Little finger

You don't need to be Editor-In-Chief to add or edit content to WikiDoc. You can begin to add to or edit text on this WikiDoc page by clicking on the edit button at the top of this page. Next enter or edit the information that you would like to appear here. Once you are done editing, scroll down and click the Save page button at the bottom of the page.

Little finger
Image:Little finger.JPG
Human hand with little finger extended
Latin	digitus minimus manus, digitus quintus, digitus V
Artery	ulnar artery
Nerve	ulnar nerve
Lymph	supratrochlear
Dorlands/Elsevier	d_18/12296668

The little finger, often called the pinky in American English and pinkie in Scottish English (from the Dutch word pink, meaning little finger), is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger. It is also called the anti-thumb, the fifth finger, the baby finger, or the fourth finger colloquially.

Contents 1 Muscles 2 Cultural significance 3 See also 4 Additional images

Muscles

There are four muscles that control the little finger, three of which comprise a group called the hypothenar eminence :

• hypothenar eminence
  • Opponens digiti minimi muscle
  • Abductor minimi digiti muscle (adduction from third palmar interossei)
  • Flexor digiti minimi brevis (the "longus" is absent in most humans)
• Extensor digiti minimi muscle

Cultural significance

A pinky promise (also known as a pinky swear) is made when a person wraps one of their pinky fingers around the other person's pinky and makes a promise. Traditionally, it's considered binding, and the idea was originally that the person who breaks the promise must cut off his pinky finger. In a similar vein, among members of the Japanese yakuza (gangsters), the penalty for various offenses is removal of parts of the little finger (known as yubitsume).

Also in Japan, holding up a pinky while speaking of two people signifies that they are in a relationship. This pinky substitution is considered vulgar and old-fashioned, however, in some anime scenes is intentionally used to enhance its silliness.

In China, if one holds up a little finger at another, it is usually considered vulgar, just as holding up a middle finger in the United States and other countries is generally regarded as offensive. In addition, in the United States, wearing a ring on the pinky finger has some symbolic meaning. The pinky finger is the relationship finger. If you wear a ring on the pinky finger, you are open and loving.

In India, holding up the little finger is also a signal of "katti" or a broken friendship, a sign that someone is angry, or a playful suggestion that the person flashing the pinky is not going to speak to you.

In India, holding up the pinky is a signal that the person has to urinate.

Similarly, in Indonesia, when a man points his pinky finger downward it is a signal that he needs to urinate.

In Turkey, it's tradition to link pinky fingers when two people are making a bet.

In Judaism, it is customary to extend one's arm and pinky finger to the Torah as it is lifted following its reading in the Synagogue.

In the United States the Engineer's Ring is a stainless steel ring worn on the fifth finger of the working hand by engineers that belong to the Order of the Engineer and have accepted the Obligation of an Engineer.

The Iron Ring is a symbolic ring worn by some Canadian engineers. The Ring is a symbol of both pride and humility for the engineering profession, and is always worn on the little finger of the dominant hand.

In the Balkans, a solitary long fingernail on the pinky finger of a man signifies that he is single. In Bulgaria, a long fingernail on the pinky finger is considered "fashion" by working-class men.

The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority holds their pinky finger in the air as a (Greek) greeting to their fellow sisters.

In Russia, when two people are French-kissing, it is customary to often link pinky fingers together.

In some Western cultures, the wriggling or bending of the little finger indicates a small penis, an insult to the person whom it is directed at. The Australian Government used this in a recent advertising campaign against speeding, depicting females bending their little fingers at speeding males.

See also

• fifth metacarpal

Additional images

Little finger.jpg Little finger

Bones of the left hand. Palmar surface.

Bones of the left hand. Dorsal surface.

The fifth metacarpal. (Left.)

v • d • e Human anatomical features
Head	Skull · Forehead · Eye · Ear · Nose · Mouth · Tongue · Teeth · Jaw · Face · Cheek · Chin
Neck	Throat · Adam's apple
Torso	Shoulders · Spine · Breast · Chest · Ribcage · Abdomen · Navel Sex organs (Clitoris · Vagina · Penis · Scrotum · Testicle) – Hip · Anus · Buttocks
Limbs	Arm · Elbow · Forearm · Wrist · Hand · Finger (Thumb · Index · Middle · Ring · Little) · Leg · Lap · Thigh · Knee · Calf · Heel · Ankle · Foot · Toe (Hallux)
Skin	Hair

de:Kleiner Fingereo:Etfingrosw:Kidole cha mwisho

la:Digitus minimus nl:Pink (vinger)fi:Pikkusormi sv:Lillfinger