Electronic

n electronic circuits, there are many electronic symbols that are used to represent or identify
a basic electronic or electrical device. They are mostly used to draw a circuit diagram and
are standardized internationally by the IEEE standard (IEEE Std 315) and the British
Standard (BS 3939). NO changes can be brought by the user on any electronic symbol, but
the user is free to bring any changes in the architectural drawings like power source and
lighting.
Electronic Symbols
The symbols for different electronic devices are shown below. Click on each link given below
to view the symbols. Apart from the circuit symbols, each device is also designated a short
name. Though these names are not approved as standard notations, they are commonly
used by most people. These designations are also given in the list.
Wires | Power
Supplies | Resistor | Capacitor |Diode | Transistor | Logic
Gates | Meters |Sensors | Switches | Audio and Radio Devices | Output Devices

Wires
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Wire

Description
Used to connect one component to another.

Wire Circuit Symbol

Wires Joined

Wires Joined Circuit Symbol

Unjoined
Wires
Wires Not Joined Circuit Symbol

One device may be connected to another

through wires. This is represented by drawing
blobs on the point where they are shorted.
When circuits are drawn some wires may not
touch others. This can only be shown by
bridging them or by drawing them without
blobs. But bridging is commonly practised as
there will not arise any confusion.

Power Supplies
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

Cell
Used to provide a supply for a circuit.
Cell Circuit Symbol

Battery

Battery Circuit Symbol

DC Supply

A battery has more than a cell and is used for

the same purpose. The smaller terminal is
negative and the larger one is positive.
Abbreviated as B.
Used as a DC power supply, that is, the current
will always flow in one direction.

DC Supply Circuit Symbol

AC Supply

Used as AC power supply, that is, the current

will keep alternating directions.
AC Supply Circuit Symbol

Fuse
Fuse Circuit Symbol

Used in circuits where a probability of

excessive current flows. The fuse will break the
circuit if excessive current flows and saves the
other devices from damage.

Transformer

Transformer Circuit Symbol

Earth/Ground
Earth Circuit Symbol

Used as an ac power supply. Consists of two

coils, the primary and secondary that are
linked together through an iron core. There is
no physical connection between the two coils.
The principle of mutual inductance is used to
obtain power. Abbreviated as T.
Used in electronic circuits to represent the 0
volts of the power supply. It can also be
defined as the real earth , when it is applied in
radio circuits and power circuits.

Resistor
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

Resistor
Resistor Circuit Symbol

A resistor is used to restrict the amount of

current flow through a device. Abbreviated as
R.

Rheostat Circuit Symbol

A rheostat is used to control the current flow

with two contacts. Applicable in controlling
lamp brightness, capacitor charge rate, etc.

Rheostat

Potentiometer
Potentiometer Circuit Symbol

A potentiometer is used to control the

voltage flow and has three contacts. Have
applications in changing a mechanical angle
change to an electrical parameter. Abbreviated
as POT.

Preset Circuit Symbol

Presets are low cost variable resistors that are

used to control the charge flow with the help of
a screw driver. Applications where the
resistance is determined only at the end of the
circuit design.

Preset

Capacitor
Electronic
Circuit Symbol
Component

Description

Capacitor

Capacitor is a device that is used to store

electrical energy. It consists of two metals
plates that are separated by a dielectric. It is
applicable as a filter, that is, to block DC
signals and allow AC signals. Abbreviated with
the letter C.

Capacitor Circuit Symbol

Capacitor
Polarized

Capacitor can be used in a timer circuit by

adding a resistor.
Capacitor-Polarised Circuit Symbol

Variable
Capacitor
Variable Capacitor Circuit Symbol

Used to vary the capacitance by turning the

knob. A type of variable capacitor is the
trimmer capacitor that is small in size. The
notations are all the same.

Diode
Electronic

Circuit Symbol

Description

Component
Diode

A diode is used to allow electric current to

flow in only one direction. Abbreviated as D.
Diode Circuit Symbol

Light Emitting
Diode (LED)
LED Circuit Symbol

Zener Diode

Zener Diode Circuit Symbol

Photo Diode

Photo Diode Circuit Symbol

Tunnel Diode

Tunnel Diode Circuit Symbol

Schottky Diode

Schottky Diode Circuit Symbol

LED is used to emit light when a current is

passed through the device. It is abbreviated
as LED.
After a breakdown voltage, the device allows
current to flow in the reverse direction as
well. It is abbreviated as Z.
Photodiode works as a photo-detector and
converts light into its corresponding voltage
or current.
Tunnel Diode is known for its high-speed
operation due to its application in quantum
mechanical effects.
The Schottky Diode is known for its large
forward voltage drop and hence has great
applications in switching circuits.

