The following table lists many common ASL phonemic- and phonetic-level handshapes.

Basic Symbol

Sub-shape

Brief Description

a

 

Basic fist, with the thumb alongside the palmar mass ("A").

 

aP

A with thumb extended: "10".

 

aQ

A closed "X", as in APPLE aQ%5LJy: the index is curled and bent, tightly, and the thumb is laid over the index finger.

 

aS

Chinese and Russian a, with the tense thumb crossing the proximal phalanx of the index finger.

b

 

Basic flat hand, with the fingers compact ("B").

 

bP

Thumb-anchored B, as in STUBBORN bP%/MbU.

 

bQ

Fingerspelling B, with the thumb tucked into the palm.

 

bQR

Fingerspelling M, with the pinky compact with the significant fingers.

 

bQS

Fingerspelling M, though with the significant fingers straight and perpendicular to the palmar plane, with the pinky compact with the significant fingers.

 

bR

Curled-B classifier for convex and concave surfaces; also found in lexical signs such as OUR bR%8LJB:L.

 

bS

Angle-B with the thumb alongside the palmar mass.

 

bT

Curled-B with the thumb extended parallel to the palm.

 

bU

Angle-B with the thumb extended parallel to the palm.

c

 

C-classifier, compact with 4 curled fingers ("C").

 

cP

C with the thumb out of the way, as in MARRY cP!!HL.

 

cQ

Baby-C, as in SHERRIF cQ%:Ly.

 

cQZ

Tense Baby-C, as in DRINK-LIQUOR, cQZ$6MIy.

 

cS

Flat-C, as in SMILE cS%6MJ!AB.

 

cZ

Tense C with the thumb straight, not curled, as in some renditions of CERTIFICATE cZ!!Ly.

 

cX

Thumb and index are curled, as in c, and middle, ring, and pinkie are extended, as in f.

d

 

Basic pointing handshape, with straight index finger ("1").

 

dP

Fingerspelling "L", with the index finger and thumb straight and extended parallel to the palm.

 

ÃP

A lax fingerspelling "L", with the non-significant fingers extended perpendicular to the palm.

 

dQ

This is the fingerspelling letter D, made with a thumb-and-index-finger loop, with the middle, ring, and pinky fingers compact with the index finger.

 

dR

Fingerspelling letter "X", with the index finger curled.

 

ÃR

Lax fingerspelling letter "X", with the index finger just slightly curled; alternates with "1".

 

dS

Bent-1, used particularly when the fingertip CR must face the body.

 

dT

Curled-L, as in WHO dPT%6MdTy.

 

dU

Angle-L, as in alternate version of WHO dPT%6MdUy.

 

dV

Equivalent to Horns jP, where only the index finger is significant, as in SNOB dV(3LDGy.

 

dW

Alternate form of 1, with the thumb alongside the middle finger.

 

dZ

"1" with the thumb perpendicular to the palm, as in some renditions of LICENSE dZ!!Ly.

e

 

Fingerspelling "E", with the four curled fingers standing atop the thumb, which is tucked into the palm.

 

eP

Fingerspelling "E" with the thumb extended parallel to the palm (dialectal variant).

 

eR

Spread tense "E", with fingertips not touching the thumb.

 

eS

Compact tense "E", with fingertips not touching the thumb.

f

 

Three fingers extended and spread, with thumb and pinky loop significant ("W", "6").

 

fQ

Various versions of "F" and "9", the thumb and index finger loop significant. The extended fingers are almost never significant.

 

fQS

Flat variant of "F", usually in sequences with open-F gX.

 

fR

Curled W, as in a variant of WEIRD fR%3KyA.

 

fS

Angle W, as in initialized variant of WAR fS!!Cvy.

g

 

Fingerspelling "G", with thumb and index straight and perpendicular to the palmar plane.

 

gQ

Flat baby-O, usually found in sequences with g.

 

gX

Open-F, that is a fingerspelling "F" with the thumb-index loop opened.

 

gXS

This is an Open-F with the thumb and index finger very straight and perpendicular to the palm.

h

 

Compact index and middle fingers extended ("H" and "U").

 

hP

This is a thumb-anchored "H", as in HORSE hP%/MhU.

