漢語中，五個指頭的英語對應詞分別為：拇指（thumb）、食指（forefinger, index finger, first finger）、中指（middle finger, second finger）、無名指（ring finger, third finger）和小指（little finger, pinkie, pinky finger, pinky, fourth finger）。“拇指”，亦稱“壹指”；“食指”，亦稱“二指”，英語叫做first finger；“中指”，亦稱“三指”，英語叫做 second finger；“無名指”，亦稱“四指”，英語叫做third finger；“小指”，亦稱“五指”，英語叫做fourth finger。漢英兩種語言使用序數詞有差異，需要註意，例如：
1. A gold ring worn on the ring finger by a man or woman usually shows he or she is married. 男人或女人在無名指上戴金戒指通常表明他或她已婚。
2. You can use the thumb and the first two fingers of your right hand to represent three directions. 妳可以用妳右手的拇指、食指和中指表示三個方向。
由於英語對壹只手包括幾個fingers有不同理解，我們在翻譯時，要格外小心，例如：
3. The basketball player used the thumb and fingers of his right hand to catch the ball. 這個籃球運動員用他右手的拇指和其他手指抓住球。
finger表手指靈活。英美人利用靈活的手指動作，可以做各種手勢（gesture），構成肢體語言（body language）。這種非言語交流方式（non-verbal means of communication）表達獨特的含義。我們需要註意其中的文化差異。
to cross one’s fingers和to keep one’s fingers crossed，實際上分別是to have one’s index finger and middle finger crossed和to keep one’s index finger and middle finger crossed的動作，即“使食指和中指保持交叉的狀態”。這個手勢有點像十字架的形狀，英美人認為這樣做可以得到好運氣。這兩個習語的比喻意義是to hope that sth. will happen the way you want，即“祈求好運”或“希望萬事如意”，例如：
4. I am crossing my fingers that nothing untoward will happen to him. 我正在祈求不要有不幸的事降臨到他身上。
5. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. 我將為妳祈求好運。
6. Keep your fingers crossed for me while I make my driving test.請在我參加駕駛考試時祝我好運。
美國習語to give sb. the (middle) finger的意思是to move the middle finger upwards in the direction of sb. with whom one is angry, in an extremely offensive way，即“向某人豎起中指，表示憤怒、輕蔑或惡意”,例如：
7. Tom got 30 days in jail for giving Judge the finger. 湯姆因向法官豎中指而被判入獄30天。
在英美人看來，“豎中指”是壹種粗魯的、侮辱人的動作。to flip/raise/show the middle finger等表示“豎中指”的習語都包含“侮辱人”的意思，例如：
8. The football player raised the middle finger in protest against the referee for his unfair judgment. 這個足球運動員豎中指抗議裁判員的不公正裁決。
英國習語to put/stick two fingers up at sb.或to give sb. the two fingers的意思是to express anger at sb. in a very rude way by holding up your index finger and middle finger in the shape of a “V” with your palm facing you，即“向某人豎起食指和中指，將手心向自己而將手背向某人做出 V 形手勢，表示憤怒、輕蔑或惡意”，例如：
9. She drove past and stuck two fingers up at her ex-boyfriend. 她將車壹開而過，還向前男友豎起食指和中指。
在不同的文化中，V 形手勢具有不同的含義。我們若想使用這壹手勢，需要格外小心，例如：
10. The V sign is a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are raised and parted, while the other fingers are folded or clenched. The V sign has various meanings, depending on the cultural context and how it is presented. It is most commonly used to represent the letter “V” as in “Victory”, for instance, in a setting of wartime or competition; as a symbol of peace (usually with palm outward); as an offensive gesture (palm inward); and to represent the number 2, which is a non-verbal communication of quantity. V形手勢是將食指與中指壹並舉起，兩指分開，同時收攏或攥緊其余三個指頭的手勢。V形手勢具有不同的意思，取決於文化環境和如何呈現。它最常用來表示Victory（勝利）中的首字母V，例如，在戰時或競賽時；它還是“和平”的象征（通常是手心向外）；或用作表示憤怒的手勢（手心向自己）；它還用來表示數字2，這是壹種表示數量的非言語交流方式。
11. The meaning of the V sign is partially dependent on the manner in which the hand is positioned. If the palm of the hand faces the signer (i.e., the back of the hand faces the observer), the sign is an insult. This usage is restricted largely to Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.With the back of the hand facing the signer (palm of the hand facing the observer), the V sign can mean “Victory”. It was first popularized by Winston Churchill. It is sometimes made using both hands with upraised arms as US President Eisenhower, and in imitation of him, Richard Nixon, used to do. It was adopted by the American peace movement as a sign for peace in the 1960s. V 形手勢的意思部分取決於手的位置。如果手心對著做手勢者（即手背對著觀察手勢者），這種手勢是侮辱人的。這種用法主要限於澳大利亞、愛爾蘭、新西蘭、南非和英國。如果手背對著做手勢者（即手心對著觀察手勢者），這種V 形手勢可以表示“勝利”。這種手勢最初是由溫斯頓·丘吉爾普及開來的。有時候，用高舉雙臂，兩手呈現V 形手勢，就像美國前總統艾森豪威爾那樣，以及理查德·尼克松模仿他經常做的手勢。20世紀60年代，美國和平運動采用這個手勢作為和平的象征。