19 Funny Cultural Misunderstandings

Thanks to reasons both good (Epcot) and evil (colonialism), pockets of the world have become enriched with many different cultures. And while the menacing aura of the Duolingo owl can bully you through learning multiple languages, there are times when he cannot save you and one minor slipup results in a hilarious misunderstanding. Take, for example, the person who wondered who the hell Ped Xing was when they visited America for the first time. Surely all of the signs indicate that he’s a widely revered Chinese man, right? 

To that end, Redditors have recounted the funniest times they got lost in translation, and here’s a word of caution: Don’t give the thumbs up to an Iranian person.