How to Sign "Woman" in American Sign Language (ASL)

To sign "woman" in ASL, extend your thumb and index finger to your chin, then pull down and away. The movement comes from showing the strings of bonnets that women used to wear as they hung down the sides of their faces, which was a common look throughout history. Pull your fingers down where bonnet strings would go. This simple hand motion is used specifically for women and you'll see it used all the time in ASL conversations. You can do the sign twice if you want to say "women" or add emphasis. The sign works well everywhere, whether you're being casual or formal with someone. Learning this sign is one of the first things new ASL students do, and they can combine it with other signs to mean things like "mother," "sister," or "girlfriend."