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

In ASL, "man" is signed by touching your thumb to your forehead, then bringing it down to touch your chest. The sign comes from men's hats worn long ago. The movement shows how men would tip their hats as a greeting in the old days, which everyone knew as a polite thing that men did. This is a sign that means male only. People use this basic sign a lot to make other words like "gentleman" or "businessman," and new ASL learners learn it right away. The sign is easy to see and understand.