Electronics Symbols

Below are tables with many of the symbols one would encounter in the study of electronics. The
symbols are shown in their more common expression with some alternate expressions included.
This presentation is not exhaustive in that there are many other alternate expressions for many of
the symbols and there are many other symbols not shown for practical reasons. The symbols are
arranged in the following categories. Click on a category name to move to and back from that
group.

Resistors
Sources
Wires, Cables and Connections
Circuit Protection Devices
Switches and Electro-mechanical Devices
Connectors
Inductors and Transformers
Capacitors
Diodes
Thyristors
Transistors

Tubes
Digital Logic
Miscellaneous

Resistors
Fixed

Variable (Generic)

LDR - Light
Dependant
RTD-Resistive
Resistor,
Thermal Device,
Photoresistor,
also for
Photoconductive
Thermistor
Cell, or Photocell

Potentiometer

Rheostat

Tapped

VDR-Voltage
Dependent
Resistor, or
Varistor

Alternate VDR
symbol

Alternate VDR
symbol

Sources

Single
Cell of
EMF
(DC)

DC
Voltage
Source or
Battery

AC Voltage
Source

DC
Photovoltai
Piezoelectri
Thermocoupl
Current
c Cell or Generator c Generator
e
Source Solar Cell
or Crystal

Wires, Cables and Connections

Wires Crossing

Wires
Connected

Bus

Ground Symbols

Earth or
general symbol

Connections
Femal
e
Male

Chassis

Circuit
Coaxial Cable
or Shielded
Line

Shielded
Conductor

Shielded
Conductor

Terminal

ed

Join

Multiconductor
Shielded
Cable with
Multiconductor
Jacket
Cable

Plug and
Socket

Circuit Protection Devices

Fuse

Fuse

Thermal Cutout Circuit Breaker

Switch Circuit
Multi-line
Breaker
Circuit Breaker

Switches and Electro-mechanical Devices

Pushbutton Thermal
Normally
Switch

Limit
Switch

Single-Pole
Single-Pole Double-Pole Open (NO), Normally
Rotary and
Single-Throw
DoubleSingle-Throw Normally Open (NO) Normally Slide Selector
Open (NO)
Closed (NC),
and
SPST
Throw SPDT
DPST
Switch
and
Normally
and Dual
Normally
Circuit

Closed (NC)

Closed (NC)

Relay
Relay
Contacts, Contacts,
Relay with Normally
Motor,
Relay or
Relay with NC
Normally Armature and
Telegraph Key
NO
Open (NO)
Solenoid Coil
contacts
Open (NO)
and dual
contacts
and Normally Field Coil
contacts NO
Closed (NC)
& NC

Connectors
AC Power AC Power Plug
Plug
and Jack

AC Power
Connector

Phone
Phone Plug
Phone Jack
Jack (two
(two conductor) (three conductor)
conductor)

AC Power
Connector

Phone Plug
(three
conductor)

Male Plug
and Female
Socket

Female and
Male Coaxial

Jack with
Switch
Phono or Single
(various
Line Jack and
switch
Plug
arrangement
s available)

Inductors and Transformers

Coil with
Air Core Iron Core
adjustable
Inductor or Inductor or
Ferrite
Coil
Coil
Core

Iron Core
Air Core
Transformer Ferrite Core Autotransformer
Transformer with phasing Transformer
dots

Capacitors
Fixed
Capacitor

Older Symbol,
no longer
used, conflicts
with relay
contacts

Electrolytic
Capacitor

Variable

Ganged

Split-Stator

Diodes
Signal or
Rectifier

Zener

Zener (Alternates)

Schottky

Varactor

Rectifier Bridges

LED - Light
Emitting

Photodiode

Tunnel

Tunnel
(Alternates)

Thyristors
Diac

SCR - Silicon Controlled

Rectifier

Transistors

Triac

PNP Type
Bipolar
Junction
Transistor
(BJT)

NPN Type
(BJT)

N-Channel
Depletion
Mode
MOSFET

P-Channel
Depletion
Mode
MOSFET

N-Channel
Junction Field
Effect Transistor
(JFET)

P-Channel
JFET

P-Channel
Dual Gate
N-Channel
Enhancement
MOSFET NEnhancement
Channel Depletion ,
Mode
Mode MOSFET
(others available )
MOSFET

Unijunction
Transistor

NPN
Phototransistor
(Also available as
PNP)

NPN
Darlington
Transistor
(Available as PNP)

Note: Dual gate MOSFETs may also be enhancement mode and P-channel

Tubes
Vacuum-tube
Diode

Triode

Tetrode

Pentode

Tube elements

Plate
Grid
Cathode
Filament/He
ater
X-ray Tube

Photo Tube

Photo Multiplier

CRT - Cathode
Ray

Tube Elements
Electrostatic
Deflection Plates

A dot inside of a
tube envelope
implies gasfilled.

Digital Logic
AND

OR

Inverter or NOT Integrated Circuit

Exclusive-OR
(XOR)

NAND (NOT
AND)

NOR (NOT OR)

Schmitt-Trigger
Input

Flip-Flop

Clocked Flip-Flop
(JK)

Miscellaneous
Incandescent
Lamps

General
Amplifier

Neon Bulbs

Bell

Speakers

Microphone

Headphones
and Headset
with Mic

Op Amp

Voltmeter (A or
mA for current)

External
Antenna

Loop and
Monopole
Antenna

Dipole
Antenna