Why do all Morse code numbers use 5 signals?

The ITU standard fixes every digit at five signals so operators can instantly tell a number from a letter when copying by ear — letters always use 1–4 signals.

What is the pattern of Morse code numbers?

Digits form a staircase. From 1, each digit replaces one dash with one dot, walking left-to-right, until 5 is all dots. Then dashes rebuild left-to-right until 0 is all dashes.

What are Morse code mirror pairs?

0 ↔ 5, 1 ↔ 9, 2 ↔ 8, 3 ↔ 7 and 4 ↔ 6. Swap dots for dashes and you get the partner. You only need to memorize 5 of the 10 patterns.

Is 0 in Morse code the same as the letter O?

No. The digit 0 is ----- (five dashes). The letter O is --- (three dashes).

How fast can a number be sent in Morse code?

At 17 WPM each digit takes roughly 1.5 seconds (5 signals + 4 inter-signal gaps). At 5 WPM the same digit stretches to about 4.5 seconds.

What is the 0 district in ham radio?

US call signs containing a 0 (e.g. W0ABC) belong to the 0 call district: CO, IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD.

How do you write phone numbers in Morse code?

Encode each digit separately with a letter gap (3 units) between digits and a word gap (7 units) where a dash/space would normally go. Example: 555-0100 = ..... ..... ..... ----- .---- ----- ----- .

Are American Morse and ITU Morse numbers different?

Yes. Original American Morse used variable-length digits with extra-long dashes. The modern ITU standard, adopted in 1865, uses uniform 5-signal digits — that's what everyone learns today.

What's the easiest way to learn Morse numbers?

Learn the two anchors — 5 (all dots) and 0 (all dashes) — first. Then use mirror pairs: 1↔9, 2↔8, 3↔7, 4↔6. Five patterns is half the memorization work.

Morse Code Numbers 0–9 — Complete Chart, Audio, Staircase & Quiz

The Complete Morse Code Numbers Chart

Click any digit to hear it. Hit Copy to grab the Morse, or jump to a dedicated section for that number.

-----

.----

..---

...--

....-

.....

-....

--...

---..

----.

Core Mental Model

The Staircase: How Morse Numbers Actually Work

Most charts list numbers as ten unrelated patterns. They’re not — they’re a staircase. From 1, each digit adds one dot from the left while removing one dash from the right. At 5 the pattern flips, and dashes rebuild left-to-right until 0 is all dashes. See it visually and the system becomes obvious.

Digit

Signal 1

Signal 2

Signal 3

Signal 4

Signal 5

Morse

—

.----

—

..---

—

...--

—

....-

.....

—

-....

—

--...

—

---..

—

----.

—

-----

Dot (·) = 1 time unit

Dash (−) = 3 time units

Click any row to hear audio playback

The 5 Mirror Pairs — Learn Half, Know All Ten

Every Morse digit has a mirror twin: swap dots for dashes and you get its partner. You only need to memorize five patterns, not ten — the rest is symmetry.

-----

.....

Play Pair

.----

----.

Play Pair

..---

---..

Play Pair

...--

--...

Play Pair

....-

-....

Play Pair

Practical tip: learn the two anchors first — ..... (5, all dots) and ----- (0, all dashes). Once those are instant, the three remaining pairs (1↔9, 2↔8, 3↔7, 4↔6) drop into place because each pair is just a dot-count shift.

Number Tools

Phone Number Encoder

Type any phone number or digit sequence to see and hear it in Morse code instantly. Click any digit card to play it individually.

.....

-----

.----

-----

Number Practice Trainer

Hear a random Morse number sequence and type what you decode. Adjustable length and speed.

Length

Speed12 WPM

Press Play to start

0 correct · 0 attempts

Practice Quiz — Both Directions

Most tools only quiz one way. This one tests both encoding (digit → Morse) and decoding (Morse → digit). Use Prev/Next to navigate questions freely, or let it auto-advance.

Score: 0 / 0 correct

Each Digit, in Detail

-----

Number 0 in Morse Code

0 dots · 5 dashes · Mirror of digit 5

All dashes — the longest digit. "Daaah-daaah-daaah-daaah-daaah."

