ITU-R M.1677-1 · Punctuation

Hyphen in Morse code

Written “-”, in the ITU standard

The hyphen (-) in Morse code is -....-, said dah-di-di-di-di-dah: a dash, four dots and a closing dash. One signal covers the hyphen, the dash and the minus sign. It is in the ITU standard, which also uses it to join a whole number to its fraction, so one and three quarters is sent as 1-3/4.

-....- (dash dot dot dot dot dash)

“dah-di-di-di-di-dah”dash dot dot dot dot dash

6 elements · 4 dots, 2 dashes · 15 units

The hyphen at a glance

Morse code: -....-
Said as: dah-di-di-di-di-dah
Elements: 6
Length: 15 units
At 18 WPM: 1000 ms
ITU standard: Yes
Sounds like: DULetters run together
Also called: Dash, minus sign

Hyphen, dash or minus: one signal

ITU-R M.1677-1 names it the hyphen or dash or subtraction sign. Morse has no separate signals for a short hyphen, a long dash and a minus, so the reader tells them apart by context: X-RAY, the word in this page's practice box, has a hyphen, while 9-3 has a minus.

Keeping numbers apart

The standard gives the hyphen a job in figures. A number with a fraction is sent with a hyphen between the whole number and the fraction, and a percent sign is joined to its number the same way:

1-3/4 for one and three quarters; sent as 13/4 it would read as thirteen quarters
3/4-8 for three quarters followed by the figure 8, kept apart
2-0/0 for two percent, since the ITU sends % as 0/0

In Morse, 1-3/4 is .---- -....- ...-- -..-. ....-, five characters and 81 units, about 5.4 seconds at 18 WPM.

Hear it

1-3/4
.---- -....- ...-- -..-. ....-

Hearing it: 6 with a tail

The digit 6 is -....; add a closing dash and you have the hyphen. Clip that last dash and a hyphen is copied as 6.

Split differently, it is D, -.., flowing into U, ..-, which is why charts write it DU. Swap every element and you get .----., the apostrophe, the same length with long and short traded.

Hear it

6
-....
D
-..
U
..-

Characters to compare

Close to the hyphen in sound, so the likeliest mix-ups.

Which one did you hear?

Listen, then pick or type the one you heard.

Try the hyphen in a word

translatemorsecode.com/morse-code-punctuation/hyphen/Live

Type a word-..--....-.-..--.--

Farnsworth spacingLetters at full speed, longer gaps between them. Best for learning.

Open in the translator

Tap the hyphen yourself

translatemorsecode.com/morse-code-punctuation/hyphen/Live

Press for a dot, hold for a dash. Space works too.

Send: -....-
Yours: Nothing yet

Questions about Hyphen.

How do I send a hyphenated word like X-RAY?

Send X, the hyphen, then R, A and Y with normal letter gaps and no word gap: -..- -....- .-. .- -.--, 63 units, sent as a single word.

What is 5 dots in Morse code?

Five dots, ....., is the digit 5. The hyphen has four dots framed by two dashes, so count them: four between dashes is a hyphen, five on their own is 5.

How are numbers represented in Morse code?

Every digit has five elements in a fixed pattern: 1 is a dot and four dashes, 5 is five dots, 0 is five dashes. The Morse code numbers chart lists all ten, and the hyphen joins them to fractions and percents.

Is Morse code difficult to learn?

It takes regular practice more than talent. The guide to learning Morse code sets out a plan that starts with letters and adds marks like the hyphen later.

All punctuation marks

Sources

Last checked November 2026