Common Electrical/Electronic Circuit Symbols

Component Circuit Symbol Description

Wire Used to connect one component to another.

Wire Circuit Symbol

One device may be connected to another

through wires. This is represented by
Wires Joined
drawing “blobs” on the point where they are
Wires Joined Circuit Symbol shorted.

When circuits are drawn some wires may

not touch others. This can only be shown by
Unjoined Wires bridging them or by drawing them without
blobs. But bridging is commonly practiced
Wires Not Joined Circuit Symbol
as there will not arise any confusion.

A battery has more than a cell and is used

for the same purpose. The smaller terminal
Battery
is negative and the larger one is positive.
Battery Circuit Symbol Abbreviated as ‘B’.

Used as a DC power supply, that is, the

DC Supply
DC Supply Circuit Symbol current will always flow in one direction.

Used as AC power supply, that is, the

AC Supply
AC Supply Circuit Symbol current will keep alternating directions.

Used in circuits where a probability of

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

Used as an ac power supply.

Consists of two coils, the primary and
secondary that are linked together through
Transformer an iron core. There is no physical
connection between the two coils. The
principle of mutual inductance is used to
Transformer Circuit Symbol
obtain power. Abbreviated as ‘T’.

Used in electronic circuits to represent the 0

volts of the power supply. It can also be
Earth/Ground
defined as the real earth , when it is applied
Earth Circuit Symbol in radio circuits and power circuits.

A resistor is used to restrict the amount of

Resistor current flow through a device. Abbreviated
Resistor Circuit Symbol as ‘R’.

A rheostat is used to control the current

flow with two contacts. Applicable in
Rheostat
controlling lamp brightness, capacitor
Rheostat Circuit Symbol charge rate, etc.

1
 A potentiometer is used to control the
voltage flow and has three contacts. Have
Potentiometer applications in changing a mechanical angle
Potentiometer Circuit Symbol change to an electrical parameter.
Abbreviated as ‘POT’.

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
Capacitor
applicable as a filter, that is, to block DC
Capacitor Circuit Symbol signals and allow AC signals. Abbreviated
with the letter ‘C’.

Capacitor – Capacitor can be used in a timer circuit by

Polarized Capacitor-Polarized Circuit adding a resistor.
Symbol

Used to vary the capacitance by turning the

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

A diode is used to allow electric current to

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

LED is used to emit light when a current is

Light Emitting
passed through the device. It is abbreviated
Diode (LED)
as LED.
LED Circuit Symbol

After a breakdown voltage, the device

Zener Diode allows current to flow in the reverse direction
Zener Diode Circuit Symbol as well. It is abbreviated as ‘Z’.

Photodiode works as a photo-

Photo Diode detector and converts light into its
corresponding voltage or current.
Photo Diode Circuit Symbol

Tunnel Diode is known for its high-

Tunnel Diode speed operation due to its application in
Tunnel Diode Circuit Symbol quantum mechanical effects.

The Schottky Diode is known for its large

Schottky Diode forward voltage drop and hence has great
Schottky Diode Circuit Symbol applications in switching circuits.

2
 This is a transistor with a layer of P-doped
NPN semiconductor fixed between two layers of
Transistor N-doped semiconductors that act as the
Transistor NPN Circuit Symbol emitter and collector. Abbreviated as ‘Q’.

This is a transistor with a layer of N-doped

PNP semiconductor fixed between two layers of
Transistor P-doped semiconductors that act as the
Transistor PNP Circuit Symbol emitter and collector. Abbreviated as ‘Q’.

The working of a phototransistor is similar to

that of a bipolar transistor with a difference
Phototransistor that it converts light into its corresponding
current. The phototransistor can also act as
Phototransistor Circuit Symbol a photodiode if the emitter is not connected.

Voltmeter is used to measure the voltage at

Voltmeter
a certain point in the circuit.
Voltmeter Circuit Symbol

An Ammeter is used to measure the current

Ammeter that passes through the circuit at a particular
point.
Ammeter Circuit Symbol

A galvanometer is used to measure very

Galvanometer small currents in the order of 1 milli ampere
or less.
Galvanometer Circuit Symbol

Resistance of the circuit is measured using

Ohmmeter
an Ohmmeter.
Ohmmeter Circuit Symbol

An oscilloscope is used to measure the

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

This is an ordinary switch that passes current

Push Switch
only upon pressing.
Push Switch Circuit Symbol

The push to break switch is usually kept in

Push to Break
Push to Break Switch Circuit the ON state (closed). It turns to OFF state
Switch
Symbol (open) only when the switch is pressed.

