Why Do Chinese People Grow their Pinky Finger Nails Long?

[John0101]

Why Do Chinese People Grow their Pinky Nail Long? I noticed some fobs have extremely long pinky finger nails, why do they do this? Some sort of Triad tradition?

[Mr.Lum]

to sample the latest shipment, if you know how I mean.

[sinisterpanda]

From what i've observed it's for scratching and picking.

[Fireblade]

They're secretly assassins. They use it to cut the throats of all who cross them! MUHAHAHAHA.

And it's not a chinese thing. I've seen Vietnamese guys with long pinky nails too. And sometimes it's a letter opener thing. In case if you don't have one on you... then you literally have one on you.

*wow, that last sentence made no sense what-so-ever*

[SunWuKong]

i think powerful Chinese people used to do this to signify that they don't have to use their hands for work. and then, i don't know, for some reason everybody else started doing it? not sure.

[yoMAMA]

Because Fu Manchu started the trend?

:eek:

[nonamerasian]

I didn't know this is a culture thing.

I'm one of a couple of non-Chinese I know who do this.

While I started this in childhood for reasons unbeknownst to me now, think some of them started in order to *snort, snort* or to copy me in jest and then ended up liking it.

[rice cracker]

It was the thing for tweakers to grow their pinky nails long, back when I was in NA.

[deez nuts]

is it a chinese thing? i just thought that they used it to snort coke.

that's the reason why some chinese or non-chinese people i've encountered did it.

[krome]

In non-Asians, it means you're a cokehead (same function as a spoon pendant necklace).

In Chinese peeps, I think it is for good financial luck or something...

[nonamerasian]

In non-Asians, it means you're a cokehead (same function as a spoon pendant necklace).

Um, I don't even take Aspirin. :rolleyes:

[rasheedgonzales]

Why Do Chinese People Grow their Pinky Nail Long? I noticed some fobs have extremely long pinky finger nails, why do they do this? Some sort of Triad tradition?
i wouldn’t say it’s necessarily a chinese thing. back in highschool me and a bunch of my filipino friends used to grow our pinky nails long. my dad grows both his thumb and pinky nails... he used to do this to help him pick up papers, photos and other stuff back when he was a professional photographer – now he does it more just cause he’s used to them being long i guess. for me personally, it was a style and a to-pick-my-nose thing. heh. :biggrin:

my ex-girlfriend used to paint it with nail polish too... i dunno why. :confused: i guess it was her way of telling the world i was “hers” :rolleyes:

[ren28]

I've not seen it lately. I've seen it used for picking boogers years ago. :confused:

[nameless]

i think powerful Chinese people used to do this to signify that they don't have to use their hands for work. and then, i don't know, for some reason everybody else started doing it? not sure.


i remember learning something like this. it was since the dynastic / aristocratic era i think. very 'blue blood' like you said.

[bluemonq]

i remember learning something like this. it was since the dynastic / aristocratic era i think. very 'blue blood' like you said.
well, think about it. it's pretty easy to chip a long nail, right? especially the pinky. it was a way of saying, look at me, i don't do work; i have my servants/evil minions/oompa-loompas do it for me...

[pfc beansprout]

errr...back on topic...my brother (vietnamese) grew that shit out...no reason why....either pickin his nose or ear....ill shit............

back off topic....i never even heard of "ear crust".....nasty shit......

[BeTheReds]

back off topic....i never even heard of "ear crust".....nasty shit......


Hey fuck you man! It's better than that nasty runny shit drippin out your ears after you get out the shower.

[SunWuKong]

the thread has been split. (http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=14493)

[amietron]

to pick their nose.

it may be to signify wealth-- it's hard to do manual labor with long nails. does that make sense? grow your nail long to show you don't do manual labor, which is seen as lower class. same sort of argument as the whole fair skin theory. lighter skin=upper class because you have the luxury to stay inside while darker skin (dark because they work outside in the sun) people do fieldwork.

[SunWuKong]

how do people with long fingernails type?

[amietron]

how do people with long fingernails type?
are you talking about in general? or those who only have the long pinky nail?

if you only have one pinky nail that's long, it's not difficult to type. i don't think it's that difficult to type with long nails though. just use the other 9 fingers and rest that pinky one. either that or use the fleshy part of your finger or type closer to the corner of the key.

