100+ Electrical & Electronic Circuit Symbols

Electrical symbols or electronic circuits are virtually represented by circuit diagrams. There are
some standard symbols to represent the components in a circuits. This article gives some of the
frequently used symbols for drawing the circuits. There are many electrical and electronic
schematic symbols are used to signify basic electronic or electrical device. These are mostly we
used for draw circuit diagrams.

Below are different kind of symbols we mentioned category wise. Hope this information will
helps to understand clearly.

 Wires
 Switches
 Sources
 Ground
 Resistor
 Variable Resistor
 Capacitor
 Inductors
 Diodes
 Transistor
 Logic Gates
 Amplifiers
 Antenna
 Transformer
 Miscellaneous

Electrical Symbols & Electronic Symbols

WIRES

Wires Connected Wires Unconnected Wires

Represents a conductor Represents the Represents two

that conducts electrical connection of two unconnected

current. Also called a conductors. Dot shows wires/conductors.

power line or electric the junction point.

line or wire.

Input Bus Line Output Bus Line Terminal

Represents a bus for Represents a bus for Represents start or end

input or incoming data. output or outgoing data. point.

Bus Line
Represents a number of

conductors joined

together to form a bus

wire.

SWITCHES

Push Button (Normally Push Button (Normally Spst Switch

Open) Closed)

Single pole single throw

This switch is in ON This switch is initially in is abbreviated as SPST.

state when the button is ON state. This goes to This acts as ON/OFF

pressed otherwise it is in OFF state when it is switch. Poles define the

OFF state. released. number of circuits it can

be connected to and

throws defines the

number of positions that

a pole connects.

Spdt Switch Dpst Switch Dpdt Switch

Double pole double

Single pole double throw Double pole single throw throw is the full form of

is abbreviated as SPDT. is abbreviated as DPST. DPDT. This can connect

This switch allows the This switch can drive the four circuits by

current to flow in any two circuits at a time. changing the position.

one of the two directions

by adjusting its position.

Relay Switch
This represents the relay

switch. This can control

the AC Loads using the

DC voltage applied to

the coil.

SOURCES

AC Supply DC Supply Constant Current Source

This represents AC This represents the DC The symbol represents

supply in the circuit. power supply. It applies an independent current

DC supply to the circuit. source which delivers

 constant current.

Controlled current Controlled Voltage Single Cell Battery

Source Source

This provides supply to

It is a dependent current It is a dependent voltage the circuit.

source. Usually depends source. Usually depends

on other sources (voltage on other sources (voltage

or current). or current).

Multi Cell Battery

Combination of multiple
single cell batteries or a

single large cell battery.

The voltage is usually

higher.

Wave Generators

Sinusoidal Generator Pulse Generator Triangular Wave

Represents sine wave Represents pulse or Represents triangular

generator. square wave generator. wave generator.

GROUND SYMBOLS

Ground Signal Ground Chassis Ground

It is equivalent to It is a reference point
It acts as a barrier
theoretical 0V and is from which the signal is
between user and the
used as zero potential measured. There may be
circuit and prevents
reference. It is the several signal grounds in
electric shock.
potential of perfectly a circuit due to the

conducting earth. voltage drops in a circuit.

RESISTOR SYMBOLS

Fixed Resistor

It is a device that

opposes the flow of

current in a circuit.

These two symbols are

used to represent fixed

resistor.

VARIABLE

RESISTOR

Rheostat Preset Thermistor

It is a two terminal It is a mini variable It is a temperature

variable resistor. They resistor. It is also called sensitive resistor. They

are generally used to Trimmer Resistor or are used in temperature

control the current in the Trim Pot. The resistance sensing, current limiting

circuit. Generally used in is adjusted with rotary circuits, over-current

tuning circuits and power control present on top of protection circuits etc.

control applications like it with the help of a

heaters, ovens etc screw driver. They are

 used to adjust the

sensitivity of the circuit

like temperature or light.