3
Singe Pole Also known as the ON/OFF switch. This
Single Throw switch allows the flow of current only when it
On Off Switch (SPST) Circuit
Switch is kept ON. Abbreviated as SPST.
Symbol

Also known as the 2-way switch. It can be

also called as an ON/OFF/ON switch as it
Single Pole
has an OFF position in the center. The
Double Throw
switch causes the flow of current in two
Switch
2-Way Switch (SPDT) Circuit directions, depending on its position. It can
Symbol be abbreviated as SPDT.

Abbreviated as DPST. Can also be called as

Double Pole
a dual ON-OFF switch. This is used to
Single Throw
isolate between the live and neutral
Switch Dual On-Off Switch (DPST)
connections in the main electrical line.
Circuit Symbol

Double Pole Abbreviated as DPDT. The switch uses a

Double Throw central OFF position and is applied as
Switch reversing switch for motors.
DPDT Circuit Symbol

Relay is abbreviated as ‘RY’. This device

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

This device is used for converting sound to

Microphone its corresponding electrical energy.
Mic
Abbreviated as ‘MIC’.
rophone Circuit Symbol

Does the reverse process of microphone

Earphone
and converts electrical energy into sound.
Earphone Circuit Symbol

Does the same operation as an earphone,

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

Piezo- It is a transducer that converts electrical

Transducer 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

4
 Amplifier Circuit Symbol component.

This device is used to transmit/receive

Aerial signals.
Aerial Circuit Symbol Abbreviated as ‘AE’.

Lighting Lamp This is used to provide light for the output.

Lamp Circuit Symbol

Used to convert electrical energy into light.

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

Heater This transducer is used to change electrical

Heater Circuit Symbol energy into heat.

Inductor is used to produce a magnetic field

when a certain current is passed through a
Inductor coil of wire. The wire is coiled on a soft iron
core. Have applications in motors, and tank
Inductor Circuit Symbol circuits. Abbreviated as ‘L’.

This device is used to convert electrical

energy into mechanical energy. Can be
Motor
used as a generator as well. Abbreviated as
Motor Circuit Symbol ‘M’.

Used to produce a sound as the output,

Bell according to the electrical energy produced
Bell Circuit Symbol as the input.

It is used to produce an output sound

Buzzer corresponding to the electrical energy in the
input.
Buzzer Circuit Symbol

It is abbreviated as LDR. Light

Dependent Resistor is used to convert
Light
light into its corresponding resistance.
Dependent
Instead of directly measuring the light, it
Resistor (LDR)
senses the heat content and converts it
LDR Circuit Symbol onto resistance.

Instead of directly measuring the light, a

Thermistor thermistor senses the heat content and
converts it into resistance. Abbreviated as
Thermistor Circuit Symbol ‘TH’.

5
 Logic Gate Symbols
Gate Standard Symbol IEC Symbol Description

If all the inputs of an AND gate are

HIGH, then the output will also be
AND
HIGH. If any one of them is LOW,
Gate
the output will also be
AND GATE Symbol AND Gate IEC Symbol LOW.

Short form for NOT AND Gate. Of

NAND all the inputs are HIGH, the output
Gate will be LOW. If any one input is
NAND Gate IEC
NAND Gate Symbol LOW, the output will be HIGH.
Symbol

If any one of the input is HIGH,

OR the output will also be HIGH. If
Gate both inputs are LOW, the output
OR Gate Symbol OR Gate IEC Symbol will also be LOW.

Short form for NOT OR. If both

NOR inputs are LOW, the output will
Gate also be LOW. For other cases, the
NOR Gate Symbol output will be HIGH.
NOR Gate IEC Symbol

Short form for

Exclusive NOR. If both inputs are
EXOR either in LOW state r HIGH state,
Gate the output will be LOW. If both
EX-OR Gate IEC inputs are different, the output will
EX-OR Gate Symbol be HIGH.
Symbol

Also known as the inverter Gate.

There is only one input for this
NOT
gate. If the input is HIGH, the
Gate
output will be LOW. If the input is
NOT Gate Symbol NOT Gate Symbol LOW, the output will be HIGH.

6
7