Arrow (symbol)
An arrow is a graphical symbol, such as ← or →, or a pictogram, used to point or indicate direction. In its simplest form, an arrow is a triangle, chevron, or concave kite, usually affixed to a line segment or rectangle,[1] and in more complex forms a representation of an actual arrow (e.g. ➵ U+27B5). The direction indicated by an arrow is the one along the length of the line or rectangle toward the single pointed end.
History
An older (medieval) convention is the manicule (pointing hand, 👈). Pedro Reinel in c. 1504 first used the fleur-de-lis as indicating north in a compass rose; the convention of marking the eastern direction with a cross is older (medieval).[2] Use of the arrow symbol does not appear to pre-date the 18th century. An early arrow symbol is found in an illustration of Bernard Forest de Bélidor's treatise L'architecture hydraulique, printed in France in 1737. The arrow is here used to illustrate the direction of the flow of water and of the water wheel's rotation. At about the same time, arrow symbols were used to indicate the flow of rivers in maps.[3]
A trend toward abstraction, in which the arrow's fletching is removed, can be observed in the mid-to-late 19th century. The arrow can be seen in the work of Paul Klee. In a further abstraction of the symbol, John Richard Green's A Short History of the English People of 1874 contained maps by cartographer Emil Reich, which indicated army movements by curved lines, with solid triangular arrowheads placed intermittently along the lines.[4]
Use of arrow symbols in mathematical notation is still younger and developed in the first half of the 20th century.[5] David Hilbert in 1922 introduced the arrow symbol representing logical implication. The double-headed arrow representing logical equivalence was introduced by Albrecht Becker in Die Aristotelische Theorie der Möglichkeitsschlüsse, Berlin, 1933.[4]
Usage
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2019) |
