To sign *lily*, start by signing the word *flower*. Form a flattened 'O' handshape with your dominant hand and touch your fingertips to the side of your nose. Then, smoothly transition your hand into a 'Y' handshape—extending your thumb and pinky—and move it slightly downward and forward.
To sign this, start with the sign for *white*, pulling away from your chest. Then sign *lily* by touching the side of your nose with a flattened 'O' handshape and transitioning into a downward 'Y' handshape. Finish with the signs for *favorite* and *flower*.
Begin with the sign for *spring*, showing a plant growing upward. Then sign *plant* by mimicking placing seeds in the ground. Finally, sign *lily* by combining the *flower* sign at your nose with a downward 'Y' handshape to specify the type of flower.
Start by pointing to indicate 'she,' then sign *buy* by moving your hand forward as if handing over money. Sign *beautiful* by circling your face, and conclude with the sign for *lily*, transitioning from the *flower* handshape at your nose to a 'Y' handshape.
To sign this, start with the sign for *white*, pulling away from your chest. Then sign *lily* by touching the side of your nose with a flattened 'O' handshape and transitioning into a downward 'Y' handshape. Finish with the signs for *favorite* and *flower*.
Begin with the sign for *spring*, showing a plant growing upward. Then sign *plant* by mimicking placing seeds in the ground. Finally, sign *lily* by combining the *flower* sign at your nose with a downward 'Y' handshape to specify the type of flower.
Start by pointing to indicate 'she,' then sign *buy* by moving your hand forward as if handing over money. Sign *beautiful* by circling your face, and conclude with the sign for *lily*, transitioning from the *flower* handshape at your nose to a 'Y' handshape.
Yes, absolutely! Because 'lily' is a short, four-letter word, it is very common to simply fingerspell L-I-L-Y. Both the fingerspelled version and the FLOWER + 'Y' compound sign are widely understood, so you can use whichever feels more comfortable.
While many initialized signs use the first letter of an English word, *lily* uses the final letter, 'Y'. This helps differentiate it from other signs or simply provides a more comfortable phonetic flow. ASL often adapts initialization in unique ways to avoid visual confusion.
No, you don't need to. When signing the standalone word *flower*, you typically touch both sides of your nose. However, when it is used as the first half of a compound sign like *lily*, a single tap to one side of the nose is standard and makes the sign flow much better.
