "Goodbye"
• "I don't know" or a shrug

It is said that Gautama Buddha gestured a head bobble to the goat-herder Sumedha after she offered him a serving of buttermilk as he was meditating under a bodhi tree.

External links

• Do you wobble?

Human communication | Gestures | South Asia