[Craig]

how do people with long fingernails type?The same way most people in the business world in America type.

[SunWuKong]

but wouldn't your long fingernails get in the way of your finger hitting the keys?

[Craig]

but wouldn't your long fingernails get in the way of your finger hitting the keys?Why are you assuming that most people that use keyboards are able to touch type ? Why are you assuming that most people using computers have a desire to be proficient is basic skills (like typing) ? Hasn't working in the USA dispelled you of such notions ?

[nonamerasian]

how do people with long fingernails type?

I've grown my pinkies long for so long that I tend to do things, like typing, with my pinkies up or tucked into my hand instinctively, so they don't get in the way of things usually.

For typing, I tend not to type "properly" and so I don't often use my pinkies.

I can, an the rare occasion that I do, I use the side of my pinky fingers so only the side of the nail hits the board or I just use my nails instead of placing my actual fingers in the board.

[NtshiabLiDej]

Why Do Chinese People Grow their Pinky Nail Long? I noticed some fobs have extremely long pinky finger nails, why do they do this? Some sort of Triad tradition?
I've noticed this "practice" among other Asian groups as well. It's disgusting if you ask me.

A guy friend told me that it's for digging out boogers and earwax, although I highly doubt this.

[kchn1984]

Personally i have long fingernails, just on 3cm with 5cm pinkys

I have it for a number of reasons
1. they look good
2. they show status - how is a person expected to do labour with my nail length.
3. they can be used as weapons
4. i like to be longer than other people

Personally i can say i can type, slowly though. I can type with the tip of my nails. HOwever if i have to type a lot my fingers hurt from the strain on the nail. So i typically keep typing to minimum or i get someone else to type for me.

[hkRT]

I've noticed this "practice" among other Asian groups as well. It's disgusting if you ask me.

A guy friend told me that it's for digging out boogers and earwax, although I highly doubt this.

Is that really a chinese or asian practice?????? I thought it's more an individual choice. Or maybe for people who need long fingernails to play some musical instruments? :confused:

[kchn1984]

Is that really a chinese or asian practice?????? I thought it's more an individual choice. Or maybe for people who need long fingernails to play some musical instruments? :confused:

I think its individual choice but is related to asian. I seem to see the ratio of asian men with long nails is higher than in non-asian men.

[Chinasaur]

The crack nail? A lot of Viets and Khmers I've known have/had it...it's not just a Chinese thing.

[pikachupacabra]

So you always have something to nibble on when you have an anxiety attack.

[asvenus]

i always associate it with pimps or rich men in kung fu moives who also have long tweaky moustaches and eyebrows!!

[etcj]

The weird thing is that no one has yet to provide any explanation for the phenomena. I remember Giant Robot magazine did a brief discussion on the thing. Among their more serious ones, they list it as a symbolic representation of anti-Communist sentiments or as status symbols of wealth. In my own family, I think we view it more as a good luck thing if you can keep it intact and long.

[Tao]

i thought ppl kept it long to open up packages they recieve from amazon.com without having to use scissors?

[RiceWine]

from what I understand...in Chinese culture it is good luck to have your pinky longer than the 2nd crease of your ring finger. If it isn't longer, you grow your pinky nail out so it'll be longer.

or so says my uncle. And I do believe him on this one

[kchn1984]

I think long fingernails date back to the Qing dynasty where long nails was seen as a sign of aristorcrasy. Men would often grow their nails to show that they do not have to do any physical work because phsyical work would typically break the fignernails.

Does anybody thing long fingernails today show status?
I tend to believe it does because a person who has long fingernails on all ten nails cannot do many things. (eg open cokes, be a road worker, be a builder, be a typist) This is particularly true if fingernails were like 2-3cm or more. I personally have long nails and i find it means i cannot do anything physical and require people ot help me out in doing phsyical things.

[Tasanee]

Why Do Chinese People Grow their Pinky Nail Long? I noticed some fobs have extremely long pinky finger nails, why do they do this? Some sort of Triad tradition?
Where I live, there's a diverse Asian population and I've noticed that this long pinky nail thing is not isolated to just Chinese people, other Asians also grow their pinky nails out, however it's only on men that I see this.