Arrows are universally recognised for indicating directions.[1] They are widely used on signage and for wayfinding,[1] and are often used in road surface markings.
Upward arrows are often used to indicate an increase in a numerical value, and downward arrows indicate a decrease.
In mathematical logic, a right-facing arrow indicates material conditional, and a left-right (bidirectional) arrow indicates if and only if, an upwards arrow indicates the NAND operator (negation of conjunction), an downwards arrow indicates the NOR operator (negation of disjunction).
Unicode
In Unicode, the block Arrows occupies the hexadecimal range U+2190–U+21FF, as described below.
By block
Arrows[1] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+219x | ← | ↑ | → | ↓ | ↔ | ↕ | ↖ | ↗ | ↘ | ↙ | ↚ | ↛ | ↜ | ↝ | ↞ | ↟ |
U+21Ax | ↠ | ↡ | ↢ | ↣ | ↤ | ↥ | ↦ | ↧ | ↨ | ↩ | ↪ | ↫ | ↬ | ↭ | ↮ | ↯ |
U+21Bx | ↰ | ↱ | ↲ | ↳ | ↴ | ↵ | ↶ | ↷ | ↸ | ↹ | ↺ | ↻ | ↼ | ↽ | ↾ | ↿ |
U+21Cx | ⇀ | ⇁ | ⇂ | ⇃ | ⇄ | ⇅ | ⇆ | ⇇ | ⇈ | ⇉ | ⇊ | ⇋ | ⇌ | ⇍ | ⇎ | ⇏ |
U+21Dx | ⇐ | ⇑ | ⇒ | ⇓ | ⇔ | ⇕ | ⇖ | ⇗ | ⇘ | ⇙ | ⇚ | ⇛ | ⇜ | ⇝ | ⇞ | ⇟ |
U+21Ex | ⇠ | ⇡ | ⇢ | ⇣ | ⇤ | ⇥ | ⇦ | ⇧ | ⇨ | ⇩ | ⇪ | ⇫ | ⇬ | ⇭ | ⇮ | ⇯ |
U+21Fx | ⇰ | ⇱ | ⇲ | ⇳ | ⇴ | ⇵ | ⇶ | ⇷ | ⇸ | ⇹ | ⇺ | ⇻ | ⇼ | ⇽ | ⇾ | ⇿ |
Notes
|
Dingbats[1] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+270x | ✀ | ✁ | ✂ | ✃ | ✄ | ✅ | ✆ | ✇ | ✈ | ✉ | ✊ | ✋ | ✌ | ✍ | ✎ | ✏ |
U+271x | ✐ | ✑ | ✒ | ✓ | ✔ | ✕ | ✖ | ✗ | ✘ | ✙ | ✚ | ✛ | ✜ | ✝ | ✞ | ✟ |
U+272x | ✠ | ✡ | ✢ | ✣ | ✤ | ✥ | ✦ | ✧ | ✨ | ✩ | ✪ | ✫ | ✬ | ✭ | ✮ | ✯ |
U+273x | ✰ | ✱ | ✲ | ✳ | ✴ | ✵ | ✶ | ✷ | ✸ | ✹ | ✺ | ✻ | ✼ | ✽ | ✾ | ✿ |
U+274x | ❀ | ❁ | ❂ | ❃ | ❄ | ❅ | ❆ | ❇ | ❈ | ❉ | ❊ | ❋ | ❌ | ❍ | ❎ | ❏ |
U+275x | ❐ | ❑ | ❒ | ❓ | ❔ | ❕ | ❖ | ❗ | ❘ | ❙ | ❚ | ❛ | ❜ | ❝ | ❞ | ❟ |
U+276x | ❠ | ❡ | ❢ | ❣ | ❤ | ❥ | ❦ | ❧ | ❨ | ❩ | ❪ | ❫ | ❬ | ❭ | ❮ | ❯ |
U+277x | ❰ | ❱ | ❲ | ❳ | ❴ | ❵ | ❶ | ❷ | ❸ | ❹ | ❺ | ❻ | ❼ | ❽ | ❾ | ❿ |
U+278x | ➀ | ➁ | ➂ | ➃ | ➄ | ➅ | ➆ | ➇ | ➈ | ➉ | ➊ | ➋ | ➌ | ➍ | ➎ | ➏ |