Transistor
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

NPN Transistor

Transistor NPN Circuit Symbol

This is a transistor with a layer of P-doped

semiconductor fixed between two layers of
N-doped semiconductors that act as the
emitter and collector. Abbreviated as Q.

PNP Transistor

Transistor PNP Circuit Symbol

This is a transistor with a layer of N-doped

semiconductor fixed between two layers of
P-doped semiconductors that act as the
emitter and collector. Abbreviated as Q.

Phototransistor

Phototransistor Circuit Symbol

Field
Effect
Transistor
Field Effect Transistor Circuit Symbol

N-Channel
Junction FET
n-channel Junction Field Effect
Transistor (JFET) Circuit Symbol

P-Channel
Junction FET
p-channel Junction Field Effect
Transistor (FET) Circuit Symbol

Metal
Oxide Given Below
Semiconductor
FET

The working of a phototransistoris

similar to that of a bipolar transistor with a
difference that it converts light into its
corresponding current. The phototransistor
can also act as a photodiode if the emitter is
not connected.
Like a transistor, a FET has three terminals,
the Gate, Source and Drain. The device has
an electric field that controls the
conductivity of a channel of one type charge
carrier in a semiconductor substance.
The Junction Field Effect Transistor
(JFET) is the simplest type of FET with
applications in Switching and voltage
variable resistor. In an N-channel JFET an
N-type silicon bar has two smaller pieces of
P-type silicon material diffused on each
sides of its middle part, forming P-N
junctions.
P-channel JFET is similar in construction to
N-channel JFET except that P-type
semiconductor base is sandwiched between
two N-type junctions. In this case majority
carriers are holes.
Abbreviated as MOSFET. MOSFET is a
three terminal device and is controlled by a
gate bias. It is known for its low capacitance
and low input impedance.

Enhancement
MOSFET

The enhancement MOSFET structure has

no channel formed during its construction.
Voltage is applied to the gate, so as to
develop a channel of charge carriers so that
a current results when a voltage is applied
across
the
drain-source
terminals.
Abbreviated as e-MOSFET.

e-MOSFET Circuit Symbol

Depletion
MOSFET

d-MOSFET Circuit Symbol

In the depletion-mode construction a

channel is physically constructed and a
current between drain and source is due to
voltage applied across the drain-source
terminals. Abbreviated as d-MOSFET.

Logic Gates
Gate

Standard Symbol

IEC Symbol

AND
Gate

AND GATE Symbol

AND Gate IEC Symbol

NAND
Gate

NAND Gate Symbol

NAND Gate IEC Symbol

OR
Gate

OR Gate Symbol

OR Gate IEC Symbol

Description
If all the inputs of an AND
gate are HIGH, then the
output will also be HIGH.
If any one of them is LOW,
the output will also be
LOW.
Short form for NOT AND
Gate. Of all the inputs are
HIGH, the output will be
LOW. If any one input is
LOW, the output will be
HIGH.
If any one of the input is
HIGH, the output will also
be HIGH. If both inputs
are LOW, the output will
also be LOW.

NOR
Gate

NOR Gate Symbol

NOR Gate IEC Symbol

Short form for NOT OR. If

both inputs are LOW, the
output will also be LOW.
For other cases, the output
will be HIGH.

EXOR
Gate
EX-OR Gate Symbol

EX-OR Gate IEC Symbol

Short form for Exclusive

NOR. If both inputs are
either in LOW state r
HIGH state, the output
will be LOW. If both
inputs are different, the
output will be HIGH.

EX-NOR Gate IEC Symbol

Short form for Exclusive

NOT OR. If both the
inputs are the same, the
output will be HIGH. If
both are different, the
output
will
also
be
different.

NOT Gate Symbol

Also known as the inverter

Gate. There is only one
input for this gate. If the
input is HIGH, the output
will be LOW. If the input is
LOW, the output will be
HIGH.

EXNOR
Gate
EX-NOR Gate Symbol

NOT
Gate

NOT Gate Symbol

Meters
Electronic
Component
Voltmeter

Circuit Symbol

Description

Voltmeter is used to measure the voltage at a

certain point in the circuit.

