Spell a word · 6 letters

How to spell JIHOON in sign language

Jihoon fingerspelled in ASL is 6 handshapes, signed one after another with the palm facing out. Hold each for a beat and keep the hand in one place; the letters carry the word, not the movement.

ASL handshape for the letter JJ
ASL handshape for the letter II
ASL handshape for the letter HH
ASL handshape for the letter OO
ASL handshape for the letter OO
ASL handshape for the letter NN

Letter by letter

  1. J Pinky extended from a fist, tracing a J-shaped hook downward in the air.
  2. I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.
  3. H Index and middle fingers extended together, pointing sideways; thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
  4. O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
  5. O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
  6. N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.

Double letters. JIHOON has the same letter twice in a row. Do not re-form it: hold the handshape and slide the hand slightly to the side, or give it a small bounce, so the reader sees two.

Motion letter. J cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in JIHOON is a static handshape.

Fingerspelling is how ASL handles names, places, brands and words without a sign of their own. Many everyday words do have a sign, so if you are learning ASL as a language, learn that sign too; this page shows how the word is spelled with the manual alphabet.