Greeting suggests a type of relationship or social status between individuals and groups of people coming in contact with each other.
There are two ways to express our feelings: audibly and physically, the change depends on the situations; sometimes we use a combination of both ways. An example of physical greeting is kissing; it is a ritual or social gesture to indicate friendship, to perform a greeting, to comfort someone, or to show respect.
Although cheeck kissing is a little bit different in different countries, it usually shows respect and affection between a man and a woman, a parent and a child, two women, or two men in general. When making a cheek kiss, both people lean forward and either lightly touch cheek with cheek or lip with cheek. Generally the gesture is repeated with the other cheek, or more, alternating cheeks.
Depending on a country and situation the number of kisses is usually changed and sometimes associated with hand-shaking or hugging. It does not necessarily indicate sexual or romantic interest, like a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Cheek kissing is more common in Europe and Latin America than North America, except for Miami and Quebec, and Asia, especially the southern parts of Europe.
In general Irish, British and American men are uncomfortable with the whole issue of public kissing - for fear of homosexual connotations - so tread carefully. If you are smart you will go for a strong handshake.
Secondly, the definition of greeting and kissing are almost the same, but there are many different kinds of ways to say “Hello” in the world we live. In Colombia , when one meets somebody known very well or not, he kisses another person on the cheek just one time and says “Hello, and how are you?” A cheek kiss is accompanied by a hand shake or a hug. If you hug someone, it means a sign of deeper trust.
Compared with Latin America, the greeting of Asia is really simple and has no cheek kissing and no hugging. Kissing between men and women in South East Asia with Muslim or Hindu culture is not a socially acceptable way of greeting. It is even considered an offensive way of greeting through their religion.
There is also a difference in the way people greet each other when they have not met for a long time. Those who are from Saudi Arabia kiss their family on the hand, forehead, cheek and the top of the head in the place where they meet for the first time even in public places, like airport. It is one of the things that is taken for granted for them. However Japanese don’t do that like them, and they say “Long time no see” and just hug one another. It is because Japanese people don’t express their feelings directly.
One factor which is common to all the nations is that greeting is very important.