The wink is an intentional facial expression made by closing one eye; it is distinguished from the blink by the fact that the other eye remains open. A wink is a form of semi-formal communication, which indicates shared, unspoken knowledge.

A wink can silently indicate a shared secret, such as if a salesperson gives a customer a brochure and says "here you go, it's free". Infrequently, it may also mean "got it" or "yes, I understand".

In Western cultures, women may wink to men they are interested in dating, but this has grown out of fashion though it is still used occasionally. Winking is also done by men to women, as a form of charm. An example of this is in the final shot of the 2006 movie, The Break Up.

In Latin American cultures, winking is also a romantic or sexual invitation. In Nigeria, winking is a signal for children to leave the room. ^* Many Chinese consider winking to be rude. ^*. The 2006 World Cup quarter final Portugal-England featured a famous wink by Christiano Ronaldo after Wayne Rooney was dismissed with a red card.

See also:

• Body language

Facial expressions

Silmänisku