<p>This is the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EyelidPullTaunt" rel="noreferrer">Eyelid Pull Taunt</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is the act of pulling down one lower eyelid and sticking out the
tongue and saying &quot;Beh-da!&quot; (Japanese) or &quot;Nyaaaah!&quot; (English dub). <em><strong>A
highly ritualized expression of disdain or disapproval</strong></em>, used
exclusively by children and immature adults. Basically the same as the
Western act of sticking out the tongue, cranked up a few notches,
though definitely not profane gesture.</p>
<p>In Japan this is referred to as <em><strong>akanbe</strong></em> (a corruption of <em>akai me</em>, &quot;red eye&quot;), and it's called mon oeil (&quot;my eye&quot;) in France and Quebec. This is in fact a Franco-Japanese cultural trope, but you'll see it everywhere in anime.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I could not find a satisfying or credible enough link as to its origin(s) but from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akanbe" rel="noreferrer">akanbe wiki</a> it seems to date back as far as the 20th century:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The use of the term was first mentioned by early 20th century author
Katai Tayama, in his 1909 story Inaka Kyōshi (田舎教師 Rural Teacher), as
a gesture used by the male students in the story.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:23:51.407Z
Well, now I know what it's called, but I wonder if there's any sort of history of how it started??
Danalog
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:24:52.270Z
@Danalog you didn't ask that in the question. I will poke around a bit more.
iKlsR
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:28:23.013Z
+1 But how exactly is it a "Franco-Japanese cultural trope"?
coleopterist
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:31:49.923Z
@iKlsR Sorry, I updated the question.  I intended to ask for more information than just the basics, and just didn't word it right.
Danalog
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:32:17.163Z
@coleopterist from the tropes link it seems to have some roots in France as well.
iKlsR
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:51:41.083Z
@coleopterist ah, I could have sworn I had quoted the full tropes page.. hence the franco-jap bit.. :) Thanks for the patch.
iKlsR
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-31T17:22:34.697Z
2013-07-31T17:48:17.013Z
2020-06-17T09:17:53.303Z
iKlsR
<p>I see characters making this motion frequently in anime.  They pull one (or sometimes both) eyelid down, and stick out their tongue.  What does that mean?  Where does the gesture originate and what's the history behind it?</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/mpXq1.jpg" alt="eyelid 1">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tXaB1.jpg" alt="eyelid 2">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Miik1.png" alt="eyelid 3">
<img src="https://i.sstatic.net/1wU4S.jpg" alt="eyelid 4"></p>

<tropes>
Why do characters often pull down one eyelid and stick out their tongue?
# Why do characters often pull down one eyelid and stick out their tongue?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-07-31
I see characters making this motion frequently in anime. They pull one (or sometimes both) eyelid down, and stick out their tongue. What does that mean? Where does the gesture originate and what's the history behind it?

![eyelid 1](https://i.sstatic.net/mpXq1.jpg)
![eyelid 2](https://i.sstatic.net/tXaB1.jpg)
![eyelid 3](https://i.sstatic.net/Miik1.png)
![eyelid 4](https://i.sstatic.net/1wU4S.jpg)
**Tags:** tropes
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2013-07-31. Score: 30 | Accepted answer
This is the [Eyelid Pull Taunt](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EyelidPullTaunt)

> This is the act of pulling down one lower eyelid and sticking out the
> tongue and saying "Beh-da!" (Japanese) or "Nyaaaah!" (English dub). ***A
> highly ritualized expression of disdain or disapproval***, used
> exclusively by children and immature adults. Basically the same as the
> Western act of sticking out the tongue, cranked up a few notches,
> though definitely not profane gesture.
>
> In Japan this is referred to as ***akanbe*** (a corruption of *akai me*, "red eye"), and it's called mon oeil ("my eye") in France and Quebec. This is in fact a Franco-Japanese cultural trope, but you'll see it everywhere in anime.

I could not find a satisfying or credible enough link as to its origin(s) but from the [akanbe wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akanbe) it seems to date back as far as the 20th century:

> The use of the term was first mentioned by early 20th century author
> Katai Tayama, in his 1909 story Inaka Kyōshi (田舎教師 Rural Teacher), as
> a gesture used by the male students in the story.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2013-07-31): Well, now I know what it's called, but I wonder if there's any sort of history of how it started??  
> **username_1** (2013-07-31): @Danalog you didn't ask that in the question. I will poke around a bit more.  
> **username_2** (2013-07-31): +1 But how exactly is it a "Franco-Japanese cultural trope"?  
> **username_0** (2013-07-31): @iKlsR Sorry, I updated the question.  I intended to ask for more information than just the basics, and just didn't word it right.  
> **username_1** (2013-07-31): @coleopterist from the tropes link it seems to have some roots in France as well.  
> **username_1** (2013-07-31): @coleopterist ah, I could have sworn I had quoted the full tropes page.. hence the franco-jap bit.. :) Thanks for the patch.  
---
