Wires

Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Wire

Description
Used to connect one component to another.

Wire Circuit Symbol

Wires Joined

Wires 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.

Wires Not Joined Circuit Symbol

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.

Unjoined
Wires

Power Supplies
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

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

Battery

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.
Battery Circuit Symbol

DC Supply

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

Resistor

Description
A resistor is used to restrict the amount of current flow
through a device. Abbreviated as R.

Resistor Circuit Symbol

Rheostat
Rheostat Circuit Symbol

Potentiometer
Potentiometer Circuit Symbol

Preset
Preset Circuit Symbol

A rheostat is used to control the current flow with two

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

Capacitor
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Capacitor
Capacitor Circuit Symbol

Capacitor
Polarized

Description
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 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
Component

Circuit Symbol

Diode

Description
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 is used to emit light when a current is passed

through the device. It is abbreviated as LED.
LED Circuit Symbol

Zener Diode

Zener Diode Circuit Symbol

Photo Diode

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.

Photo Diode Circuit Symbol

Tunnel Diode

Tunnel Diode is known for its high-speed operation due

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

Schottky Diode

Schottky Diode Circuit Symbol

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 Circuit Symbol

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.

Phototransistor

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
Enhancement
MOSFET

e-MOSFET Circuit Symbol

Depletion
MOSFET

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 Ntype 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.
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.

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.

d-MOSFET Circuit Symbol

Meters
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Description

Voltmeter
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
Component

Circuit Symbol

Light Dependent
Resistor (LDR)
LDR Circuit Symbol

Thermistor

Thermistor Circuit Symbol

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.

Switches
Electronic

Circuit Symbol

Description

Component
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
Double
Switch

Pole
Throw
2-Way Switch (SPDT) Circuit Symbol

Double
Single
Switch

Pole
Throw

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.

Dual On-Off Switch (DPST) Circuit

Symbol

Double
Double
Switch

Pole
Throw

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
Microphone

Circuit Symbol

Description
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

Piezo-Transducer

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

Abbreviated as AE.

to

transmit/receive

signals.

Aerial Circuit Symbol

Output Devices
Electronic
Component

Circuit Symbol

Lighting Lamp

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

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.

Motor

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

Logic Gates
Gate

Standard Symbol

IEC Symbol

AND
Gate

AND GATE Symbol

AND Gate IEC Symbol

NAND
Gate

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.

NAND Gate Symbol

NAND Gate IEC Symbol

OR
Gate

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.
OR Gate Symbol

OR Gate IEC Symbol

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

Short form for Exclusive NOR. If both

inputs are either in LOW state r HIGH
state, the output will be LOW. If both

EX-OR Gate Symbol

EX-OR Gate IEC Symbol

EXNOR
Gate
EX-NOR Gate Symbol

EX-NOR Gate IEC Symbol

NOT
Gate

NOT Gate Symbol

NOT Gate Symbol

inputs are different, the output will be

HIGH.
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.

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.