 

hQ

A 2-fingered form of O, found in the fingerspelling context of N, U, etc., as in D-O-N, hQohS.

 

hQS

The end of the number 30, a flattened form of hQ above. The spelling hQ is used in most sequences where this shape is paired with a form of h.

 

hR

Curled U, as in the compact variety of CHAIR hR#"QLy.

 

hRY

The phonetic spelling of fingerspelling "N", though we use hS in regular spelling.

 

hS

Angle-U, where the index and middle finger are bent at the proximal joint and compact, as in DOMINOES hS!!Ly.

 

hT

A thumb-lax variant of the thick-disk classifier hRZ, as in FLYING-SAUCER hT(5SGLy.

 

hU

Anchored angle-U, as in the end of HORSE hP%/MhU.

 

hV

This is U with the pinky extended, as in HOLIER-THAN-THOU hV&ALy and INNOCENT (with a cutesy extended pinky) hV#6LGv.

 

hVP

This is U with the pinky and the thumb both extended, as in HOLIER-THAN-THOU hVP&ALy and INNOCENT (with a cutesy extended pinky) hVP#6LGv.

 

hRY

This is a 2-fingered fingerspelling E, found in the context of N or U, as in P-N-E-U-M-O-N-I-A kEhShRYhmSohSia.

i

 

Pinky extended ("I").

 

iP

This is the fingerspelling letter "Y".

 

iQ

This is the phonetic spelling of "6", which has the thumb tip opposing the tip of the pinky, rather than holding the pinky down by its nail.

 

iR

This lenited form of i occurs signs with released contact, such as JELLY i(b!LFy, which is phonetically i(b!LFiRy, and in name-signs with similar movement.

 

iS

This tense form of i occurs with tip contact, especially when the shaft of the pinky points at the PA, as in IT iS(b!L.

j

 

Index and pinky fingers extended ("Irish H", "Horns").

 

jP

This is ILY, as in "I love you", and also the airplane classifier. It is the Horns handshape with the thumb extended in the palmar plane.

 

ÉP

This is the version of 25 with the thumb and index finger as in L, and the middle, ring, and pinky fingers perpendicular to the palm and compact.

 

jQ

This handshape occurs in the borrowed sign KANGAROO from Australian Sign Language. It is a hybrid of Horns and o, that is, o with the index and pinky fingers extended.

 

jQS

This is the same as the KANGAROO handshape above, except that the o part is flattened..

 

jS

This is angle-Horns, used where there is tip-contact, as in tense forms of TENT jS((LEAB.

 

jT

This is a curled ILY handshape, as in forms of ET-CETERA, where the index finger of the ILY wiggles: jP##LjTyAB.

 

jU

This is angle-ILY, often found in airplane-classifier signs, and also as lenition in such signs as CALIFORNIA jP2LEjUy.

k

 

Fingerspelling "K", thumbtip contacting the medial joint of the significant middle finger, with the index extended (also "P").

 

kQ

This is the form of "P" created when the thumb tip touches the palmar surface of the proximal joint of the middle finger.

 

kR

This is a curled K, formed as part of movement lenition in signs such as PINK k!6LEy, which is phonetically k!6LEkRy.

 

kX

This is a dialectal form of "K" created when the ring and pinky fingers are compact with the middle finger.

 

kQX

This is a dialectal form of "P" created when the ring and pinky fingers are compact with the middle finger.

l

 

The middle finger extended from the fist.

 

lS

This is the middle finger bent for ease of articulation when tip contact is directed towards the body, as in the off-color sign FLIPPED-ME-OFF lS!3GNzz. (The meaning of this sign is often metaphorical, as in the context "He said, 'To hell with me,' and did his own thing...."

 

lVP

This is a free alternate with the middle finger handshape, and occurs in hearing and Deaf gesturing as well as in signing. The middle finger is (not much) camouflaged by the added presence of the thumb and pinky.

m

 

Index, middle, and ring fingers extended compactly, as in the Boy Scout salute (also "M").

 

mRY

This is the phonetic form of the curled version of fingerspelled "M", though in regular orthography we use mS.

