Ligature Origin: A + C
The pattern .--.-. is an intentional ligature fusing the letter A (.-) and the letter C (-.-.). When transmitted without any inter-character gap, it produces the distinctive phonetic cadence “di-dah-dah-di-dah-dit”.
ITU-R M.1677-1 Standard Punctuation
Morse Code Punctuation: Full Symbol Chart & Audio
Explore complete morse code punctuation marks, discover what is .--.-. in morse (@ commercial at), listen to morse code question mark, morse code period, and morse code comma audio tones, and master all 18 standard morse code symbols and punctuation signs.
AT SIGN (@)
.--.-.Adopted by ITU in 2004 · A + C Ligature18ITU symbols
2004@ ratify year
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ITU Standard Symbols & Audio Explorer
Morse Code Punctuation & Symbols Audio Chart
Master morse code punctuation marks, the modern what is .--.-. in morse (@ commercial at), question marks, periods, commas, slashes, and radio prosigns with pure CW sound previews.
.
Period / Full Stop
essential
.-.-.-
“di-dah-di-dah-di-dah”
Standard 6-element alternating cadence representing the end of a sentence.
,
Comma
essential
--..--
“dah-dah-di-di-dah-dah”
Symmetric 6-element code with two heavy dashes on each flank.
?
Question Mark
essential
..--..
“di-di-dah-dah-di-dit”
Universal interrogation signal; also used on radio when requesting repeat.
@
Commercial At (@)
internet
.--.-.
“di-dah-dah-di-dah-dit”
Officially adopted by ITU in May 2004 for email addresses (combines A and C into one ligature).
/
Slash / Fraction Bar
essential
-..-.
“dah-di-di-dah-dit”
Used as word boundary delimiter or portable callsign modifier (e.g. W1AW/P).
!
Exclamation Mark
essential
-.-.--
“dah-di-dah-di-dah-dah”
Formed by joining letters K (-.-) and W (.--) together without space.
'
Apostrophe
quotes
.----.
“di-dah-dah-dah-dah-dit”
Distinctive 6-element pattern with four continuous dashes bracketed by dots.
"
Quotation Marks
quotes
.-..-.
“di-dah-di-di-dah-dit”
Symmetric cadence with dot-dash on outer edges and double dots in the middle.
:
Colon
quotes
---...
“dah-dah-dah-di-di-dit”
Three heavy dashes followed by three light dots; inverse of numbers.
;
Semicolon
quotes
-.-.-.
“dah-di-dah-di-dah-dit”
Strict alternating 6-element cadence beginning with a dash.
(
Parenthesis (Open)
quotes
-.--.
“dah-di-dah-dah-dit”
5-element signoff used to open brackets in telegram dispatches.
)
Parenthesis (Close)
quotes
-.--.-
“dah-di-dah-dah-di-dah”
6-element closing bracket ending in a heavy dash.
-
Hyphen / Minus
essential
-....-
“dah-di-di-di-di-dah”
Four central dots flanked by two dashes; mirrors mathematical subtraction.
_
Underscore
internet
..--.-
“di-di-dah-dah-di-dah”
Crucial for programming identifiers and web URLs.
$
Dollar Sign ($)
internet
...-..-
“di-di-di-dah-di-di-dah”
Combines letter S (...) and letter X (-..-) into a 7-element financial prosign.
&
Ampersand (&)
internet
.-...
“di-dah-di-di-dit”
Identical to the Morse 'AS' (Wait) procedural signal.
=
Equal Sign (=)
prosign
-...-
“dah-di-di-di-dah”
Known as the BT break prosign; used to separate thought paragraphs on CW.
+
Plus Sign (+)
prosign
.-.-.
“di-dah-di-dah-dit”
Known as AR prosign (end of transmission) in telegraph protocol.
H E L L O [@: .--.-.] W O R L D [.: .-.-.-] O R G [!: -.-.--] / I S / I T / 1 0 0 % [?: ..--..]
Historical breakthrough
The 2004 ITU Breakthrough: What is .--.-. in Morse Code?
For more than six decades following World War II, the International Morse Code alphabet remained completely static. However, with the explosion of the global Internet, radio operators and emergency communicators faced an urgent obstacle: there was no official way to transmit an email address over CW radio telegraphy without spelling out “AT” as separate words.
In May 2004, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R) formally ratified recommendation M.1677-1, adding the commercial at symbol (@) as .--.-.. This marked the first new character added to official Morse code since before the First World War.
Transmitting Email Addresses
To send operator@morse-code.org, key OPERATOR, pause, transmit .--.-., pause, and continue with MORSE-CODE.ORG. The @ symbol stands out sharply from surrounding text.
Standard Timing Weight
The @ symbol contains 6 signal marks (three dots and three dashes) and 5 intra-character spaces, taking a total of 17 element units.
Marks breakdown
Essential Morse Code Symbols & Punctuation Marks Breakdown
Unlike letters (which typically span 1 to 4 elements) and digits (which are fixed at 5 elements), morse code symbols and punctuation marks generally require 5 to 7 elements. This extra length prevents confusion with common words:
Period / Full Stop (.)
.-.-.- (di-dah-di-dah-di-dah)
The morse code period is an alternating sequence of three dot-dash pairs. Its rhythmic back-and-forth swing makes it easy to spot at the end of paragraphs.
Comma (,)
--..-- (dah-dah-di-di-dah-dah)
The morse code comma features two heavy dashes, two light dots, and two concluding dashes. It introduces natural rhythmic pauses in formal telegram dispatches.
Question Mark (?)
