# Signifying the number 3 with your fingers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 20, 2019, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098 "2019-01-20T06:25:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/1 "2019-01-20T06:25:43Z")
If you want to signify the number 3 with your fingers, how do you do it? Do you hold your little finger with your thumb, showing the index, middle and ring fingers? Do you hold your index finger with your thumb, showing the middle, ring and little fingers? Do you show the thumb, index and middle fingers while the other two fold themselves against your palm? Or something else? Please see deathly important poll to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/2 "2019-01-20T06:41:35Z")
I like this, oddly. I like hand signsls. You know, a-ok, thumbs-up, peace, the Vulcan live long and prosper sign. I woulda made a good gang member or a baseball catcher. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/3 "2019-01-20T07:51:10Z")
I don’t think that I ever have held up fingers to signify a number instead of using words. But if I did, I would have a hard time doing a 3. I can’t fold down my pinkiy while keeping the other 3 up. Even physically holding it down with my thumb, my other fingers curl up uncontrollably. The only way I can fold my pinky down and still hold the others up is to hold it down with the other hand. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/4 "2019-01-20T08:41:26Z")
One-index finger Two-index and middle fingers Three-thumb, index, and middle fingers But I had to do it to figure this out. Not a thing I do a lot. (Except 1, which also means “just a second”) ---
**Author:** ![half-elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@half-elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/half-elf)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/5 "2019-01-20T11:24:50Z")
Once upon a time I used to sometimes watch Moto GP races with my then boyfriend and was quite surprised at how they did the countdown. 5: all fingers extended 4: thumb down 3: (in one seamless move) thumb up, pinky & ring finger down 2: thumb down 1: middle finger down I suppose that if I was doing a countdown I would do the same, but if I just wanted to show the number 3 I would use the 3 middle fingers. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/6 "2019-01-20T12:35:43Z")
I chose option A, except I don’t have to use my thumb to hold down my little finger, it can do that on its own. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/7 "2019-01-20T12:58:33Z")
This is famously a regional thing: [Inglourious Basterds Bar Scene - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWgHiUZYRSo) (Bar scene from “Inglorious Basterds” – see 0:45) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/8 "2019-01-20T13:07:15Z")
This is interesting. It seems natural and obvious to me to have the thumb and pinky down and the middle three up, so that’s what I do, and what I answered in the poll… but actually trying the different positions, thumb and index down, with pinky, ring, and middle up is more comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/9 "2019-01-20T14:34:40Z")
I worked a couple of years as an international wrestling referee. The signal for a three-point throw was thumb-index-middle, and that stuck with me ever since. I still show thumb and index for “two,” too. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/10 "2019-01-20T14:55:24Z")
Thumb-index-middle. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/11 "2019-01-20T16:01:05Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > This is interesting. It seems natural and obvious to me to have the thumb and pinky down and the middle three up, so that’s what I do, and what I answered in the poll… but actually trying the different positions, thumb and index down, with pinky, ring, and middle up is more comfortable. As a teenager I read something about this, and did the same thing you did. Thumb and index down makes so much sense once you’ve tried it, I’ve adopted it ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/12 "2019-01-20T16:11:21Z")
I used to do Number 1, but I noticed a few years ago I can no longer extend the ring finger when I do that, so now I do Number 2. That’s only one of the many signs that I’m getting old. ---
**Author:** ![stretch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@stretch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stretch)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/13 "2019-01-20T16:21:03Z")
We’re learning ASL for my hard of hearing grandson. Thumb, index, middle for 3. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/14 "2019-01-20T16:42:51Z")
Number 1. Number 2 is the way to signify OK (or [O-tay](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F93%2Fbc%2Fd4%2F93bcd4a0db2c24f02cfc5db4b92aa70a.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F298011700334837952%2F&docid=mgfuPnSDfGZ93M&tbnid=wjdwXdq5TIIlUM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiaybGA5vzfAhUg0IMKHdEvA3oQMwhLKAAwAA..i&w=400&h=494&safe=off&bih=833&biw=1280&q=eddie%20murphy%20buckwheat&ved=0ahUKEwiaybGA5vzfAhUg0IMKHdEvA3oQMwhLKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8)). ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/15 "2019-01-20T17:04:37Z")
It depends; if I am being serious I show my thumb, index & middle fingers, & fold the other 2 against my palm. If I’m at work and want to see if my coworker is paying attention I say “three” and show either four or two fingers. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/16 "2019-01-20T18:33:14Z")
Thumb-index-middle There wasn’t any doubt because it came up pretty clearly when I was a battalion S3 (training and operations officer.) Way too many operations get broken down into three phases. Having at least three courses of action for a deliberate decision frequently ended up in three. I typically counted them off on my fingers as I was briefing. Then one day, after a couple months, my Puerto Rican assistant S3 pointed out that for him I was regularly making a rude hand gesture. I’d like to say I was good about not doing it anymore. I tried. It still happened. The major change was the evolution of an in-joke between us where we covertly made rude hand gestures at each other during meetings. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/17 "2019-01-20T18:43:13Z")
Before learning sign language, I did index-middle-ring, and that still feels most natural to me. But in ASL, that is a “W” (or the foundation for other signs, like “wine” ) and the sign for #3 is thumb-index-middle. It feels really weird, for some reason, to do an thumb-index-middle and fold down the ring finger. My ring finger doesn’t want to fold in that configuration, it almost hurts. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/18 "2019-01-20T18:55:17Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > This is interesting. It seems natural and obvious to me to have the thumb and pinky down and the middle three up, so that’s what I do, and what I answered in the poll… but actually trying the different positions, thumb and index down, with pinky, ring, and middle up is more comfortable. I learned this method in Japan, along with the counting method: 0 - fist, no fingers out 1 - Pinkie out 2 - Ring and pinkie out 3 - Middle, ring and pinkie out 4 - All four fingers out, thumb in 5 - all fingers out 6 - working backward, same as 4 7 - working backward, same as 3 8 - working backward, same as 2 9 - working backward, same as 1 10 - working backward, same as 0 This is much easier than the way I learned as a child. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/19 "2019-01-20T19:02:39Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Number 1. Number 2 is the way to signify OK (or [O-tay](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F93%2Fbc%2Fd4%2F93bcd4a0db2c24f02cfc5db4b92aa70a.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F298011700334837952%2F&docid=mgfuPnSDfGZ93M&tbnid=wjdwXdq5TIIlUM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwiaybGA5vzfAhUg0IMKHdEvA3oQMwhLKAAwAA..i&w=400&h=494&safe=off&bih=833&biw=1280&q=eddie%20murphy%20buckwheat&ved=0ahUKEwiaybGA5vzfAhUg0IMKHdEvA3oQMwhLKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8)). Not making a circle with thumb and index, but using the thumb to hold the index curled all the way into the palm. Also you would probably do it with palm towards you rather than away from you. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098/20 "2019-01-20T21:11:10Z")
I’ve been doing the third option ever since I learned a bit of sign language. I never got good at signing, but it became a habit, as the others feel like other numbers. I may even confuse people by using the others insinctively for 6 and 9, respectively. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signifying-the-number-3-with-your-fingers/828098.md?page=2)