Sorority Hand Signs: Throw What You Know
Sorority hand signs show up all over Greek life, often popping up in Instagram and at events where members proudly "throw what they know." These gestures aren’t just about looking cute in pictures—they’re a way to celebrate sisterhood, traditions, and shared values. If you haven't seen them, the idea is to make a symbol or sign with your hands that's unique to your organization. Members make them on their own and also team up and create the signs with one hand from each partner.
Origins of Sorority Hand Signs
National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sorority hand signs are a relatively new tradition. Historically, these kinds of gestures were rooted in the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), which represents historically Black fraternities and sororities. For NPHC organizations, hand signs have deep meaning tied to their rituals, identity, and unity.
It wasn’t until the early 2000s that some NPC groups started adopting hand signs, taking inspiration from the rich traditions of NPHC organizations. According to Heather Kirk, Director of Education & Communications for Zeta Tau Alpha, they began seeing the crown hand sign somewhere around 2007. However, not all NPC sororities officially recognize hand signs, and some have chosen to move away from using them out of respect for their origins.
Cultural Appropriation Concerns
As NPC sororities have adopted hand signs, discussions around cultural appropriation have surfaced. Many recognize that these gestures were first created by NPHC organizations and hold deep cultural and historical significance. Using them without acknowledging their origins or understanding their meaning can be seen as appropriative.
Some NPC organizations have addressed this issue by discouraging the use of hand signs, while others encourage members to be mindful and respectful when using them. Education and awareness around the cultural context of these traditions help ensure that sorority practices remain inclusive and respectful.
A Closer Look at Some Sorority Hand Signs
While not all NPC sororities have official hand signs, over the last 25-ish years they’ve all adopted some form of hand sign as a way to show unity and sisterhood. Here’s a look at all 26:
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Alpha Chi Omega – Cross your first two fingers of each hand over each other, curl the remaining fingers under, and keep your thumbs apart. This shape is meant to resemble their lyre symbol.
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Alpha Delta Pi – This one’s really clear and easy! Create a horizontal diamond shape by touching your thumbs and index fingers together. This shape is also the shape of their badge and represents their official jewel, the diamond.
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Alpha Epsilon Phi – We’ve seen the basic heart on their IG, but we think they’d want to customize so maybe AEPhi is the only NPC sorority that doesn’t use a hand sign? Let us know if we missed something!
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Alpha Gamma Delta – Make a diamond shape by touching both index fingers and thumbs together. Then extend each middle finger and lay one on top of the other. You can sort of see an Alpha (A), Gamma (Γ), and Delta (Δ) in there.
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Alpha Omicron Pi – Use both hands to form a heart shape and tent the index fingers above. You can sort of see an Alpha (A) in there!
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Alpha Phi – Stack your hands on top of each other with palms down and thumbs curled outward to resemble an ivy leaf, their official symbol. We’ve seen illustrations of a more complicated version where the fingers spell out an Alpha (A) and Phi (Φ), but we haven’t seen it executed–message us if you know more!
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Alpha Sigma Alpha – Make circles with your thumbs and index fingers and interlock the circles. Then touch each middle finger against the opposite ring finger and extend your pinkies and it should look like a 👑 4-point crown, their sorority symbol.
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Alpha Sigma Tau – Cross one index finger on top of the other, aligning your hands on top of each other. Keep the remaining fingers tucked and extend your thumbs outward to resemble an anchor, which is one of the symbols in their crest. We’ve also seen it done with pinkies extended aligned with the thumbs.
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Alpha Xi Delta – Extend your index and pinkie fingers to make something like bull horns.
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Chi Omega – Cross your index fingers over each other, point your thumbs at each other without touching, and then tuck the other 6 fingers. We’ve heard it is supposed to look like the Greek letters Chi (Χ) and Omega (Ω). It’s really close to Alpha Chi Omega’s hand sign, but ChiOs only cross the index finger.
Some members also create “owl glasses” by forming circles with thumbs and first fingers and placing them over their eyes– to represent their 🦉 owl mascot.
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Delta Delta Delta (Tri Delta) – Use your thumbs and index fingers to create a triangle, representing the Greek letter Delta (Δ).
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Delta Gamma – We’ve seen two. The one we see more on social is the left arm half raised with the whole hand flexed backwards and it kind of follows the letters Delta (Δ) and Gamma (Γ). We’ve seen another one where the left hand is an upside down peace sign and rests on top of the thumb of the right hand that’s making an upside down, backwards L which looks a lot more like a Delta (Δ) and a Gamma (Γ). This post shows both!
