Brief Description
You sharply raise your chin upward (slightly tilting your head back) while fixing your gaze on an object, person, or direction.

What does it mean?
The gesture serves for non‑verbal indication of something without using the hands. It signals: "Look there," "There it is/he/she." It is used when the hands are occupied, in a crowded space, or as a more covert way of indicating compared to an extended arm or finger. Nuances in execution can convey additional shades of meaning:
1. Smooth chin raise, gaze shifts slowly — a polite, unobtrusive indication. Often used among acquaintances when one does not want to attract unnecessary attention.
2. Sharp, quick chin raise, gaze "pierces" the object — an impatient, demanding indication ("will you just look over there!"). May be accompanied by a slight snort.
3. Chin raised but gaze does not fix, rather "glides" — an uncertain indication; the person themself is not sure whether that is exactly where to look.
4. Chin raised + simultaneous eyebrow raising and eye widening — a surprised‑questioning indication ("look what that is over there!").
5. Long holding of the chin up after the interlocutor has already looked — an affirmative confirmation ("yes, exactly there, you understood correctly"). May also express slight superiority or disdain ("look over there, not at me").
In Russian tradition, this gesture is perceived as normal and well understood, especially in situations where the hands are occupied (e.g., holding bags, a child, a folder of documents) or when pointing with a finger is considered awkward (on public transport, among strangers). Unlike in some Asian cultures, where chin‑pointing may seem too familiar, in Russia it is appropriate both among friends and in work settings (e.g., a boss may indicate a needed folder with a chin movement). However, too sharp or frequent chin raising may be interpreted as a sign of arrogance ("nose in the air"). A fixed expression: "nodded to the side" (though this is more about a head tilt, the meaning is similar).