How to Sign “Letter J” in ASL

To sign the letter J in ASL, make a fist with your little finger up. Hold your dominant hand up beside your shoulder, at about chin height, with the palm facing forward at the start. Draw a J in the air with your little finger: move it down and curve it, turning the palm toward you at the end.

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How to sign it

  1. Handshape: Make a fist with your little finger up.

  2. Location: Beside your shoulder, at about chin height, on the side of your dominant hand.

  3. Palm orientation: Palm facing forward at the start.

  4. Movement: Draw a J in the air with your little finger: move it down and curve it, turning the palm toward you at the end.

Tip to remember it

J and Z are the only two letters of the ASL alphabet that move.

Use it in a sentence

#JEALOUS (fingerspelled J-E-A-L-O-U-S)

Spell jealous with your hand: J, E, A, L, O, U, S.

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Signed by a Deaf, fluent ASL signer.

Description checked against AISA's own video (the reference); Lifeprint (ASL University) fingerspelling chart, lifeprint.com/asl101/fingerspelling/abc.htm.

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Animated GIF: a Deaf signer signs J in ASL, the little finger drawing a J as the hand twists.

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