A French kiss is a kiss, usually romantic or sexual, in which one participant's tongue touches the other's tongue and usually enters his or her mouth.

In many parts of the world, 'tongue kissing' as a public display of affection is discouraged and may even be regarded as taboo. The 1994 Chinese film Impetuous Fire caused controversy amongst some Chinese viewers for a kiss between Chinese-American actor Tim Chang and actress Sandy Wu.

Etymology of 'French kiss'

The colloquial term, "French kissing", does not necessarily stem from France. In France, it is referred to as 'baiser amoureux' (love kiss) or 'baiser avec la langue' (kiss with the tongue), even if in past times it was also known as baiser florentin (Florentine kiss). Notably in some northern parts of France, it is spoken as 'baiser anglais' (English kiss). In French slang, a "French kiss" is called a "patin" (ice skating shoe) or a "galoche". Doing a French kiss is referred to "rouler un patin" (roll a skate, as in ice skating shoe) or "rouler une pelle" (roll a shovel). The term 'French Kiss' is cited in Private Lindner’s letters: Censored and uncensored letters, anecdotes, sketches, a collection of items gathered during World War I and published in 1939:

Other names

Another, older name for 'French kissing' is cataglottis, from cata (down), glottis (throat). It is known colloquially as tongue wrestling, tonsil tennis, tonsil hockey, necking, snogging, and frenching.

