Pinky swear


To pinky swear, or to make a pinky promise, is a traditional gesture most commonly practiced amongst children involving the locking of the pinkies of two people to signify that a promise has been made. The gesture is taken to signify that the person can break the finger of the one who broke the promise. The tradition appears to be a relatively modern invention, possibly as a continuation of older finger traditions.

Prevalence worldwide

In the United States, it is most common among school-aged children and close friends and has existed since at least 1860, when Dictionary of Americanisms listed the following accompanying promise:
Pinky, pinky bow-bell,
Whoever tells a lie
Will sink down to the bad place
And never rise up again.

Pinky swearing has an equivalent in Japan, where it is called and often additionally confirmed with the vow "Finger cut-off, ten thousand fist-punchings, whoever lies has to swallow thousand needles.".
Recently in South Korea, the hooked pinky has been followed by a "seal", wherein the thumbs touch each other while the pinkies are still hooked.
In Belfast it is referred to as a "piggy promise".
In Italy a similar tradition is called "giurin giurello" or "giurin giuretto".