Voltmeter Circuit Symbol

Ammeter

An Ammeter is used to measure the current that

passes through the circuit at a particular point.

Ammeter Circuit Symbol

Galvanometer

A galvanometer is used to measure very small

currents in the order of 1 milli ampere or less.

Galvanometer Circuit Symbol

Ohmmeter
Resistance of the circuit is measured using an
Ohmmeter.
Ohmmeter Circuit Symbol

Oscilloscope

An oscilloscope is used to measure the voltage

and time period of signals along with their shape
display.
Oscilloscope Circuit Symbol

Sensors
Electronic
Circuit Symbol
Component
Light
Dependent
Resistor (LDR)
LDR Circuit Symbol

Thermistor

Description
It is abbreviated as LDR. Light Dependent
Resistor is used to convert light into its
corresponding resistance. Instead of directly
measuring the light, it senses the heat content and
converts it onto resistance.
Instead of directly measuring the light, a
thermistor senses the heat content and converts it
into resistance. Abbreviated as TH.

Thermistor Circuit Symbol

Switches
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

Push Switch
This is an ordinary switch that passes current
only upon pressing.
Push Switch Circuit Symbol

Push to Break
Switch
Push to Break Switch Circuit Symbol

Singe Pole
Single Throw
Switch
On Off Switch (SPST) Circuit Symbol

Single Pole
Double Throw
Switch
2-Way Switch (SPDT) Circuit Symbol

Double Pole
Single Throw
Switch
Dual On-Off Switch (DPST) Circuit
Symbol

Double Pole
Double Throw
Switch

The push to break switch is usually kept in the

ON state (closed). It turns to OFF state (open)
only when the switch is pressed.

Also known as the ON/OFF switch. This switch

allows the flow of current only when it is kept
ON. Abbreviated as SPST.
Also known as the 2-way switch. It can be also
called as an ON/OFF/ON switch as it has an OFF
position in the center. The switch causes the flow
of current in two directions, depending on its
position. It can be abbreviated as SPDT.
Abbreviated as DPST. Can also be called as a
dual ON-OFF switch. This is used to isolate
between the live and neutral connections in the
main electrical line.
Abbreviated as DPDT. The switch uses a central
OFF position and is applied as reversing switch
for motors.

DPDT Circuit Symbol

Relay

Relay Circuit Symbol

Relay is abbreviated as RY. This device can

easily switch a 230 Volt AC mains circuit. It has
three switching stages called Normally Open
(NO). Normally Closed (NC), and Common
(COM).

Audio and Radio Devices

Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

Microphone

This device is used for converting sound to its

corresponding electrical energy. Abbreviated as
MIC.
Microphone Circuit Symbol

Earphone

Does the reverse process of microphone and

converts electrical energy into sound.
Earphone Circuit Symbol

Loudspeaker

Does the same operation as an earphone, but

converts an amplified version of the electrical
energy into its corresponding sound.
Loudspeaker Circuit Symbol

PiezoTransducer

It is a transducer that converts electrical energy

into sound.
PiezoTransducer Circuit Symbol

Amplifier

Used to amplify a signal. It is mainly used to

represent a whole circuit rather than just one
component.
Amplifier Circuit Symbol

Aerial

This device is used to transmit/receive signals.

Abbreviated as AE.
Aerial Circuit Symbol

Output Devices
Electronic
Component
Lighting
Lamp

Circuit Symbol

Description
This is used to provide light for the output.

Lamp Circuit Symbol

Indicator
Lamp

Used to convert electrical energy into light. The

best example is the warning light on a car
dashboard.
Lamp Indiator Circuit Symbol

Heater

This transducer is used to change electrical energy

into heat.
Heater Circuit Symbol

Inductor
Inductor Circuit Symbol

Motor

Inductor is used to produce a magnetic field when a

certain current is passed through a coil of wire. The
wire is coiled on a soft iron core. Have applications
in motors, and tank circuits. Abbreviated as L.
This device is used to convert electrical energy into
mechanical energy. Can be used as a generator as
well. Abbreviated as M.

Motor Circuit Symbol

Bell

Used to produce a sound as the output, according to

the electrical energy produced as the input.
Bell Circuit Symbol

Buzzer

It is used to produce an output sound corresponding

to the electrical energy in the input.
Buzzer Circuit Symbol

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