Daily focus
Archive Replay
Saturday, November 8, 2025
Sign of the Day
pit hole
The sign for "pit hole" uses a dominant bent 5-hand to represent the 'pit' or depression, which moves downwards into the non-dominant flat hand representing the ground or surface
B1 Common Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
Today’s Snapshot
The meta fields are doing real work here
This page turns your sign metadata into a fast, readable fingerprint of how the sign looks, feels, and fits into real conversation.
Dominant hand: Bent 5-hand, fingers curled but not closed. Non-dominant hand: Flat hand, palm facing up
Dominant hand moves downwards into the non-dominant palm
Used when discussing holes or depressions in surfaces like roads or ground
Break It Down
Watch, build, and feel the movement
Use the numbered steps first, then check the sign anatomy cards to clean up the small details that make the sign look fluent instead of approximate.
How to form the sign
- Form a Bent 5-hand with dominant hand, palm down
- Form a Flat hand with non-dominant hand, palm up
- Position dominant hand above non-dominant palm
- Move dominant hand downwards into non-dominant palm
Coach prompt
Practice forming both handshapes correctly, then focus on the downward movement into the palm. Ensure firm contact
Signature details
Handshape
Dominant hand: Bent 5-hand, fingers curled but not closed. Non-dominant hand: Flat hand, palm facing up · Code D: Bent 5, ND: Flat
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
Asymmetric
Contact
Touch
Palm orientation
Dominant palm faces downwards. Non-dominant palm faces upwards
Eyebrows
Neutral
Eye gaze
Forward
Head movement
None
Mouth morpheme
None
Body shift
None
Use It Today
Move from recognition to real-life use
Everything below is designed to make the sign sticky: where it feels natural, what learners miss, and how to use it without sounding robotic.
Watch out for that deep pit hole in the road
The sign visually represents a hole or depression being formed into a flat surface
Best fit: Used when discussing holes or depressions in surfaces like roads or ground
Mirror focus
Practice forming both handshapes correctly, then focus on the downward movement into the palm. Ensure firm contact
Catch the slip
Check that the dominant hand forms a clear bent 5-hand and actually makes contact with the non-dominant flat palm
Use it today
Watch out for that deep pit hole in the road
Common mistakes: Incorrect handshapes or not making contact between hands
When not to use it: Not applicable for a literal sign
Regional note: None known
Cultural note: None
1.[en] Watch out for the pit hole. / BSL:[watch out pit hole] 2.[en] The road has many pit holes. / BSL:[road many pit hole] 3.[en] It's a deep pit hole. / BSL:[deep pit hole]
What is the BSL sign for pit hole?
The BSL sign for 'pit hole' uses a dominant bent 5-hand moving down into a non-dominant flat palm, visually representing a depression in the ground.
How do you sign pit hole in BSL?
Place your non-dominant flat hand palm up. Bring your dominant bent 5-hand (fingers slightly curled) down into the centre of the non-dominant palm.
Is pit hole one-handed or two-handed in BSL?
It is a two-handed sign, with the dominant hand creating the 'pit' motion and the non-dominant hand representing the ground or surface.
What handshape is used for pit hole in BSL?
The dominant hand uses a Bent 5-hand (fingers slightly curved). The non-dominant hand uses a Flat hand (fingers extended and together).
How does pit hole differ from similar signs in BSL?
'Pit hole' uses a bent 5-hand hitting a flat palm for a depression. General 'HOLE' might use a C-hand shape. 'DITCH' often involves two hands moving apart or a dominant hand moving horizontally for a longer excavation.
Connect the Dots
Turn one sign into a small learning cluster
These links use your relationship fields, related vocabulary, and category context so the daily page becomes a launchpad instead of a dead end.
Word web
Pothole
cavity
depression
dip
Mound
hill
bump
rise
surface
Road
ground
surface
damage
Pothole
Ground
Hole
HOLE (general): This often uses a C-hand shape, sometimes with a circular movement, representing an opening. 'Pit hole' specifically implies a downward depression, using a bent 5-hand to show the 'dip' into a flat surface, which is a more specific type of hole.
CRATER: While semantically similar, 'CRATER' might involve a larger, more spread out handshape (e.g., S-hand opening to 5-hand) or a more dramatic downward movement, implying a larger scale or impact. 'Pit hole' is typically for smaller, more localized depressions.
DITCH: This is usually represented by two flat hands moving apart or a dominant hand moving horizontally along a flat non-dominant hand, indicating a longer, narrower excavation. 'Pit hole' is distinct by its specific downward motion into a stationary flat hand, signifying a more isolated, point-like depression
Geology
road defects
surface damage
hazard
Pit
hole
pothole
dip
ground
depression
Come Back Tomorrow
Build a rhythm around one sign a day
The archive rail lets people revisit recent daily picks, while the teaser card gives a reason to return instead of drifting away after one lesson.
Video credit: The demonstration video on this page is credited to SpreadTheSign. The video remains the property of the original rightholder.
All written explanations, learning notes, examples, comparisons, and page design on this page are SignDeaf educational material.