U+279x | ➐ | ➑ | ➒ | ➓ | ➔ | ➕ | ➖ | ➗ | ➘ | ➙ | ➚ | ➛ | ➜ | ➝ | ➞ | ➟ |
U+27Ax | ➠ | ➡ | ➢ | ➣ | ➤ | ➥ | ➦ | ➧ | ➨ | ➩ | ➪ | ➫ | ➬ | ➭ | ➮ | ➯ |
U+27Bx | ➰ | ➱ | ➲ | ➳ | ➴ | ➵ | ➶ | ➷ | ➸ | ➹ | ➺ | ➻ | ➼ | ➽ | ➾ | ➿ |
Notes
|
Miscellaneous Symbols and Arrows[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+2B0x | ⬀ | ⬁ | ⬂ | ⬃ | ⬄ | ⬅ | ⬆ | ⬇ | ⬈ | ⬉ | ⬊ | ⬋ | ⬌ | ⬍ | ⬎ | ⬏ |
U+2B1x | ⬐ | ⬑ | ⬒ | ⬓ | ⬔ | ⬕ | ⬖ | ⬗ | ⬘ | ⬙ | ⬚ | ⬛ | ⬜ | ⬝ | ⬞ | ⬟ |
U+2B2x | ⬠ | ⬡ | ⬢ | ⬣ | ⬤ | ⬥ | ⬦ | ⬧ | ⬨ | ⬩ | ⬪ | ⬫ | ⬬ | ⬭ | ⬮ | ⬯ |
U+2B3x | ⬰ | ⬱ | ⬲ | ⬳ | ⬴ | ⬵ | ⬶ | ⬷ | ⬸ | ⬹ | ⬺ | ⬻ | ⬼ | ⬽ | ⬾ | ⬿ |
U+2B4x | ⭀ | ⭁ | ⭂ | ⭃ | ⭄ | ⭅ | ⭆ | ⭇ | ⭈ | ⭉ | ⭊ | ⭋ | ⭌ | ⭍ | ⭎ | ⭏ |
U+2B5x | ⭐ | ⭑ | ⭒ | ⭓ | ⭔ | ⭕ | ⭖ | ⭗ | ⭘ | ⭙ | ⭚ | ⭛ | ⭜ | ⭝ | ⭞ | ⭟ |
U+2B6x | ⭠ | ⭡ | ⭢ | ⭣ | ⭤ | ⭥ | ⭦ | ⭧ | ⭨ | ⭩ | ⭪ | ⭫ | ⭬ | ⭭ | ⭮ | ⭯ |
U+2B7x | ⭰ | ⭱ | ⭲ | ⭳ | ⭶ | ⭷ | ⭸ | ⭹ | ⭺ | ⭻ | ⭼ | ⭽ | ⭾ | ⭿ | ||
U+2B8x | ⮀ | ⮁ | ⮂ | ⮃ | ⮄ | ⮅ | ⮆ | ⮇ | ⮈ | ⮉ | ⮊ | ⮋ | ⮌ | ⮍ | ⮎ | ⮏ |
U+2B9x | ⮐ | ⮑ | ⮒ | ⮓ | ⮔ | ⮕ | ⮗ | ⮘ | ⮙ | ⮚ | ⮛ | ⮜ | ⮝ | ⮞ | ⮟ | |
U+2BAx | ⮠ | ⮡ | ⮢ | ⮣ | ⮤ | ⮥ | ⮦ | ⮧ | ⮨ | ⮩ | ⮪ | ⮫ | ⮬ | ⮭ | ⮮ | ⮯ |
U+2BBx | ⮰ | ⮱ | ⮲ | ⮳ | ⮴ | ⮵ | ⮶ | ⮷ | ⮸ | ⮹ | ⮺ | ⮻ | ⮼ | ⮽ | ⮾ | ⮿ |
U+2BCx | ⯀ | ⯁ | ⯂ | ⯃ | ⯄ | ⯅ | ⯆ | ⯇ | ⯈ | ⯉ | ⯊ | ⯋ | ⯌ | ⯍ | ⯎ | ⯏ |
U+2BDx | ⯐ | ⯑ | ⯒ | ⯓ | ⯔ | ⯕ | ⯖ | ⯗ | ⯘ | ⯙ | ⯚ | ⯛ | ⯜ | ⯝ | ⯞ | ⯟ |
U+2BEx | ⯠ | ⯡ | ⯢ | ⯣ | ⯤ | ⯥ | ⯦ | ⯧ | ⯨ | ⯩ | ⯪ | ⯫ | ⯬ | ⯭ | ⯮ | ⯯ |
U+2BFx | ⯰ | ⯱ | ⯲ | ⯳ | ⯴ | ⯵ | ⯶ | ⯷ | ⯸ | ⯹ | ⯺ | ⯻ | ⯼ | ⯽ | ⯾ | ⯿ |
Notes |
Supplemental Arrows-A[1] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+27Fx | ⟰ | ⟱ | ⟲ | ⟳ | ⟴ | ⟵ | ⟶ | ⟷ | ⟸ | ⟹ | ⟺ | ⟻ | ⟼ | ⟽ | ⟾ | ⟿ |
Notes
|
Supplemental Arrows-B[1] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+290x | ⤀ | ⤁ | ⤂ | ⤃ | ⤄ | ⤅ | ⤆ | ⤇ | ⤈ | ⤉ | ⤊ | ⤋ | ⤌ | ⤍ | ⤎ | ⤏ |
U+291x | ⤐ | ⤑ | ⤒ | ⤓ | ⤔ | ⤕ | ⤖ | ⤗ | ⤘ | ⤙ | ⤚ | ⤛ | ⤜ | ⤝ | ⤞ | ⤟ |
U+292x | ⤠ | ⤡ | ⤢ | ⤣ | ⤤ | ⤥ | ⤦ | ⤧ | ⤨ | ⤩ | ⤪ | ⤫ | ⤬ | ⤭ | ⤮ | ⤯ |
U+293x | ⤰ | ⤱ | ⤲ | ⤳ | ⤴ | ⤵ | ⤶ | ⤷ | ⤸ | ⤹ | ⤺ | ⤻ | ⤼ | ⤽ | ⤾ | ⤿ |
