Have you ever seen in an anime or dorama someone telling a nervous and anxious person to write the kanji for people (人) on their hands and then tell them to eat it? In Japan, nervous children are taught to do this. In this article, we will understand the story behind this belief of swallowing people in hand.
In Japan, students who are nervous about a presentation are advised by friends to draw the kanji for people (人) three times on their palm. The drawing can be done mentally; people should pretend they are swallowing or eating the drawing on their hand.
Just run your finger forming the kanji for (人) three times and then place your hand in front of your mouth. This belief is used to relieve anxiety and nervousness. By doing this, you are insinuating that the people drawn on your hand are the cause of your nervousness. By eating them, you make it seem like they are irrelevant and unworthy of your anxiety.
Animes like Shokugeki no Souma show Tadokoro nervously doing the same thing:
Why write people and eat them?
The name of this popular belief is hito wo nomu (人を飲む) which translates to swallowing people, but metaphorically means dominating someone. This movement is used to oppress the audience and calm oneself. It’s like swallowing before being swallowed by nervousness and shyness. Perfect for those who fear the stage and have social anxiety disorder (agarishou – あがり症).
It is not known how this superstition originated. It was probably a mother who told her child to do this before a school presentation. Until it finally became common for parents, teachers, and peers to teach it to students who are very nervous about some speech, lecture, or talent show at school.
Although the kanji (人) is used both in singular and plural, writing it three times refers to a large crowd that is making you nervous. This is strange, since just two consecutive kanji (人々) already means people or everyone. If you are embarrassed or anxious about just one person, you only need to write it once.
Does swallowing your hand really work?
Does this action really help? It can help, as there are connections in our hands capable of controlling our feelings and anxiety. Moreover, this action also trains our mind to gain confidence and determination. Tension caused by fear can easily dissipate through this technique if you believe!
This is what we call the placebo effect. Many people have calmed down before presentations using this method, which is why it has become popular among young people in Japan. Some also claim that the two major lines in our hands come together, thus automatically forming the kanji for hito (人).
Westerners have something similar, telling someone who is nervous, “Imagine your audience naked!” In Japan, they also suggest imagining the audience, but as pumpkins or potatoes.
Japanese people also have other methods to relieve stress. Check out the articles we recommend below:
- Japanese practices and techniques to relieve stress and relax
- Different types of hot spring waters from onsen and their benefits
- Are the Japanese depressed? Is Japan an unhappy nation?
Have you seen this scene in any anime? What do you think of the subject? We appreciate comments and shares.
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