However, the rule is universal: the beijo is not a sensual act. It is a social firewall against coldness. To avoid giving a beijo to a friend or acquaintance is to declare war. It signals, "You are not welcome here."

Men writing to men usually use abraço (hug) instead of beijo unless they are very close or family. Women use beijo freely with both genders.

Conversely, Gustav Klimt’s famous painting "The Kiss" (O Beijo) portrays the act as a golden cocoon, shielding the lovers from the world.