Winking can be a way of communicating many different ideas or feelings without having to speak. It is thought that its origins go back to an ancient Nordic myth that has as its protagonist the god Odin, who gave up one of his eyes to obtain the opportunity to drink from a well that would have guaranteed him enormous knowledge. Learning to wink is simple, but knowing its meaning or knowing when to wink can be trickier.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Learn to Wink
Step 1. Make eye contact
When you wink at someone, you can only communicate something if they see you doing it. So, first of all, look this person in the eye.
Step 2. Choose the eye with which you are best suited
Some people find it easier to wink with one eye than the other, while others find it easier to use both eyes.
- Try one eye at a time, while no one is around, to determine which one you feel better with.
- You may find that using one eye would cause your face to "frown" more than the other eye. Or, it may be harder for you to control your other eye, making your wink look like a simple blink of an eye.
Step 3. Lower the eyelid
Pull the lid of your chosen eye down while keeping the other open. It can be difficult at first and you may need a lot of concentration to do it.
Step 4. Raise your cheekbone slightly
Especially when you are starting to learn how to wink, raising your cheekbone slightly can help you close your eye completely.
As you practice you should be able to raise it less and less
Step 5. Don't squint
Try as much as possible not to wink when you keep it open. The effort of holding it open can cause you to involuntarily squeeze it, especially if you are just starting to practice.
At first, checking your eyes can be difficult. As already mentioned, with practice you will be able to squeeze them less and less
Step 6. Open the eye
Once you have completely closed the eye you want to wink with, open it again. That's all!
Step 7. Practice in front of a mirror
When you are starting to learn, practicing alone in front of a mirror could help you a lot. Make eye contact with yourself and practice your winks.
With enough practice your wink will look more natural
Step 8. Practice with a friend
When you think you have achieved a good result, ask a friend to judge your wink. He'll be able to tell you if he thinks it's okay, or if it still looks like you're squinting or making an effort.
Method 2 of 3: Know when to wink
Step 1. Say hello with a wink
Once you understand how to do it, the next step is figuring out when to do it. A common use is to wink when greeting someone.
For example, imagine you are at a party, immersed in conversation with friends. Another friend walks into the room, but you don't want to interrupt the flow of the conversation you're joining. A quick wink can allow you to greet him without interrupting the conversation
Step 2. Wink to indicate common knowledge
Like Odin's missing eye, the wink can mean that you are aware of something. It often has a conspiratorial meaning and suggests that you and the person you wink at know something that others don't know.
- Winks can be used, for example, as a way of indicating humor between you and the other person. A wink can mean, "I know you will understand this joke, even though other people may not." It can also be a way of showing someone that you are joking when you are expressing yourself ironically. For example, if you have a friend who is passionate about history, you might say, "This week I have to write a really difficult history essay. It's such a shame that I don't know anyone who can help me!" and then wink.
- This type of wink can also be a signal to start a plan you have organized. If you and some friends are about to ambush your friend with water balloons, for example, a well-placed wink can mean "Go get the balloons!"
Step 3. Reassure someone with a wink
A wink can also be used to reassure someone who appears to be going through a difficult situation. It works more or less like a pat on the back.
For example, imagine that your friend is giving a speech in front of a lot of people and you know he is very nervous. If you are in the audience and you can make eye contact, a wink can be interpreted as "You can do it, man"
Step 4. Seduce with a wink
A wink can also be a suggestive or provocative greeting to someone you like.
- This kind of wink can be interpreted as "Hey there, beauty!"
- Some people believe that a slower wink works better in these cases.
Step 5. Know when not to
In some cases, winking can create awkward situations or even get you into trouble. Be especially careful when you wink at someone of the opposite sex.
- Often a wink at a member of the opposite sex is interpreted as an act of seduction. If this is not your intention, think carefully before doing it. Your intentions may not be clear, especially if the person receiving the wink doesn't know you well.
- A wink at the wrong time can make some people angry, especially if it conveys the idea that you are not taking them seriously or that you are behaving in a sexually inappropriate way. Especially if you are in a position of authority, think carefully about the situations in which to make this gesture.
Method 3 of 3: Wink Online
Step 1. Use a winking emoji
In the modern world of phones and computers, your eyes aren't the only way to wink. You can send one via text or on a social network using the winking emoji.
- There are different types of wink emojis, depending on the type of phone you have, the social network you are using, etc.
- The winking emoji is usually used to communicate sympathy or to flirt.
Step 2. Wink with an emoticon
Before emojis existed, people often used punctuation marks to create a winking face. Some people prefer this style, called "emoticon", or are forced to use it because they are using an outdated phone or email system that doesn't support emojis. You can communicate a wink in these ways:
- ;)
- ;-)
- (-!
- ~_^
Step 3. Use * wink *
A less common way of indicating a wink in text messages and e-mails, used by some people, is to simply place the word "wink" between two asterisks. Like emoticons and emojis, the message conveyed is one of humor or seduction.
Advice
- In practicing the wink, some people find it helpful to close and open the eye slowly; this helps to train the muscles involved in the wink gesture.
- Make sure you wink with only one eye and not both!
- When you wink, create a pause before the next one, otherwise it will look like a nervous reflex.
