Handshapes

A few dozen shapes make every sign.

Handshape is the first of the three parameters. Most are named for the letter or number they resemble; the rest have descriptive names. The list is ordered by how many of our signs use each, so the shapes at the top are the ones to get right first.

flat B

flat B hand

29 signs

Flat hand, fingers together, thumb along the side.

BABY FISH HAPPY PLEASE THANK-YOU GOOD NIGHT BOOK SCHOOL WHY DONKEY PIG+17 more

1 hand

28 signs

Index finger up, the rest closed.

Also: number 1

CRY RED DAY WHERE GO UNDERSTAND BLACK BROTHER SISTER MOUSE EYE NOSE+16 more

5 hand

27 signs

All five fingers spread open.

Also: number 5

MOTHER FATHER DOG SAD FINISH SLEEP WHAT LEARN WHITE GRANDMA GRANDPA SLEEPY+15 more

flat O

flat O hand

18 signs

Fingertips flattened down to meet the thumb (a closed 'beak').

EAT BOY MORE HOME SLEEP NO LEARN WHITE DUCK WOLF PRETTY GIVE+6 more

claw 5

claw 5 hand

12 signs

Five fingers spread and curved like a claw.

COOKIE WANT AMERICA HOT LION TIGER WOLF ALLIGATOR MAD SLEEPY RAIN CLOUD

S hand

11 signs

A fist with the thumb across the front.

Also: letter S

MILK OLD YES COLD UNDERSTAND ORANGE FROG CAR SHOE ICE-CREAM MANY

A hand

8 signs

A fist with the thumb up alongside.

Also: letter A

GIRL SORRY HELP AUNT HIDE BATH TOMORROW YESTERDAY

C hand

7 signs

Fingers curved into a C shape.

Also: letter C

DRINK HUNGRY OLD WISH ORANGE GIRAFFE LISTEN

V hand

7 signs

Index and middle spread, the rest closed.

Also: letter V, number 2

FROG LOOK SEE READ DANCE CUT #TV

open 8

open 8 hand

7 signs

Middle finger bent toward the thumb but not touching — the 'feeling' hand.

FEEL SICK EXCITED LIKE YUCKY TOUCH EMPTY

F hand

6 signs

Index and thumb pinched, other three fingers up.

Also: letter F, number 9

CAT BEE EAR HAIR FIND SHIRT

X hand

6 signs

Index crooked into a hook.

Also: letter X

APPLE ONION TIME WHO FAST DRY

bent B

bent B hand

6 signs

Flat hand bent forward at the knuckles, fingers together.

KNOW ELEPHANT HEAD HAVE NOW BYE

L hand

5 signs

Index up, thumb out — an L shape.

Also: letter L

BIG BROTHER SISTER WAKE-UP LATER

Y hand

5 signs

Thumb and pinky out, middle fingers closed.

Also: letter Y

COW WHY YELLOW STAY PHONE

bent V

bent V hand

4 signs

Index and middle spread but bent at the knuckle (claw-two).

BUG CUTE JUMP PIZZA

H hand

4 signs

Index and middle together, pointing sideways.

Also: letter H

NAME SIT CHAIR HIGH

U hand

4 signs

Index and middle together, pointing up.

Also: letter U

UNCLE HORSE CUTE CUT

3 hand

3 signs

Thumb, index, and middle out.

Also: number 3

NO DUCK BUG

G hand

3 signs

Index and thumb parallel, pointing sideways.

Also: letter G

BIRD GREEN WAKE-UP

B hand

2 signs

Flat hand, fingers together, thumb tucked across the palm.

Also: letter B

BLUE BROWN

8 hand

2 signs

Middle finger and thumb touching, others up.

LIKE HATE

T hand

2 signs

A fist with the thumb tucked between index and middle finger.

Also: letter T

#TV TOY

O hand

1 sign

Fingers and thumb curved to touch in an O.

Also: letter O

OWL

W hand

1 sign

Index, middle, ring up and spread.

Also: letter W, number 6

WATER

ILY

ILY hand

1 sign

Thumb, index, and pinky out at once (I-Love-You).

AIRPLANE

baby O

baby O hand

1 sign

A small O made with the thumb and index only.

MOON

4 hand

1 sign

Four fingers up and spread, thumb folded in.

Also: number 4

ZEBRA

flat 5

flat 5 hand

0 signs

Fingers together and flat, thumb out.

I hand

0 signs

Pinky up, the rest closed.

Also: letter I

R hand

0 signs

Index and middle crossed.

Also: letter R

horns

horns hand

0 signs

Index and pinky out, middle fingers down.

D hand

0 signs

Index up, other fingertips meeting the thumb.

Also: letter D

We describe handshapes in words rather than showing photographs because the one video corpus we may reuse covers whole signs, not isolated hands. For photographs of each shape, the Deaf-led dictionaries we link to are excellent.