Taplong · long · long · long · longSounddah dah dah dah dah

Real-world examples:

7000 kHz = --··· ----- ----- -----W0ABC (0 district call sign)SOS 007

.----

Number 1 in Morse Code

1 dot · 4 dashes · Mirror of digit 9

One dot, then four dashes. The "leader" of the staircase.

Tapshort · long · long · long · longSounddit dah dah dah dah

Real-world examples:

100 = .---- ----- -----Grid square FN011st of January

..---

Number 2 in Morse Code

2 dots · 3 dashes · Mirror of digit 8

Two dots, three dashes — the "two-step" digit.

Tapshort · short · long · long · longSounddit dit dah dah dah

Real-world examples:

2024 = ..--- ----- ..--- ....-7.2 MHz22nd parallel

...--

Number 3 in Morse Code

3 dots · 2 dashes · Mirror of digit 7

Three dots then two dashes. Halfway to the all-dot end.

Tapshort · short · short · long · longSounddit dit dit dah dah

Real-world examples:

3.5 MHz (80 m band)March 3rdPi ≈ 3.14159

....-

Number 4 in Morse Code

4 dots · 1 dash · Mirror of digit 6

Four dots, one dash — almost all dots.

Tapshort · short · short · short · longSounddit dit dit dit dah

Real-world examples:

14.000 MHz (20 m band)Channel 44th call district (CA, NV, AZ…)

.....

Number 5 in Morse Code

5 dots · 0 dashes · Mirror of digit 0

All dots — the fastest, shortest digit. The mirror of zero.

Tapshort · short · short · short · shortSounddit dit dit dit dit

Real-world examples:

555 area code5 wpm = beginner speed5 NATO grid line

-....

Number 6 in Morse Code

4 dots · 1 dash · Mirror of digit 4

One dash, four dots. Mirror of 4.

Taplong · short · short · short · shortSounddah dit dit dit dit

Real-world examples:

6 m band (50 MHz)Grid FN606th call district

--...

Number 7 in Morse Code

3 dots · 2 dashes · Mirror of digit 3

Two dashes, three dots. Mirror of 3.

Taplong · long · short · short · shortSounddah dah dit dit dit

Real-world examples:

7.000 MHz (40 m band)007 (the iconic call)7th call district

---..

Number 8 in Morse Code

2 dots · 3 dashes · Mirror of digit 2

Three dashes, two dots. Mirror of 2.

Taplong · long · long · short · shortSounddah dah dah dit dit

Real-world examples:

88 = "love and kisses" in CW8 ball8 m wavelength

----.

Number 9 in Morse Code

1 dot · 4 dashes · Mirror of digit 1

Four dashes, one dot. Mirror of 1 — the "trailer" of the staircase.

Taplong · long · long · long · shortSounddah dah dah dah dit

Real-world examples:

9-1-1 = ----. .---- .----9th call district (MI, IL, IN, WI)99 problems

A Brief History of Morse Numbers

Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail’s original 1840s telegraph code — now called American Morse — encoded digits unevenly. Some digits had internal pauses, others used extra-long dashes ("long dash" worth six time units). It worked for skilled operators but was inconsistent across stations.

When the International Morse Code (later adopted by the ITU) was standardized in 1865 for the new continental telegraph lines, the numbers were rebuilt from scratch. Every digit became exactly five signals, a clean staircase from .---- to -----. This is the system we use today — on amateur radio, in aviation identifiers, in maritime distress calls, and in every modern Morse trainer.

The five-signal rule was a deliberate choice: letters use one to four signals, so the moment an operator hears a fifth element in a single character they know it’s a digit. That cognitive shortcut still saves time in fast CW copying today.

Morse Code Numbers — Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

0 = ----- , 1 = .---- , 2 = ..--- , 3 = ...-- , 4 = ....- , 5 = ..... , 6 = -.... , 7 = --... , 8 = ---.. , 9 = ----. . Every digit uses exactly five signals.

Keep Learning

Alphabet A–Z Numbers 0-9 Punctuations ProSigns Q-Codes Learning Guide Practice Game Full Translator