We'd like to use analytics cookies to understand which symbols people look up, so we know what to research next. They are not used for advertising and we set none of them unless you say yes. What we store.
Warning, prohibition, mandatory and information signs, and the grammar of their shapes.
The shape and border carry the category before the pictogram is read: triangles warn, circles command or prohibit, rectangles inform. That grammar is consistent within a jurisdiction and varies between them — the Vienna Convention harmonises much of Europe, and countries outside it differ.
These records say so themselves — the setting appears in the symbol's own reviewed description or in one of its documented meanings.
A looping mark meaning 'and', developed from a ligature of the Latin 'et'.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…the standard written form of the word on Irish road signs and shop fronts”
An inverted triangle lettered DÊ A PREFERÊNCIA.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Requires a driver to give way to traffic on the road being joined”
A triangle representing a tent, marking a camping site on a map.
Its summary places it there: “…triangle standing for a tent, used on maps and on road signs to mark a place where camping is provided. It…”
Circles, triangles and rectangles by function.
Its summary places it there: “The Chinese road sign scheme dividing signs into prohibitory circles…”
A looped square with four outward corners, marking the Mac command key.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…a place of interest — it appears on Swedish road signs pointing to a castle or a monument. Apple's…”
A downward-pointing triangle with a red border, requiring a driver to yield to traffic on the road ahead.
Its description places it there: “…border, requiring a driver to yield to traffic on the road ahead”
A triangle showing a humped ox.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…hazard is depicted with the animal actually found on the road”
An upward triangle with a red border.
Its summary places it there: “The Indian road sign family that warns of a hazard ahead, drawn as…”
A triangle showing rocks falling from a slope.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Is one of a group of hill-road signs the schedule treats together, reflecting that…”
A rectangular sign carrying directions, distances or facilities.
Its summary places it there: “The Indian road sign family giving direction, distance or facility…”
A red-bordered circle carrying a black device.
Its summary places it there: “The Indian road sign family whose members impose a legal requirement…”
A triangle showing a raised hump.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “…usage as a speed breaker, a term that appears on the road rather than in the standard, so the common name…”
Vienna shapes across an archipelago network.
Its summary places it there: “The Indonesian road sign scheme, following Vienna Convention shapes across…”
A yellow diamond carrying a windsock streaming sideways.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Warns of strong crosswinds on the road ahead”
A white diamond painted on the carriageway.
Its summary places it there: “…drivers of a pedestrian crossing ahead, painted on the road rather than posted beside it”
A yellow diamond carrying rocks tumbling down a slope.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Warns of falling rocks on the road ahead”
A blue disc carrying two vehicles, one struck through.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Prohibits overtaking another vehicle on the road ahead”
Four sign families told apart by outline before colour.
Its summary places it there: “…Japanese convention assigning each class of road sign its own outline — a yellow diamond for warning…”
A yellow diamond carrying two opposed arrows.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Warns that traffic runs in both directions on the road ahead”
Circles, triangles and rectangles by function.
Its summary places it there: “The Korean road sign scheme dividing signs into regulatory circles…”
A yellow diamond with a white border, marking a road whose traffic has priority at junctions.
Its summary places it there: “The priority road sign is a diamond standing on a corner — a shape used…”
A stop sign that swings out from a stopped school bus.
Its summary places it there: “…where a moving vehicle carries a legally binding traffic sign”
A triangle showing a car with skid marks behind it.
Its summary places it there: “A slippery road sign shows a car above two curving skid trails. The…”
A pictogram of a plate camera warning of enforcement.
Its a documented meaning places it there: “Warns that speed enforcement cameras are in use on the road ahead”
A white disc with a red border carrying a number, giving the maximum permitted speed.
Its summary places it there: “…limit sign states the maximum speed permitted on the road ahead. The number carries no unit, so the same…”
A red octagon bearing the word STOP, requiring a driver to come to a complete halt.
Its summary places it there: “The stop sign is the only road sign given an octagonal shape, so that it can be recognised…”
Sign families following two conventions at once.
Its summary places it there: “The Thai road sign scheme, which combines Vienna Convention regulatory…”
A mark resembling a small seven, standing for 'and' in Latin and Irish.
Its summary places it there: “…public use: it is the standard 'agus' on Irish road signs, shop fronts and official documents. Readers…”
Vienna-derived shapes with local pictograms.
Its summary places it there: “The Vietnamese road sign scheme, following Vienna Convention shapes with…”
These belong to a system or a curated family that lives here. A laundry care symbol is met on a clothing label whether or not its own wording happens to say so.
Showing the 48 most firmly placed of 455. Browse by domain to see every symbol in the catalogue.
Cast lettering and a load class on a manhole or inspection cover.
An amber droplet or tank: the exhaust fluid is low.
A cycle reservoir between two stop lines at a junction.
A rotating light whose colours identify the field type.
A bordered square holding ground signals.
A circle with runway strokes across it.
A ring of dots around a point.
A hatched boundary round a restricted volume.
A triangle marking a named position.
Two broad rectangles where the approach path meets the runway.
A car in profile with an arrow curling round inside it.
A national prefix and a unique identifier painted on the airframe.
A side elevation showing altitudes along a final approach.
A yellow sign giving a recommended rather than legal speed.
A letter A inside a circular arrow.
Twenty-six words standing for letters over a radio.
A head marked at a single point on the rail.
A suitcase above a downward arrow or a carousel, marking where bags arrive.
Rows of raised domes warning of a crossing point.
A yellow cross-hatched square a driver may not stop in.
A signature riding the freight.
A seated figure bent forward with hands on the head, on an aircraft safety card.
A diamond showing a running animal.
A diamond showing a bicycle.
A rectangular panel naming a destination or a service.
A circle carrying a letter E.
A red-bordered circle imposing a requirement.
A diamond showing two children.
A diamond warning of a lombada ahead.
A red octagon lettered PARE.
A yellow diamond standing on its corner.
A permanent magnet set between the rails.
A black bar behind a white circular screen.
A colour light showing one of four aspects.
A row of white lights angled towards the route set.
A red bar sign marking the end of permitted movement.
A lineside board marking a gap in the supply.
Two white lights set at forty-five degrees.
A fishtailed arm warning of the signal ahead.
A square-ended arm that drops or rises to clear.
A white disc crossed by a red bar.
A board marking where a restriction begins.
A board marking where a restriction ends.
A small white light below a main aspect.
A yellow warning board ahead of a restriction.
An illuminated letter or number beside a signal.
A barrier across the end of a track, often with a red lamp.
A wide line and the word BUS reserving a lane.
If you can describe what you saw as well as where, say both: “winged skull on a gravestone” narrows a list of 484 to a handful.