U+294x | ⥀ | ⥁ | ⥂ | ⥃ | ⥄ | ⥅ | ⥆ | ⥇ | ⥈ | ⥉ | ⥊ | ⥋ | ⥌ | ⥍ | ⥎ | ⥏ |
U+295x | ⥐ | ⥑ | ⥒ | ⥓ | ⥔ | ⥕ | ⥖ | ⥗ | ⥘ | ⥙ | ⥚ | ⥛ | ⥜ | ⥝ | ⥞ | ⥟ |
U+296x | ⥠ | ⥡ | ⥢ | ⥣ | ⥤ | ⥥ | ⥦ | ⥧ | ⥨ | ⥩ | ⥪ | ⥫ | ⥬ | ⥭ | ⥮ | ⥯ |
U+297x | ⥰ | ⥱ | ⥲ | ⥳ | ⥴ | ⥵ | ⥶ | ⥷ | ⥸ | ⥹ | ⥺ | ⥻ | ⥼ | ⥽ | ⥾ | ⥿ |
Notes
|
Supplemental Arrows-C[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+1F80x | 🠀 | 🠁 | 🠂 | 🠃 | 🠄 | 🠅 | 🠆 | 🠇 | 🠈 | 🠉 | 🠊 | 🠋 | ||||
U+1F81x | 🠐 | 🠑 | 🠒 | 🠓 | 🠔 | 🠕 | 🠖 | 🠗 | 🠘 | 🠙 | 🠚 | 🠛 | 🠜 | 🠝 | 🠞 | 🠟 |
U+1F82x | 🠠 | 🠡 | 🠢 | 🠣 | 🠤 | 🠥 | 🠦 | 🠧 | 🠨 | 🠩 | 🠪 | 🠫 | 🠬 | 🠭 | 🠮 | 🠯 |
U+1F83x | 🠰 | 🠱 | 🠲 | 🠳 | 🠴 | 🠵 | 🠶 | 🠷 | 🠸 | 🠹 | 🠺 | 🠻 | 🠼 | 🠽 | 🠾 | 🠿 |
U+1F84x | 🡀 | 🡁 | 🡂 | 🡃 | 🡄 | 🡅 | 🡆 | 🡇 | ||||||||
U+1F85x | 🡐 | 🡑 | 🡒 | 🡓 | 🡔 | 🡕 | 🡖 | 🡗 | 🡘 | 🡙 | ||||||
U+1F86x | 🡠 | 🡡 | 🡢 | 🡣 | 🡤 | 🡥 | 🡦 | 🡧 | 🡨 | 🡩 | 🡪 | 🡫 | 🡬 | 🡭 | 🡮 | 🡯 |
U+1F87x | 🡰 | 🡱 | 🡲 | 🡳 | 🡴 | 🡵 | 🡶 | 🡷 | 🡸 | 🡹 | 🡺 | 🡻 | 🡼 | 🡽 | 🡾 | 🡿 |
U+1F88x | 🢀 | 🢁 | 🢂 | 🢃 | 🢄 | 🢅 | 🢆 | 🢇 | ||||||||
U+1F89x | 🢐 | 🢑 | 🢒 | 🢓 | 🢔 | 🢕 | 🢖 | 🢗 | 🢘 | 🢙 | 🢚 | 🢛 | 🢜 | 🢝 | 🢞 | 🢟 |
U+1F8Ax | 🢠 | 🢡 | 🢢 | 🢣 | 🢤 | 🢥 | 🢦 | 🢧 | 🢨 | 🢩 | 🢪 | 🢫 | 🢬 | 🢭 | ||
U+1F8Bx | 🢰 | 🢱 | ||||||||||||||
U+1F8Cx | ||||||||||||||||
U+1F8Dx | ||||||||||||||||
U+1F8Ex | ||||||||||||||||
U+1F8Fx | ||||||||||||||||
Notes |
Symbols for Legacy Computing[1][2] Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF) | ||||||||||||||||
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | A | B | C | D | E | F | |
U+1FB0x | 🬀 | 🬁 | 🬂 | 🬃 | 🬄 | 🬅 | 🬆 | 🬇 | 🬈 | 🬉 | 🬊 | 🬋 | 🬌 | 🬍 | 🬎 | 🬏 |
U+1FB1x | 🬐 | 🬑 | 🬒 | 🬓 | 🬔 | 🬕 | 🬖 | 🬗 | 🬘 | 🬙 | 🬚 | 🬛 | 🬜 | 🬝 | 🬞 | 🬟 |
U+1FB2x | 🬠 | 🬡 | 🬢 | 🬣 | 🬤 | 🬥 | 🬦 | 🬧 | 🬨 | 🬩 | 🬪 | 🬫 | 🬬 | 🬭 | 🬮 | 🬯 |
U+1FB3x | 🬰 | 🬱 | 🬲 | 🬳 | 🬴 | 🬵 | 🬶 | 🬷 | 🬸 | 🬹 | 🬺 | 🬻 | 🬼 | 🬽 | 🬾 | 🬿 |
U+1FB4x | 🭀 | 🭁 | 🭂 | 🭃 | 🭄 | 🭅 | 🭆 | 🭇 | 🭈 | 🭉 | 🭊 | 🭋 | 🭌 | 🭍 | 🭎 | 🭏 |
U+1FB5x | 🭐 | 🭑 | 🭒 | 🭓 | 🭔 | 🭕 | 🭖 | 🭗 | 🭘 | 🭙 | 🭚 | 🭛 | 🭜 | 🭝 | 🭞 | 🭟 |
U+1FB6x | 🭠 | 🭡 | 🭢 | 🭣 | 🭤 | 🭥 | 🭦 | 🭧 | 🭨 | 🭩 | 🭪 | 🭫 | 🭬 | 🭭 | 🭮 | 🭯 |