Varistor Magneto Resistor LDR

It is a Voltage Dependent They are also called as They are also called as

Resistor. It has non- Magnetic Dependent Photo Resistors. The

linear current-voltage Resistors (MDR). The resistance of LDR varies

characteristics. Generally resistance of magneto with the intensity of the

used in circuit protection resistor varies according light incident on it. They

from voltage surges and to the external magnetic are generally used in

excessive transient field strength. They are light sensing

voltages. used in electronic applications.

compass, ferrous material

detection, position

sensors etc.
Tapped resistor Attenuator Memristor

A wire-wound type fixed It is a device used to The resistance of

resistor with one or more lower the power of a memristor is varied

terminals along its signal. They are made according to the

length. Generally used in from simple voltage direction of flow of

voltage divider dividers and hence can charge. Memristors can

applications. be classified in the be used in signal

family of the resistors. processing,

logic/computation, non-

volatile memory etc.

CAPACITOR

SYMBOLS

Non Polarized Capacitor Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic Capacitor

Capacitor stores the Polarized capacitors are Almost all electrolytic

charge in the form of small in size but have capacitors are polarized

electrical energy. These high capacitance. They and hence used in DC

two symbols are used for are used in DC circuits. circuits

non-polarized capacitor. They can be used as

Non-polarized capacitors filters, for bypassing or

are big in size with small passing low frequency

capacitance. They can be signals.

used in both AC and DC

circuits.

Feed through Capacitor Variable Capacitor

They provide low The capacitance of the

impedance path to variable capacitor can be

ground for high adjusted by turning the

frequency signals knob. They are widely

used to adjust the

frequency , that is for

tuning.

INDUCTORS

Iron Core Inductor Ferrite Core Inductors Center Tapped Inductors

These are used as Core material, in this These are used in

substitutes to ferrite core type of inductors is made coupling of signals,

inductors. Ferrite core or of ferrite material. These

Ferromagnetic inductors are mostly used to

have high permeability suppress the interference

and require air gap to of electromagnetic

reduce it. Iron powdered waves.

core inductors have this

air gap integrated.

Variable Inductors

Movable ferrite magnetic

core variable inductors

are most common. The

inductance is varied by

sliding the core in or out

of the coil.

DIODES

Pn Junction Diode Zener Diode Photodiode

A PN junction diode In forward bias Photodiode detects the

allows the current to condition, it acts as light energy and

flow only in forward bias normal diode and allows converts it into current

condition. These diodes current. It also allows or voltage by a

can be used in clipping current to flow in reverse mechanism called

and clamping circuits , as bias condition when the photoelectric effect.

rectifiers in dc circuits voltage reaches a certain These are used in CD

etc. break-down point. players , Cameras etc.

Generally used in voltage

regulator and over

voltage protection

circuits.

Led Varactor Diode Shockley Diode

Light emitting diode is Varactor diode is called This is a four layer

similar to PN junction varicap or variable diode. This had fast

diode but they emit capacitance diode. The switching operation and

energy in the form of capacitance of this diode hence is used in

light instead of heat. varies according to the switching applications.

These are mostly used in applied input voltage.

indication , lightening This is used in frequency

applications. controlled oscillators ,

frequency multipliers etc.

Schottky Diode Tunnel Diode Thyristor

It represents Schottky This is also known as It consists of four layers

diode. It has low forward Esaki diode.It can switch of alternating P and N

voltage drop and it can very fastly and can materials. They act as

switch rapidly. Used in perform well in micro bistable switches and are

voltage clamping, wave frequency range. used in circuits where

rectifiers, reverse current This is used in oscillator high voltages and

and discharge protection circuits and micro wave currents are involved.

circuits.

Constant Current Diode Laser Diode

Also called as Current The laser diode is similar

Limiting Diode or to light emitting diode.

Current Regulating The active region is

Diode. It limits the formed in intrinsic region

current to a specified in PIN structure. Laser

maximum value. diodes find its

applications in laser
 printing, laser scanning

etc.

TRANSISTOR

SYMBOLS

NPN PNP

It is made of It is made of combination

combination of P-type of N-type semiconductor

semiconductor between between two P-type

two N-type semiconductors. It is

semiconductors. It is switched ON when the

switched ON when the base-emitter junction is

base-emitter junction is reverse biased. These are

forward biased. They are used for amplifying and

commonly used for switching applications.

amplifying and switching

applications.

JFET

N- Channel JFET P-Channel JFET

N-channel JFET is made P-Channel JFET is made

by n-type silicon bars by p-type silicon bar

which form two PN which forms two PN

junctions at the side. junctions at the side.

