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Friday, March 27, 2026
Sign of the Day
weight
This BSL sign depicts the concept of physical heaviness. It uses a bent 5-hand, moving downwards with a slight bounce, conveying the sensation of mass and gravity
A1 Common Noun British Sign Language (BSL) Neutral
Today’s Snapshot
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Bent 5-hand, fingers bent at knuckles and joints
Downward movement, often with slight bounce
Discussing object heaviness, measurement, or personal burdens
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-handshape
- Palm faces downwards, hand mid-air in front of torso
- Move hand downwards with a slight, controlled bounce
- Repeat the downward motion briefly
Coach prompt
Practise forming the bent 5-handshape. Focus on the downward movement with a subtle bounce, feeling the 'heaviness'
Signature details
Handshape
Bent 5-hand, fingers bent at knuckles and joints · Code B5
Dominant hand
Either
Symmetry
N/A
Contact
Air
Palm orientation
Downward
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.
The weight of the box was too much
Can be signed with two hands for emphasis of extreme heaviness
Best fit: Discussing object heaviness, measurement, or personal burdens
Mirror focus
Practise forming the bent 5-handshape. Focus on the downward movement with a subtle bounce, feeling the 'heaviness'
Catch the slip
Ensure fingers are bent at knuckles and joints, not just curled. The movement should be a controlled downward press, not a loose drop
Use it today
The weight of the box was too much
Common mistakes: Confusing with the adjective 'heavy' or verb 'drop'
When not to use it: When referring to 'wait' (different sign)
Regional note: Minor variations in bounce or hand placement
Cultural note: N/A
1.[en] What is the weight? / BSL:WHAT WEIGHT?
2.[en] The weight is too much. / BSL:WEIGHT TOO MUCH.
3.[en] I need to check the weight. / BSL:I NEED CHECK WEIGHT
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Word web
Heaviness
mass
burden
load
Lightness
Heavy
measure
kilogram
Heavy
light
measure
mass
scales
kilogram
Heavy: (Adjective) Often two hands, bent 5-hands, pressing down simultaneously, sometimes with more effort. "Weight" (noun) is typically one-handed, focusing on the state of heaviness. Drop: (Verb) Uses a looser 5-hand or even a flat hand, often moving faster and more casually downwards, indicating an object falling. "Weight" is a controlled, almost resistive downward movement
Measurement
physics
burden
load
BSL weight
sign for heavy
how to sign weight
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