Brief Description
You turn your head toward the sound and place the edge of your palm to your ear, as if "offering" your ear to the source.

What does it mean?
The gesture indicates an active effort to hear a faint, distant, or distorted sound. It signals: "I cannot hear you; speak louder/more clearly" or "I am listening carefully; try to get the information across." Nuances in execution can convey additional shades of meaning:
1. Smooth placement of the palm with a head tilt, held for 1–2 seconds — a polite request to repeat something; respectful attention to the speaker. Used in dialogue when acoustics are poor.
2. Sharp, almost aggressive placement of the palm, head tilted maximally — irritation that the speaker is talking too quietly; a demonstrative attempt to hear ("well, stop mumbling!").
3. Palm not edge-on but "cupped" (fingers curved, forming a scoop) — more intense "collecting" of sound; used in noisy environments (metro, street, concert).
4. Placing the palm not to one's own ear but to the interlocutor's ear — imitation of the gesture (usually as a joke or with a hint: "listen here, I am about to say something important").
5. Long holding of the palm to the ear after the sound has already stopped — pensiveness, an attempt to process what has been heard, or mild disorientation (e.g., in elderly people).
In Russian tradition, this gesture is perceived as normal and even approved in situations where one needs to show attention or cope with poor audibility. It is not considered impolite if performed without a demonstrative sigh or eye‑rolling. Unlike in some Western cultures, where the direct "hand to ear" gesture may seem overly theatrical or childish, in Russia it is quite appropriate in everyday life, at work, and when visiting others. A fixed expression: "to cup a hand to the ear" means an attempt to hear something secret or important. The gesture also has a playful form: when a person leans in and places a palm to their ear, pretending to be deaf (usually in response to an absurd statement).