Form both hands into flat, open handshapes with your fingers held together. Hold them out in front of your chest and make a few alternating downward chopping motions. The movement should look exactly like you are performing classic karate chops with the pinky sides of your hands.
Sign 'I', 'take', and then 'karate' using the alternating chopping motion. Finish by signing 'class' and 'Tuesday'.
Sign 'My', 'brother', and 'karate'. Then, you can describe the black belt by signing 'black' and miming tying a belt around your waist.
Point to the person for 'you', sign 'know', and then sign 'karate'. Make sure to raise your eyebrows throughout the sentence to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'I', 'take', and then 'karate' using the alternating chopping motion. Finish by signing 'class' and 'Tuesday'.
Sign 'My', 'brother', and 'karate'. Then, you can describe the black belt by signing 'black' and miming tying a belt around your waist.
Point to the person for 'you', sign 'know', and then sign 'karate'. Make sure to raise your eyebrows throughout the sentence to indicate a yes/no question.
While this sign is specifically for 'karate,' people sometimes use it as a general classifier for martial arts in casual conversation. However, specific martial arts often have their own unique signs or are simply fingerspelled for clarity.
The standard sign uses an alternating motion, usually with the dominant hand striking first or slightly higher. Chopping with both hands simultaneously looks unnatural and is not the standard way to sign this word.
Keep the movement controlled and relaxed. You do not need to use forceful or aggressive physical energy. A gentle, clear representation of the chopping action is all that is needed for normal conversation.