Majority charge carriers Majority charge carriers

here are electrons. here are holes.

MOSFET

Enhancement MOSFET Depletion MOSFET

The enhancement mode The depletion mode has

MOSFET has positive negative gate operation.

gate operation. It induces This decreases the width

negative charges into the of the depletion layer.

n-channel and thus

number of negative

charges increases,

enhancing the channel

conductivity.

Phototransistor Photo Darlington Darlington Transistor

The photo transistor Photo Darlington This configuration

converts the light energy Transistor is similar to produces high current

falling on it to its phototransistor with very gain. They are used in

corresponding electrical high gain and sensitivity power regulators, output

energy. This can be used stages of audio

in light sensing amplifiers, display

applications.Base is left drivers etc.

disconnected as light is

used to enable the flow

of current.

LOGIC GATES

And Gate Or Gate Nand Gate

This is the basic gate and The OR gate implements It is complement of

it implements logical logical disjunction.The AND gate. The output is

conjunction. The output output is high if any one low only when both the
of the AND gate is high, of the inputs is high. inputs are high,

only if both the inputs otherwise it is high.

are high otherwise both

are low.

Nor Gate Not Gate Exor

NOR gate is a not OR Inverter or NOT gate This gate implements

gate. Output of this gate implements logical exclusive OR logic. The

is high, if both the inputs negation. This gate output of this gate is

are Low, otherwise it is inverts the input. high ,if both the inputs

High. are different.

Exnor Buffer Tri-State Buffer

This gate implements It is an audio signaling Similar to a normal
negation of EXOR logic. device. Generally used in buffer but with a control

The output of this gate is alarms, timers and for signal. In case of active
high , only if the two confirmation messages. high buffer, it operates
inputs are identical. normally only when

control signal is 1. In

case of active low

buffer, it operates

normally only when

control signal is 0.

Flip Flop
Flip flop is the also

a memory element but

this is a synchronous

device. The figure below

shows the basic D-flip-

flop.

AMPLIFIERS

Basic Amplifier Operational Amplifier

An amplifier is a device Operational Amplifier

that amplifies a relatively (Op Amp) is a voltage

small input signal i.e. it amplifier with very high

increases the power of gain. The input is

the signal. They are used differential. They are

in communication used in instrumentation

systems, audio devices devices, signal

etc processing, control

systems etc

ANTENNA

Antenna Loop Antenna Dipole Antenna

This symbol belongs to Loop antenna is named It is most widely used

Aerial or Antenna. It after its loop like shape antenna.Generally used

converts electrical power of wire or other electrical in set-top TV, shortwave

into radio waves. It is conductor. They are used transmission and FM

used in wireless as receiving antennas in receivers.

communication to low frequency range.

transmit or receive the

signals.

TRANSFORMER

Transformer Iron Core Center Tapped

Transformer is the basic Uses a piece of magnetic The center tapped

element that transfers material as core. transformer has its

energy in one circuit to Generally Ferro magnetic secondary winding

the other circuit through metals like iron are used. divided into two parts

electromagnetic The core has high with same number of

induction. They are permeability and is used turns in each part. This

generally used in electric to confine the magnetic results in two individual

power applications to field. output voltages across

increase or decrease the two line ends. Used in

voltage of AC current. rectifier circuits.

Step Up Transformer Step Down Transformer

The no. of turns in The no. of turns in

secondary winding is secondary winding is less

more than that of than that of primary

primary winding. The winding. The output

output voltage is higher voltage is lesser than

than input voltage. input voltage. It is widely

Significantly used in used in low power

inverters. applications.

MISCELLANEOUS

Buzzer Loud Speaker Light Bulb

This is sound producing This is also an audio The symbol represents

device. This produces device. The electrical the light bulb. The bulb

buzz sound when the signal is converted into glows when required

voltage is applied. sound signal here. voltage is applied.

Motor Fuse

This converts the electric Symbol represents the

energy to mechanical fuse that protects the

energy. circuit from over current.

Crystal Oscillator ADC DAC

Used to generate clock Analog to Digital Digital to Analog

signal of very precise converter is used convert converter is used to

frequency. analog signals (usually convert digital code to

voltage) to digital values. analog signals.

Thermocouple

It is used to measure

temperature.