How to sign “King” in ASL
The BSL sign for “King” isn't in our dictionary yet — it will be fingerspelled in BSL mode, never replaced with this ASL sign.
Step by step
- Form a K-handshape with your dominant hand: point your index and middle fingers upward with the thumb tucked between them.
- Set the K-hand just below your non-dominant shoulder at the top of your chest.
- Sweep the hand diagonally across your torso in one straight stroke, ending near your opposite hip.
- Keep the palm angled inward toward your body for the entire sweep.
- Move smoothly and evenly — imagine tracing the sash a monarch wears across the chest.
- Hold a neutral, dignified expression; a slight chin lift suits the royal meaning.
Practice tip
The diagonal path copies a royal sash — the 1910 manual and modern dictionaries agree on this stroke.
Fingerspell “King”
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.