What does it mean when a girl punches you in the arm? We Explain

When you are talking with your friend, an acquaintance, or your crush, sometimes they might end up punching you in the arm. It could be a small punch, or it could be a large one. What does this mean? Do they like you? Or do they want you to stay away? Here’s our explanation of what it means when a girl punches you in the arm.

Punching someone in the arm

Punching someone in the arm or being punched in the arm is actually a really weird action. When you think about it, you will not be punching someone you like, because the act of punching will be hurting them.

And most of us will not want to bring harm to those we love. But sometimes, we do punch someone we like in the arm in certain situations, usually when we are talking. This is not a bone-shattering punch, but rather a flirtatious or playful punch. How do we reason with this punch? Here are a few things you should consider.

- Consider your relationship

When you get punched in the arm by someone, consider your relationship. They might be a childhood friend, and it could be a friendly gesture, a show of your friendship and closeness. As punching someone in the arm is rather intimate, and you might only see close friends doing it.

So, the person you will likely punch in the arm or be punched in the arm by will generally be someone you are close with or have known for a while.

Whilst punching someone in the arm can indicate a close relation, being punched in the arm by an acquaintance might come across as strange and unnatural to you and the person that had just punched you. They might be a school friend or an acquaintance, and in many cases, they won’t have a close enough relationship with you for this gesture to work out.

- What were you talking about when you got punched in the arm?

Sometimes getting punched in the arm is a reaction to something funny or teasing being an aid in your conversation. So, if you are wondering what it means when you get punched in the arm by a friend mid-conversation, you should also consider what you were talking about when that happened.

- What was their expression when they punched you in the arm?

If they had a smile on their face when they punched you in the arm, then chances are you are in their good books. This could mean they consider you a friend, and they could have it just as something teasing or an inside joke that only you and your friend group will understand. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it just means you have a close relationship with them.

Having a smile on their face when they punched you in the arm can also mean that they are romantically interested in you. Maybe you were trying to flirt, and they found it adorable or charming, or simply what you said moved them to like you just a little more.

Whatever the reason that prompted the smile on their face whilst punching you in the arm, you can assume at least that they could be interested in you romantically.

On the other hand, if they seemed rather apprehensive and taken aback when they punched you in the arm, they might not be interested in you after all, whether romantically or even as a friend.

What does it mean when a girl punches you in the arm?

Now that we have kind of explained what punching someone in the arm means, it is time to get to more specific definitions of what this action might mean when a girl punches you in the arm. 

1) What you said really got to them

When a girl punches you in the arm, it could be that what you said really got to them. Maybe it was a brilliant joke, and whilst laughing they had reflexively punched you in the arm.

Maybe it was something sweet, and they punched you in the arm because your words made them feel shy or embarrassed in a good way. Maybe you were flirting with them, and they were taken by surprise by your smooth and loving words, and, again, became embarrassed or shy at your show of interest or love.

Maybe what you said really resonated with them on a personal level, it could be something about your shared interests or worldviews, and knowing you both have similar thoughts or think a certain way about something could show that you two are compatible in a relationship together, and so, making them blush and possibly, punch you in the arm in responsive.

On the other hand, when a girl punches you in the arm, it could be that what you said got to them in a bad way. How the situation will go will depend on how badly something you said has offended them, and how they react in the aftermath of punching you in the arm.

If it was something minor you said that got to them, by punching you in the arm, they could be hinting at you to change the subject, or simply showing that you have hurt them by saying those words.

But by punching you in the arm, they are also showing they are willing to talk this out and for both of you to come to an understanding about boundaries in your relationship, which is not necessarily bad. Communication is important in a relationship after all.

2) They like you as a friend

So, after all, we have said about what it means when a girl punches you in the arm, one of the reasons is that they consider you a friend. As we have mentioned, punching someone in the arm could stem from an inside joke being told, or friendly teasing taking place.

If you punch someone in the arm or are punched by something in the arm in these situations, chances are you guys are good friends! And have a good enough relationship to have close, bodily communicant that can be easily understood by both of you.

This does not mean they are destined to remain your friend forever! If you think that there could be a chance of you two being together, being punched in the arm as a friend might lead to something more exciting after all.

As long as they reciprocate your feelings and are willing to try this relationship thing out with you, there is no saying that you won’t end up taking things to the next level and start liking each other romantically.

3) They like you as more than a friend

When a girl punches you in the arm could certainly mean nothing at all in terms of romantic relationships, but sometimes it just might. When someone likes you, they might react a little more drama to your words, actions, and expressions.

And we would like to consider punching someone in the arm a slightly more dramatic action than social etiquette between two people allows, as it involves both physical and emotional closeness for the gesture to become meaningful.

So, when a girl punches you in the arm, you should consider your relationship and your history together before trying to judge whether or not they like you. If you two have a pretty good track record and have always been on good and respectful terms with each other, then this gesture could very well mean that they like you.

If you two never seem to click right and have sometimes been a little disrespectful and toxic towards one another, then maybe this gesture does not mean much in the grand scheme of your relations status.

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