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Delta Phi Epsilon – Form an “L” on the left hand with the index finger and thumb and do the same on your right hand, adding the middle finger to the tall side of that “L”, then cross the left index finger with the index and middle fingers of the right hand to make a triangle, the Greek letter Delta (Δ) .
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Delta Zeta – There are two versions of their hand signs: For one make an L with each hand’s thumb and index fingers and touch your left thumb to the middle of the right index finger and the right thumb to the base of the left index finger to make a small Delta (Δ) and an abstract Zeta (Z).
For the other, touch index fingers together at the top and the thumbs below. Then take the left middle finger and touch it to the middle of the right thumb, and then the right middle finger touches the top of the left middle finger. This one makes a more obvious Zeta (Z).
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Gamma Phi Beta – Make a Gamma (Γ) with your index finger and thumb in an upside down, backwards L.
We’ve also seen Gamma Phis put two of these together but it’s unclear why they’d need two.
They also do a pose with their arms in the shape of their crescent moon symbol 🌙 (which always point left!)
And then another where they make the crescent moon 🌙 with one hand:
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Kappa Alpha Theta – With respect to the NPHC sorority tradition, Theta officially eliminated hand signs in 2021. That noted, the one we see most on social has the thumb of each hand touching at the bottom and the first two fingers of each hand extended, with the right index and middle finger touching the right side of the left index finger and you can sort of see a Kappa (Κ), Alpha (Α), and Theta (Θ) in there.
We also see a lot of shots where members make 🪁 cute kites—their symbol—with thumbs and index fingers.
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Kappa Kappa Gamma – Start with a peace sign and extended thumb on the left hand and then an upside down, backwards L on the right with the index finger and thumb, or index and middle finger and thumb (we’ve seen both). With your palms facing opposite directions, touch the two thumbs together and there’s a suggestion of a Kappa (Κ) and Gamma (Γ) in there.
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Phi Mu – Create two interlocking circles by connecting thumbs and index fingers, then tent middle fingers over the rings to approximate their quatrefoil symbol.
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Phi Sigma Sigma – Make a heart with index fingers and thumbs, with remaining fingers tented above in a triangular shape.
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Pi Beta Phi – Touch your thumbs together and spread your fingers out like wings, representing their 🪽angel wing symbol.
Sigma Delta Tau – Extend and spread the middle three fingers of your right hand and connect with an “L” shape on your left hand, where your middle right ringer touches the corner of the “L”, forming a Sigma (Σ) and Delta (Δ).
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Sigma Kappa – Form a heart shape with index fingers and thumbs while spreading the remaining fingers to symbolize dove wings.
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Sigma Sigma Sigma (Tri Sigma) – Touch your thumbs together, tent your index fingers at the top, and stack your middle fingers in the center to resemble the Sigma (Σ) shape.
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Theta Phi Alpha – Make circles with your thumbs and index fingers, interlock them, and tent the remaining fingers above to (loosely!) represent the letters Theta (Θ), Phi (Φ), and Alpha (Α).
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Zeta Tau Alpha – Create two interlocking circles with your index fingers and thumbs, tent the middle fingers above, and extend the other fingers outward to represent their five-point crown.
The "Throw What You Know" Phenomenon
The phrase "Throw What You Know" has taken off in the sorority world, especially on social media. It refers to showing off your sorority’s hand sign in photos, whether you’re at an event, on vacation, or even at a wedding with your sisters. The hashtag #ThrowWhatYouKnow has become a fun and popular way for members to share their sisterhood across Instagram, TikTok, and beyond.
This trend has also helped connect members from different chapters and given potential new members (PNMs) a peek into the sisterhood of each organization. Recruitment is more than just a formal process now—it’s a visual, engaging experience where sororities can show off their values, friendships, and traditions in a fun and relatable way.
That said, some organizations have reminded members to be mindful of how and when they use hand signs. Understanding their origins and significance helps ensure that sorority traditions are carried forward with respect and inclusivity.
The Bottom Line
Sorority hand signs are more than just a fun photo opportunity—they’re a way for members to express pride, unity, and lifelong bonds. While originally inspired by NPHC traditions, NPC sororities have embraced them in their own way. As the Greek community continues to grow and evolve, it’s important for members to learn about the history and meaning behind these traditions.
The #ThrowWhatYouKnow trend has helped sororities strengthen their sisterhood, connect across chapters, and celebrate their organizations in creative ways. As long as these gestures are used with understanding and appreciation, they will remain a cherished part of Greek life for years to come!
