Hugs are one of the most important rituals in our daily lives .

They are one of the perfect excuses to keep a tactile contact with another person, something that helps us to reinforce the affective bonds that unite us and that provides us with small oases of intimacy even in the most crowded and busy spaces. Perhaps it is an everyday gesture that can go unnoticed, but the act of embracing consolidates the values of brotherhood and companionship. In any case, it should be noted that not all embraces mean the same thing .

The types of hug, with their meaning

Just like what happens when we look into each other’s eyes, hugs influence the way our bodies produce hormones, and therefore leave a mark on the way we think and perceive things even if only for a few seconds or minutes.

But, as we have already mentioned, not all hugs are the same, nor do they have the same meaning and functionality . Below you can see a collection of the main types of hugs that will make it easier to decipher these expressions of affection or camaraderie and recognize their intent.

1. Classic hug

This is one of the most recognizable and common hugs. In it, the two people surround each other with both arms, holding them firmly and placing their heads next to each other . The fact that in this type of hug both arms are used and the other person is kept “glued” to one’s chest makes these hugs rarely last less than two seconds, which makes it a ritual full of intimacy. It is used a lot in farewells and reunions.

2. Dance hug

It is an embrace used to dance slowly to music that can be easily associated with romanticism and love . In it, one person makes his hands join behind the neck of the other person while his arms hang in the space between the two bodies. The other person either grabs the other person’s sides or joins hands behind the other person’s back.

3. Hug with eye contact

One of the simplest and yet less common types of hugs, perhaps because of their strong sense of intimacy. In this one, the two people place themselves in front of each other and hug, leaving some space between them while looking into each other’s eyes. If you have ever experienced this type of hug, you will surely be aware of its strong sentimental and emotional involvement.

4. Fellowship hug

One of the most “light” types of hugs, in the sense that the people who perform it are usually not very familiar with each other . In it, one of the arms is used to embrace the body of the other person while the free hand is gently patted on the side. The heads do not come together.

5. Asymmetric hug

In this embrace, one of the two people is sitting on a surface, while the other is standing. It has intimate and sexual connotations and is often practiced by couples for this very reason.

6. Side hug

A very simple type of hug: consists of surrounding the other person’s shoulders with a single spleen while standing next to them and looking in the same direction. It can be used in many situations and, unlike other types of hugs, it allows you to perform another task at the same time.

7. Distant embrace

In this embrace both people must lean forward a lot to embrace the other , as their bodies are relatively far apart and there is a lot of space between their waists. This is a committed hug, as if it were part of a protocol, and it usually shows a cold relationship between two people who agree to the hug without much desire.

8. Violent hug

It is not called this because it is based on aggressiveness or the desire to hurt others, but because of the situation of discomfort that is expressed in it . In this type of embrace, one of the two people embraces the other, but the other does not do the same or does not involve him/her with the same degree of intensity. This means that either you “drop” your weight on the other person’s chest or you start some of the hugging movements but do not finish them.

The violent embrace is a sign that there is still a certain distrust or insecurity on the part of one of the two people.

More hugging classes

It is possible that there may be more kinds of hugs with different meanings. Each culture has its own unwritten rules and non-verbal language can be expressed in entirely different ways.

If you think there are other ways to embrace a person, we invite you to explain them to us in the comments area or on our social networks.