non-verbal communication
non-verbal communication — noun
1. the way people share feelings or meaning through things like gestures, eye conta
the way people share feelings or meaning through things like gestures, eye contact, and the look on their face, rather than through speech or writing
Jisoo's crossed arms were a clear example of non-verbal communication.
subject + be + non-verbal communication for describing wordless signals
The drama teacher asked the children to act out a story using only non-verbal communication.
using only non-verbal communication for excluding speech
Christopher relied on non-verbal communication to calm the frightened dog at the shelter.
A warm smile and a steady gaze are simple forms of non-verbal communication.
Nurses on the night shift often use non-verbal communication so patients can keep sleeping.
- body language
narrower — only posture and gestures, not eye contact or tone
- non-verbal cues
countable plural; refers to individual signals rather than the whole channel
- verbal communication
sharing meaning through spoken or written words
用法筆記
Uncountable: say 'non-verbal communication is important', never 'a non-verbal communication'. Subjects are usually people or groups, and the field studying it pairs it with 'body language' and 'facial expressions'.