23 in Sign Language: How to Sign It in ASL, With Numbers 1–30 and 100

The short answer: how to sign 23 in ASL

In American Sign Language (ASL), 23 is commonly signed with the 3 handshape: thumb, index finger and middle finger extended, ring and little fingers folded down. Keep the hand still and wiggle or flick the middle finger a few times. It is usually shown with the palm toward the person you are signing to.

Some signers instead sign 2 and then 3 in sequence. Both forms are used, but the wiggling-middle-finger version is the one most often taught for 23. This guide covers ASL only. Other sign languages, such as British Sign Language, form numbers differently, so check which language you need before practicing.

A note on sources and variation

No source material was supplied for this guide, so the descriptions below reflect widely taught ASL conventions rather than a cited reference. Number signs vary by region, by community, and by context, because ages, money, time and ordinal numbers often use their own forms. If you need an exact form for a class, exam or interpreting work, confirm it with a Deaf signer, a qualified ASL instructor or an established ASL dictionary.

Numbers 1–10: the foundation

The higher numbers reuse these handshapes, so learn them first. For counting, 1–5 are commonly signed with the palm facing you, the signer. From 6 onward, the palm usually faces out toward the viewer.

Number | Handshape | Usual palm direction

1 | Index finger up | Toward signer

2 | Index and middle fingers up | Toward signer

3 | Thumb, index and middle fingers up | Toward signer

4 | Four fingers up, thumb tucked in | Toward signer

5 | All five fingers spread | Toward signer

6 | Thumb touches tip of little finger, other fingers up | Toward viewer

7 | Thumb touches tip of ring finger | Toward viewer

8 | Thumb touches tip of middle finger | Toward viewer

9 | Thumb touches tip of index finger | Toward viewer

10 | Fist with thumb pointing up, given a small shake or twist | Thumb up, hand to the side

Pay particular attention to 3. In ASL, 3 uses the thumb, index and middle fingers, not the index, middle and ring fingers. Using the wrong three fingers is a common beginner mistake, and the 3 handshape is also the base for 23.

Numbers 11–19, including 14 and 15

• 11: Start with a closed hand, palm facing you, and flick the index finger up repeatedly.
• 12: Same movement with the index and middle fingers together.
• 13: Thumb extended, with the index and middle fingers bending up and down repeatedly, palm facing you.
• 14: Four fingers bending repeatedly with the thumb tucked in, palm facing you.
• 15: Four fingers bending repeatedly with the thumb extended, palm facing you.
• 16–19: Commonly signed by starting with the thumb-up 10 handshape and twisting the wrist outward into 6, 7, 8 or 9. Some signers instead shake or rock the 6–9 handshapes.

The difference between 14 and 15 is only the thumb: tucked in for 14, out for 15. Make sure the thumb is clearly visible either way.

Numbers 20–29, including 21 and 23

Most numbers in the twenties combine a sign for 20 with the second digit. Three of them, 21, 23 and 25, are commonly signed with a single handshape and a wiggling or flicking finger instead.

• 20: Thumb and index finger extended, then pinched together repeatedly. Some signers form an L shape first.
• 21: L handshape (thumb and index finger extended) with a small repeated bending movement. Many signers flick the thumb, and some bend the index finger instead.
• 22: The 2 handshape, shown twice with a small hop or sideways movement.
• 23: The 3 handshape with the middle finger wiggling. Some signers use 2 followed by 3.
• 24: The 20 sign or an L handshape, followed by 4.
• 25: The 5 handshape with the middle finger wiggling.
• 26–29: The 20 sign or an L handshape, followed by 6, 7, 8 or 9.

Keep 21, 23 and 25 apart by counting the extended fingers: two for 21, three for 23 and five for 25. The wiggling finger is the index or thumb for 21 and the middle finger for 23 and 25.

30 and 100

• 30: Sign 3, then close the hand into an O shape for zero.
• 100: Sign 1, then form a C handshape. The same 1-then-C pattern is used for multiples, such as 2 then C for 200.

Practice and check your number signs, step by step

• 1. Learn 1–10 until each handshape is automatic, especially 3 (thumb, index, middle) and 6–9 (thumb touching a different fingertip).
• 2. Practice palm direction: toward you for 1–5 and 11–15, outward for 6–9.
• 3. Drill the single-hand forms for 21, 23 and 25 together, then the combined forms for 22 and 24–29.
• 4. Add 30 and 100.
• 5. Record yourself or use a mirror, and compare each sign with this guide or a trusted reference. Count the extended fingers and watch which one moves.
• 6. If you can, ask a fluent signer to check your forms. That is the most reliable way to catch regional or contextual differences.

Making number signs readable on a video call

Number signs depend on small finger details, so a camera that is merely working is not enough. Check that the other person can actually see your fingers clearly.

• Framing: Keep your signing hand and face fully in frame. Sit far enough back that your hand never leaves the top or sides of the picture.
• Lighting: Light your hands from the front. A bright window behind you can turn your fingers into a silhouette.
• Background: A plain physical background makes fingers easier to read than a busy one. Virtual background or blur effects can blur or cut off hand edges during movement, so test them before relying on them.
• Motion: Sign at a steady pace and hold each number briefly. Video compression and low frame rates can smear quick finger wiggles like the one in 23.
• Self-check: Use your app's preview, or record a short clip, to confirm that 21, 23 and 25 look different on screen.

Your camera can be detected and producing video while number signs are still hard to read. Image clarity during an actual call also depends on connection quality, so confirm with the person you are signing to if a number matters.