..--.. (di-di-dah-dah-di-dit)
The morse code question markis symmetrical: two dots, two dashes, and two dots. In amateur radio, sending “?” alone asks a station to repeat their last transmission.
Exclamation Mark (!)
-.-.-- (dah-di-dah-di-dah-dah)
The morse code exclamation mark joins the letters K (-.-) and W (.--) together. It conveys urgency, surprise, or emphatic warnings in Morse text.
Slash / Fraction Bar (/)
-..-. (dah-di-di-dah-dit)
The morse code slash serves multiple purposes: separating fractions, delimiting dates, and indicating portable or mobile radio callsigns (such as W1AW/M).
Hyphen / Minus (-)
-....- (dah-di-di-di-di-dah)
Surrounding four central dots with two solid dashes, the hyphen is used in compound words, telephone numbers, and mathematical subtractions.
Telegraph customs
Why Telegraphers Use “STOP” and Radio Prosigns
In historic commercial telegrams, transmitting punctuation marks cost the sender extra money because punctuation required longer codes (6 units vs. 3 units for letters). To save costs and avoid misinterpretations caused by noise, telegraph companies famously replaced the period with the four-letter word STOP.
- BT (-...-) for Paragraph Breaks: Instead of transmitting periods and line returns, CW operators send
-...-(the equal sign=, prosign BT) to separate sentences. - AR (.-.-.) for Message End: Transmitted at the conclusion of a formal message packet, identical to the mathematical plus sign (
+). - AS (.-...) for Waiting: Identical to the ampersand (
&), instructing the receiving station to stand by for a few moments.
Tutorial
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Transmit Morse Punctuation
Memorize the core 6-element alternating cadence for Period
The period / full stop (.) is sent as .-.-.- (di-dah-di-dah-di-dah), alternating dots and dashes three consecutive times.
Learn the symmetric question mark pattern
The question mark (?) is transmitted as ..--.. (di-di-dah-dah-di-dit), featuring two dots, two dashes, and two closing dots.
Master the 2004 ITU commercial @ symbol
The @ symbol (.--.-.) merges the letters A (.-) and C (-.-.) into a single ligature without intra-character space, pronounced di-dah-dah-di-dah-dit.
Use slash for fractions and portable callsign delimiters
The slash / fraction bar (/) is sent as -..-. (dah-di-di-dah-dit), serving as a universal boundary between dates, ratios, and ham callsigns.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Morse Code Punctuation
What is morse code punctuation?
Morse code punctuation refers to the standardized set of international dot-dash sequences defined by the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) to represent non-alphanumeric marks, including period (.-.-.-), comma (--..--), question mark (..--..), slash (-..-.), and the commercial at symbol (.--.-.).
What is .--.-. in morse code?
In Morse code, .--.-. represents the commercial 'at' symbol (@). It was officially introduced by the ITU in May 2004 to facilitate transmission of modern internet email addresses and web URLs, combining the letters 'A' (.-) and 'C' (-.-.) into a single continuous ligature.
What is the morse code question mark?
The morse code question mark (?) is ..--.. (di-di-dah-dah-di-dit). It has a total mark duration of 14 element units and is frequently used by radio telegraphers to request repetitions or clarifications during weak-signal contacts.
What is the morse code period or full stop?
The morse code period (.) is .-.-.- (di-dah-di-dah-di-dah). It consists of three pairs of alternating dots and dashes, lasting 16 element units in standard PARIS timing.
What is the morse code comma?
The morse code comma (,) is --..-- (dah-dah-di-di-dah-dah). It features two heavy initial dashes, two quick central dots, and two concluding dashes.
What is the morse code exclamation mark?
The morse code exclamation mark (!) is -.-.-- (dah-di-dah-di-dah-dah). In unofficial American Morse it differed, but standard international telegraphy forms it by concatenating K (-.-) and W (.--) into a single continuous symbol.
What is the morse code slash or fraction bar?
The morse code slash (/) is -..-. (dah-di-di-dah-dit). It is used to separate fractions (like 1/2), dates (such as 10/25/2026), and ham radio portable prefixes/suffixes (like W1AW/P).
Why do amateur radio CW operators rarely send periods?
Sending .-.-.- requires 16 time units, which slows down high-speed conversations. Instead of periods, radio operators transmit the shorter 'BT' prosign (-...- for break/paragraph) or simply pause for 7 units (a standard word gap) between sentences.
How do you send quotation marks and parentheses in Morse code?
Double quotation marks (") are sent as .-..-. (di-dah-di-di-dah-dit). An open parenthesis is -.--. (dah-di-dah-dah-dit), while a closing parenthesis is -.--.- (dah-di-dah-dah-di-dah).
What are the most common morse code symbols and punctuation marks?
The most frequently transmitted morse code symbols and punctuation marks are period (.-.-.-), comma (--..--), question mark (..--..), slash (-..-.), apostrophe (.----.), hyphen (-....-), and the commercial at symbol (.--.-.).
Educational guides
Related Morse Code Tools & Educational Guides
Morse Code Alphabet A to Z ChartInternational standard Morse letters with phonetic audio and visual cheatsheet.Explore Letters →Morse Code Numbers 0 to 9 Guide5-element numeric digits, cutoff numbers, and speed training drills.Learn Numbers →Morse Code Clicker & Straight Key TyperPractice physical telegraph straight keying with punctuation marks.Practice Tapping →Morse Code Sound Generator (CW Audio)Generate authentic radio continuous wave audio for punctuation drills.Play CW Audio →Morse Code Practice & Speed TrainerTest your punctuation reception speed from 5 to 40 WPM.Start Practice →