How to sign “Big” in ASL
The BSL sign for “Big” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Shape both hands into hooked-L claws: index finger hooked like a letter X, thumb extended.
- Hold the two claw hands in front of your chest, palms facing each other.
- Move both hands outward and apart to show the object's width.
- Keep your palms facing each other as the hands separate.
- Add the open-mouthed 'cha' mouth shape and a bigger sweep to mean 'huge' or 'enormous'.
Practice tip
The older version used two plain L hands; modern signers hook the index fingers into claws.
Fingerspell “Big”
Letter by letter — a handy backup if you forget the sign above. This is not the sign itself.
Text-based guide researched from established ASL references (Lifeprint, university and public-health materials) and rewritten in original words. Signer-created photos and videos are a planned future upgrade.