Although it may seem like it's an arbitrary measure depending on how well you dip your fingers into the salt bowl a "pinch" is actually supposed to be a specific measure of 1/16th of a teaspoon. But because it is rather small, a tiny bit more or less usually won't be too much of an issue in the larger recipe. Usually.
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It means what it says.
Take what you can pinch between finger and thumb - so not a lot.
Update
Historically the pinch was more precisely defined by some U.S. cookbooks as approximately 1⁄8 teaspoon.
In the early 2000s some companies began selling measuring spoons that defined (or redefined) a dash as 1⁄8 teaspoon, a pinch as 1⁄16 teaspoon, and a smidgen as 1⁄32 teaspoon. Based on these spoons, there are two pinches in a dash and two smidgens in a pinch.
One pinch of fine salt is approximately 1⁄4 gram (20-24 pinches per teaspoon), while one pinch of sugar is 1⁄3 - 1⁄2 gram.
A pinch is not a recognised measurement -it could be anything.
You have it backwards, a few or several "pinches" are required to fill a teaspoon.