1. What are Electrical and Electronics Symbols?

If you are a beginner in electronics and electrical plan, then the first one you have to learn about
is the schematic or the circuit diagram. And to make it, you have to learn about the schematic
symbols. Electrical symbols and electronic symbols are those symbols that are used for
drawings schematic diagrams. Here we provided these electrical symbols in the form of a table
where you get each and every symbol with their family.

2. Common Electrical and Electronics Symbols

As we are drawings any circuit diagram so we can’t draw the actual components or the part that
we need to make a circuit.

So to overcome this problem we use electronic symbols because they are easy to draw and this
makes circuit easily. Below is a list of the most commonly used electrical symbols.

2.1 Electrical Symbols

Wires Symbols

Symbol Name Description

Electrical Wire It is the symbol that is used to represent a wire.

Connected Wires This Symbol represents the wire connected crossing.

This Symbol shows that wires are not connected on

Not Connect Wires
crossing.

Switches Symbols

Symbol Name Description

 SPST Toggle It is the symbol of a switch that disconnects current
Switch when open.

SPDT Toggle This Symbol of switch selects between two

Switch connections.

It is a symbol that denotes Momentary switch -

Push Button (N.O)
normally open.

Push Button This denotes the symbol of a Momentary switch -

Switch (N.C) normally closed.

It is the symbol of the DIP switch which is used for

DIP Switch
onboard configuration.

Relays

Symbol Name Description

This shows the symbol of relay that close connection by an

SPST Relay
electromagnet.

This shows the symbol of relay that open connection by an

SPDT Relay
electromagnet.

Earthing

Symbol Name Description

This Symbol is used for zero potential reference and

Earth Ground
electrical shock protection.
 Chassis This symbol shows the wire Connected to the chassis of
Ground the circuit.

Digital
It refers to the reference voltage of digital-analog if.
Ground

Inductors

Symbol Name Description

Symbol of a Coil / solenoid that generates a magnetic

Indicator
field.

It is the symbol of the iron core Inductor Which

Iron Core Inductor
Includes iron.

It is the coil or solenoid that has a Variable magnetic

Variable Inductor
field.

Motor and Transformer

Symbol Name Description

Symbol of motor, which changes electric energy to
Motor
kinetic energy.

Transformer changes AC voltage from high to low or

AC Transformer
low to high.

2.2 Electronics Symbols

An electronic symbol is a pictogram used to represent various electrical and electronic devices or
functions, such as wires, batteries, resistors, and transistors, in a schematic diagram of an
electrical or electronic circuit.

Electronic symbols are also known as symbol schematics because they are used in an electronic
circuit schematic.

Resistance

Symbol Name Description

 It is the symbol of an adjustable resistor which has 2
Variable Resistance
terminals.

It is the symbol of an adjustable resistor that has 3

Potentiometer
terminals.

It is the symbol of a trimmer which is also known as

Trimmer Resistor
a Preset resistor.

It is the symbol of a Thermal resistor that changes

Thermistor
the resistance when temperature changes.

It is the symbol of Photo-resistor - change resistance

Photoresistor
with light intensity change.

Diode

Symbol Name Description

Diode allows current flow in one direction only - left

Diode
(anode) to the right (cathode).

It allows current flow in one direction, but also can

Zener Diode flow in the reverse direction when above breakdown
volt.

Schottky Diode Schottky diode is a diode with a low voltage drop.

This represents the varicap diode. Variable capacitance

Varicap Diode
diode.

Light Emitting
LED emits light when current flows through it.
Diode

This is the symbol of Photodiode that allows current

Photodiode
flow when exposed to light.

Capacitor

Symbol Name Description

 Capacitor is used to store electric charge. It acts as a
Capacitor
short circuit with AC and an open circuit with DC.

Variable
The Symbol represent the adjustable capacitance.
Capacitor

Sources

Symbol Name Description

It is the symbol of a voltage Source which generates

Voltage Source
constant voltage.

It is the symbol of a current Source which generates

Current Source
constant current.

AC Voltage Source This symbol shows the AC Voltage Source.

It is the symbol of single cell use to generate

Battery Cell
constant volt.

It is the symbol of a battery which is the combination

Battery
of two or more cells.

Controlled Voltage It is the symbol of a constant voltage Source that

Source gives controllable voltage at the output.
 Controlled Current It represents the controlled Current source which
Source gives controllable current at the output.

Meter Symbols

Symbol Name Description

It is the symbol that shows Voltmeter which is used to

Voltmeter
measure the voltage.

It represents the ammeter whose work is to measure the

Ammeter
current in the circuit.

It is the symbol of the ohmmeter which is needed to

Ohmmeter
measure the value of a resistor.

This represents the power meter which shows the power

Wattmeter
consumption.

Converter and Amplifier Symbols

Symbol Name Description

Operational Amplifier This operational gives Amplify input signal.

Analog to Digital This is the symbol of ATD converts analog

Converter signal to digital numbers.

Digital to Analog This is the symbol of DTA converts digital

Converter numbers to analog signals.

Transistors Symbols

Symbol Name Description

 NPN Bipolar It allows current flow when the high potential is at the
Transistor base (middle).

PNP Bipolar It allows current flow when the low potential is at the
Transistor base (middle) of the symbol.

Darlington It is made from 2 bipolar transistors. Has total gain of

Transistor the product of each gain.

JFET-N Transistor Symbol of JFET N-channel field effect transistor.

This is the symbol of JFET P which is a P-channel

JFET-P Transistor
effect transistor.

This is a symbol of Mosfet N-channel MOSFET

NMOS Transistor
transistor.

This is a symbol of Mosfet P-channel MOSFET

PMOS Transistor
transistor.

Utility Symbols

Symbol Name Description

BUZZER Produce a buzzing sound when current flows through it.

Electric Bell This is the symbol of Bell which Rings when activated.
 The fuse disconnects when current above the
Fuse
threshold---used to protect a circuit from high currents.

The bus symbol contains several wires. usually for

Bus
data / address.

Loudspeaker Convert electrical signal to sound waves.

Microphone Converts sound waves to the electrical

Microphone
signal.

This is the symbol of a lamp that glows when current

Lamp/Light Bulb
flows through it.

Logic Gates and Multiplexer Symbols

Symbol Name Description

This is the symbol of NOT Gate. Output 1 when input is

Not Gate
0.

This is the symbol of AND Gate. Output 1 when both

AND Gate
inputs are 1.

This shows NAND Gate, which Outputs 0 when both

NAND Gate
inputs are 1. (NOT + AND).

This symbol shows or Gate, which Outputs 1 when any

OR Gate
input is 1.

Symbol of XOR Gate, which Outputs 1 when inputs are

XOR Gate
different. (Exclusive OR).
 Symbol of the multiplexer. Connect the output to the
Multiplexer
selected input line.

This shows DE multiplexer.Connect selected output to

DE multiplexer
the input line.

This shows Optocoupler. Optocoupler isolates

Optocoupler
connection to other board.