To sign 'not much,' form an 'F' handshape with your dominant hand by touching the tips of your index finger and thumb together, keeping your other fingers extended. Hold your hand in front of your chest with the palm facing sideways toward your non-dominant side. Make a small, quick forward and slightly downward flicking motion, as if tossing something tiny away. This is usually accompanied by a slight head shake or a casual facial expression.
This is the most common use for this sign. After someone asks 'What's up?' or 'How are you?', you can use this single casual sign to reply that nothing special is happening.
Use this sign to indicate a lack of activity. Pair it with a relaxed posture and a slight head shake to emphasize that your weekend was uneventful.
You can use this sign to show that only a small or insignificant amount of something remains. The small movement of the hand emphasizes the small quantity.
This is the most common use for this sign. After someone asks 'What's up?' or 'How are you?', you can use this single casual sign to reply that nothing special is happening.
Use this sign to indicate a lack of activity. Pair it with a relaxed posture and a slight head shake to emphasize that your weekend was uneventful.
You can use this sign to show that only a small or insignificant amount of something remains. The small movement of the hand emphasizes the small quantity.
This specific sign is perfect for casual conversation, especially as a response to greetings like 'What's up?' It naturally conveys 'nothing much' as a single concept. Signing the separate English words 'NOT' and 'MUCH' is very literal and looks unnatural in a conversational response.
Yes, your palm should face sideways, pointing toward your non-dominant side. If your palm faces outward or upward, it can change the meaning entirely or look like a different sign, such as 'count.'
Typically, 'not much' is signed casually with just your dominant hand. Using two hands with an 'F' handshape moving up and down is the sign for 'judge' or 'court,' so stick to one hand to keep your meaning clear.
