The main use of hand seals is to guide and focus one's chakra in the exact amount that is needed to perform a jutsu. The most common ones are the same from the chinese Zodiac.
A very skilled shinobi might be able to perform a technique that usually requires several hand seals, with just a singe one. Still using both hands. There are also shinobi who are able to perform hand seals with a singe hand, like Haku and Minato.
The 12 most common hand seals are
Bird
Boar
Dog Often seen with ice release or
Dragon
Ox
Tiger Seen often with Fire release
Snake Seen a lot with Earth and Wood Release
Rat used a lot in the Shadow Techniques of the Nara clan.
Horse
Monkey
Hare
Ram
Besides these 12 basic, and best known, hand seals, there are other seals that are used. The most common one slamming ones hand on the earth (Often used by summoning) or clapping one's hands together (Sage Mode). Then there are the Akimichi and Yamanaka Clan releated seals or to activate the byakugan sometimes.
A very skilled shinobi might be able to perform a technique that usually requires several hand seals, with just a singe one. Still using both hands. There are also shinobi who are able to perform hand seals with a singe hand, like Haku and Minato.
The 12 most common hand seals are
Bird
Boar
Dog Often seen with ice release or
Dragon
Ox
Tiger Seen often with Fire release
Snake Seen a lot with Earth and Wood Release
Rat used a lot in the Shadow Techniques of the Nara clan.
Horse
Monkey
Hare
Ram
Besides these 12 basic, and best known, hand seals, there are other seals that are used. The most common one slamming ones hand on the earth (Often used by summoning) or clapping one's hands together (Sage Mode). Then there are the Akimichi and Yamanaka Clan releated seals or to activate the byakugan sometimes.