 

mS

This is a bent M, that is, where the index, middle, and ring fingers extend compactly and perpendicularly to the palm, while the thumb holds down the pinky.

n

 

The number "4", with the four fingers extended spread.

 

nP

Unused equivalent of p.

 

nR

This is a curled 4, as in SIT-IN-A-CIRCLE nR%LJLv.

 

nS

This is a bent 4, as in WAR nS!!Cvy.

o

 

The compact cylinder, also fingerspelling "O".

 

oQ

This is baby-O, as in EXACT oQ!!HEL.

 

oS

Flat O, as in GO-OUT p"5GoS.

 

oV

This odd handshape occurs in OAKLAND, oV$Ey, where the pinky extension is ostensibly an influence from the name-sign of nearby BERKELEY bQ$Ey.

p

 

The number "5", with all five digits spread.

 

pR

This is curled 5, as in CHUBBY @ pR!5FLv

 

pS

This is bent 5, as in SUNBATHE pS!/Hy.

 

pSZ

This is a very squashed angle-5, with the thumb and all the fingers perpendicular to the palm.

q

 

Thumb and middle finger loop, the number "8".

 

qP

Open 8, as in FEEL qP!9LDy.

 

qQ

This tight 8 has the thumb holding the middle finger ready to spring open to qP, as in MELON qQ!s"EqPLy or p, as in TERRIFIC qQ!5Gpzz.

 

qU

Stiff open 8, with the middle finger straight and perpendicular to the palmar plane, as in SCREW-YOU!, qU!G9Pzz.

 

qW

8 with the thumb laid over, as in the end of DELICIOUS q!6LGqW.

 

qX

This is baby-D, formed with a thumb-and-middle-finger loop, and the index finger extended in the palmar plane. The W symbol shows that the ring and pinky fingers are tucked into the palm in this variant of 8, while they are extended in the unmarked variant.

 

qXS

This is a tense, flattened baby-D, formed with a thumb-and-middle-finger loop that is flat and elongated. Some signers use this variety when there is tapping contact made by the apex of the loop.

 

qZ

This is the open-8 that closes to 8; the thumb is extended perpendicular to the palmar plane, while the middle finger is curled.

 

qSZ

This is a tense open-8 that closes to 8; the thumb is extended perpendicular to the palmar plane, while the middle finger is bent.

r

 

The fingerspelling letter "R", with index and middle fingers compact, the middle finger twisted over the index. Also twisted cord classifier.

 

rP

This is a thumb-anchored R, as in REVIEW rP%b!MJ", or RETIRED rP%8:FLv.

 

rS

R bent at the great knuckles, used especially when the tips are directed toward the body.

 

rU

A thumb-anchored bent R.

 

rVP

This handshape is used in the idiom I-REALLY-LOVE-YOU rSP&Ay.

s

 

Basic tight fist, with fingers curled into the palm and the thumb laid over them ("S").

 

sP

An infrequent (?) substitute for aP, with the fingers tucked into the palm.

 

sQ

A tense open-S that opens to p. Also a constricted o, as in VOTE fQ!sQ%ELy.

 

sR

A lax open S that closes to S.

 

sZ

An S fist with the thumb extended perpendicular to the palm. Some use this handshape instead of aP or aZ in GASOLINE.

 

sX

An F with the thumb and index tightly curled.

 

sXS

An F with the thumb and index tightly curled, the other extended fingers compact.

t

 

Like the basic "A" fist, except that the thumb is tucked up under the index finger ("T").

 

tR

A "T" with the thumb ready to flick open to dU.

u

 

Index and middle fingers are extended spread ("2" and "V").

 

uQ

This is the beginning handshape in the merged compound sign TWO^MORE, uQ!o!Noy.

 

uP

This is the numeral 3 (2 plus the thumb).

 

uR

Curled V, as in VAMPIRE uR!8(BL.

 

uS

Angle-V, as often in DANCE uS!b!9S<SIy.

 

uT

Curled 3, which is a thumb-anchored curled V, as in the end of INSECT uP%3MuUy.

 

uU

Angle-3, one use of which is as a thumb-freed angle-V, as in WALK uU!OVKG.

 

uV

The numeral 7.

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