• In Argentina, the verb "chapar" is used. It is also known as "comer" (to eat) and "agarrar" (to grab). "Apretar" (to squeeze) and "transar" (to accept something/someone) are also used, though decreasingly.
• In Australia, and New Zealand, it is most commonly known as "pashing" or "lashing". This term is expected to have originated from the word 'passion', so as to kiss passionately, is to "pash". Teenagers have now become accustomed to the phrase "hook up" for a French kiss, it comes from 'hooking up' and means to 'get together'.
• In Belgium, it is known as tongzoen or tongkus (literally tongue kiss) In Flemish it's called 'sleuren', 'muilen', 'paletten', 'bekken', 'lekken', 'tongen', 'kussen' (just kissing), 'iemand binnendraaien' or 'iemand binnendoen' (literally taking someone in)
• In Bosnia, it is often called "žvaka" (literally "bubblegum")
• In Bolivia, it is known as Chapa, or Chapando.
• In Brazil, it's generally called "beijo de língua" (tongue kiss).
• In Czech, it's translated as "Francouzský polibek" (French kiss).
• In Chile, it is called "beso francés" (literally "French kiss", just translating the original phrase, isn't a new phrase or slang). Some people refer to it sometimes as "beso con lengua" (literally "kissing with tongue"). The act of French kissing is also called comer (eat), for example, if somebody ask somebody if he French kissed another person, he/she might ask Te la/lo comiste? (Did you eat him/her?), although this is regarded as a more vulgar way of referring to it.
• In Colombia, some call it "rumbear",or "parcharse", although there are various other terms used in different regions.
• In Costa Rica, the action is called "apretar" (to squeeze) and the kiss itself "aprete".
• In China, it is called shewen (舌吻, literally "tongue kiss").
• In Croatia, this kind of kissing is called "francuski poljubac" in slang or "barenje", "žvaljenje", or "brijanje".
• In Dominican Republic, it is called "Chulear".
• In Denmark, it is called "Tungekys" (literally "tongue kiss"). The slang word would be "snave", equivalent to the British term "snogging".
• In England, it is called "snogging", "facing ","tonguing", "getting off with", "necking", "pulling", and "merving", as well as by many other terms in local dialects.
• In Egypt, it is called "فرنشاية" ("Frenshaya," meaning "(a) French (one)").
• In Finland, it is referred to as "kielisuudelma" (literally "tongue kiss"), often shortened "kielari" in colloquial use.
• In French, it is simply embrasser avec la langue (literally to kiss with the tongue). In popular language this is referred as rouler une pelle (to roll the spade), emballer and some rude words like: "galocher", "rouler un patin" (to roll the blade).
• In Germany, Austria, and German-speaking parts of Switzerland, it is called "Zungenkuss" (tongue kiss).
• In Greece, it is called "tongue kiss" (Glosofilo). [GR-BL]
• In Hungary, it is called "nyelves csók" (kiss with tongue).
• In Iceland, it is called "tungukoss" (tongue kiss). It is also informally know as "fara í sleik" (literally "go into licking").
• In Iran and Afghanistan, it is known as "boose asheghane" or "lab gereftan" , "بوسه عاشقانه" or "بوسه فرانسوی" or "لب گرفتن".
• In Ireland, it is mostly commonly known as meeting. Localised terms might be scoring, shifting, pulling, going away with, getting with, doing [name], "dolling", "curting", "seeing", e.g. 'We're not going out, I'm just doing her' (but does not necessarily imply having sex). In some parts of Ireland can also be referred to as "feeking". Also In Northern Ireland, it is widely known as "going with", e.g. I'm going with her tomorrow. They would also say, "Will you doll me?" or "shift me?" or if you are from Kilkeel "will you see me?"
• In Israel, it is called "נשיקה צרפתית" (French kiss).
• In India, it is mouth kiss, lip kiss, lip-lock, or smooch. In ancient Indian scripts written in Sanskrit call it 'Chumban'. 'Chumma' (in Hindi), Chummi ( in Hindi), 'Pappi' (in Hindi), 'Muka' (in Marathi), French Kiss (in Tamil) are other widely used terminologies.
• In Indonesia, it is called "cipokan"
• In Italian, the act is known as "baciarsi alla francese" ("French kissing") or "limonare" (literally "to lemon") or "pomiciare" in popular language. N.B, the verb "limonare" is used exclusively in northern Italy and has nothing to do with lemons.
• In Japan, it is referred to as a 'deep kiss' (ディープキス).
• In Lithuania, it is called "Prancūziškas bučinys" (literally "French kiss"), rather informal - "šlapias bučinys" (literally wet kiss) or "laižiakas" (literally "to lick").
• In the Classical Latin, the word for this kind of kiss is suavium.
• In Macedonia, it is called "Francuski baknež" (French kiss).
• In Malta, it is called "tintreda" (literally sucking") or "titbewwes" (pushing one's mouth with another).
• In Mauritius, the English population refer to it as "Grabbing".
• In the Netherlands, the act is known as a "tongzoen" (tonguekiss), when doing it is called "tongen" (to tongue).
• In Newfoundland and Labrador, it is part of the art form known as "whomping".
• In Nigeria, it is called "Frenching" or "tonguing".
• In Norway, it is called "tungekyss" which equals "tongue kiss" and the word "kline" equivalent to the British term "snogging".
• In Pakistan, it is called "chummi" in urdu. However, in modern society the English word has become ubiquitous.
• In Panama, it is called "arropar" (literally to "wrap with" [as if with bed sheets]). And more recently, youth refer to it as "frenchear" ("to french") and "echar" (literally "to throw")
• In Peru, it is called "agarrar" or "chapar" (literally "to catch"); "pescar" (to fish)
• In Philippines, it is called "laplapan" or just simply "French kiss" (besong Pranses). It can also be termed "chula", "tulip" or "lamutak" which is a short form for "lips to lips" in some Visayan languages.
• In Poland, it is called "z języczkiem" (literally "with tongue") or "po francusku" (literally "in a French way").
• In Portugal, it is generally called "linguado" (literally "tongued", which is also the Portuguese word for "flounder"), or "beijo na boca" ("kiss on the mouth").
• In Puerto Rico, it is called "grajeo", tirarse, or "beso de lengua".
• In Quebecois French, it is known as "frencher" (pronounced "French-ay").
• In Romanian, it is called "sărut franţuzesc" ("French kiss"), or sometimes: "a linge" (to lick) or "a-ti lua limba in gura" (to take someone's tongue in your mouth) .
• In Russia, it is called "Φранцузский поцелуй" (literally "French kiss") or illiterally "Засос" ("a suction").
• In Scotland, it is also known as "French kissing" or, more colloquially, "pulling", "nipping", "getting off with" or (more rarely) "snogging".
• In Serbia, it is referred to this particular kind of kissing "lupati žvaku" or simply "žvaka" (bubblegum). Formally it's called "francuski poljubac" (French kiss) while in slang you can also hear "krljati" and "žvalaviti".
• In Singapore, it is referred as "la ji".
• In Slovakia, it is translated as "francúzsky bozk" (French kiss).
• In South Africa, the act is known as "vry", "tong in die long" (tongue in the lung) or "scoring".
• In Slovenia, teenagers often call it "zalizati" (to lick someone), and also "žvaljenje".
• In Spain, it is known as: "morrear", literally "to muzzle", or "besar con lengua" (tongue kiss). In some places of the country it is also known as "transar" (to accept something/someone) or "apretar" (to tighten).
• In Sri Lanka, it is known as: "Thola maranawa".
• In Sweden, it is called "tungkyss" (literally "tongue kiss"). The slang word is "hångla", equivalent to the British term "snogging".
• In Turkey, it is known as a Fransız öpücüğü, meaning a French kiss.
• In the United Kingdom, it is often colloquially called "snogging", "pulling", or "getting off with".
• In the United States, besides French kissing and 'frenching', the term 'soul kiss' remains popular. Lighter, more humorous terms are 'tongue dancing' or 'tongue fencing', 'tonsil hockey', 'spit swapping', and 'tongue sucking'.
• In Vietnam, it is known as "Nụ hôn kiểu Pháp" (French kiss), "hôn sâu" (deep kiss), or "nút lưỡi" (tongue sucking).
• In Venezuela, it is known as "zampar", "meter lengua", "jamonear", or "lata"
• In Welsh speaking areas of Wales, it is known as "mynd efo", "mynd gyda" (literally to go with), or "mito"; "Wyt ti 'di mynd efo fo eto?" (North Walian) or "Wyt ti wedi mito fe eto?" (South Walian). In English, speaking areas of Wales, terms used are the same as Ireland and Scotland and are often used by Welsh speakers in Wenglish.

References

External links

• How to Kiss Someone Passionately
• wikiHow - How to French Kiss
• BBC News: French Kissing of Many Different Partners Can Quadruple a Teenager's Risk of Meningitis