U+1FB7x | 🭰 | 🭱 | 🭲 | 🭳 | 🭴 | 🭵 | 🭶 | 🭷 | 🭸 | 🭹 | 🭺 | 🭻 | 🭼 | 🭽 | 🭾 | 🭿 |
U+1FB8x | 🮀 | 🮁 | 🮂 | 🮃 | 🮄 | 🮅 | 🮆 | 🮇 | 🮈 | 🮉 | 🮊 | 🮋 | 🮌 | 🮍 | 🮎 | 🮏 |
U+1FB9x | 🮐 | 🮑 | 🮒 | 🮔 | 🮕 | 🮖 | 🮗 | 🮘 | 🮙 | 🮚 | 🮛 | 🮜 | 🮝 | 🮞 | 🮟 | |
U+1FBAx | 🮠 | 🮡 | 🮢 | 🮣 | 🮤 | 🮥 | 🮦 | 🮧 | 🮨 | 🮩 | 🮪 | 🮫 | 🮬 | 🮭 | 🮮 | 🮯 |
U+1FBBx | 🮰 | 🮱 | 🮲 | 🮳 | 🮴 | 🮵 | 🮶 | 🮷 | 🮸 | 🮹 | 🮺 | 🮻 | 🮼 | 🮽 | 🮾 | 🮿 |
U+1FBCx | 🯀 | 🯁 | 🯂 | 🯃 | 🯄 | 🯅 | 🯆 | 🯇 | 🯈 | 🯉 | 🯊 | |||||
U+1FBDx | ||||||||||||||||
U+1FBEx | ||||||||||||||||
U+1FBFx | 🯰 | 🯱 | 🯲 | 🯳 | 🯴 | 🯵 | 🯶 | 🯷 | 🯸 | 🯹 | ||||||
Notes |
Additional arrows can be found in the Combining Diacritical Marks, Combining Diacritical Marks Extended, Combining Diacritical Marks for Symbols, Halfwidth and Fullwidth Forms, Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-B, Miscellaneous Symbols and Pictographs, Miscellaneous Technical, Modifier Tone Letters and Spacing Modifier Letters Unicode blocks.
See also
- Dingbat
- Box Drawing (Unicode Block)
- Block Elements (Unicode Block)
- Geometric Shapes (Unicode block)
- Box-drawing character
References
- J. R. Finkel, "History of the Arrow", Up Down Left Right (2011)
- ^ a b c "How to Design and Use Arrows on Signage for Wayfinding". Travel wayfinding. 7 April 2019. Key Point 5; Key Point 9. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
- ^ The American Revolution, 1775-1783: An Atlas of 18th Century Maps and Charts, Theatres of Operations, United States Naval History Division (1972), 14f.
- ^ E. H. Dobrich, "Pictorial Instructions" in: H. Barlow et al. (eds.), Images and understanding, Cambridge University Press (1990).
- ^ a b History of the Arrow, American Printing History Society (2015).
- ^ Green, J.J, Rossberg, M., and Ebert, P.A., : The Convenience of the Typesetter; Notation and Typography in Frege’s Grundgesetze der Arithmetik, Bulletin of Symbolic Logic 21 (2015): 13-30, fn. 17 [1] | DOI
External links
- Semantics of Simple Arrow Diagrams Archived 2020-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
- Emojipedia
- arrow symbol