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Candlestick Patterns Guide - 35+ Examples & Interactive Quiz

Learn candlestick psychology, 35+ bullish & bearish patterns, quick-reference table and free interactive quiz—all updated for 2025 traders.

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Pattern Categories

Explore candlestick patterns organized by their market significance and trading applications

Hammer

Bullish Reversal High Reliability

A hammer appears at the bottom of a downtrend, featuring a small body with a long lower shadow. It signals potential bullish reversal when found at support levels.

Structure: Small body, long lower shadow (2x body), minimal upper shadow
Psychology: Bears pushed price down but bulls regained control
Confirmation: Next candle closes above hammer's high

Shooting Star

Bearish Reversal High Reliability

A shooting star forms at the top of an uptrend with a small body and long upper shadow. It indicates potential bearish reversal when found at resistance levels.

Structure: Small body, long upper shadow (2x body), minimal lower shadow
Psychology: Bulls pushed higher but bears regained control
Confirmation: Next candle closes below shooting star's low

Bullish Engulfing

Bullish Reversal Very High

A two-candle pattern where a large bullish candle completely engulfs the previous bearish candle. Strong reversal signal in downtrends.

Structure: Small bearish candle followed by large bullish candle
Psychology: Shift from bearish to bullish sentiment
Confirmation: Volume increase on engulfing candle

Bearish Engulfing

Bearish Reversal Very High

A large bearish candle that completely engulfs the previous bullish candle. Powerful reversal signal at the top of uptrends.

Structure: Small bullish candle followed by large bearish candle
Psychology: Shift from bullish to bearish sentiment
Confirmation: Break below previous support levels

Morning Star

Bullish Reversal Very High

A three-candle pattern consisting of a bearish candle, small-bodied candle (doji/spinning top), and a bullish candle. Strong reversal signal at market bottoms.

Structure: Bearish → Small body → Bullish candle sequence
Psychology: Selling exhaustion followed by buying pressure
Confirmation: Third candle closes above first candle's midpoint

Evening Star

Bearish Reversal Very High

A three-candle bearish reversal pattern: bullish candle, small-bodied candle, then bearish candle. Signals trend exhaustion at market tops.

Structure: Bullish → Small body → Bearish candle sequence
Psychology: Buying exhaustion followed by selling pressure
Confirmation: Third candle closes below first candle's midpoint

Inverted Hammer

Bullish Reversal Medium to High

Similar to shooting star but appears at market bottoms. Long upper shadow with small body signals potential bullish reversal when buyers step in.

Structure: Small body, long upper shadow, minimal lower shadow
Psychology: Selling pressure met with buying support
Confirmation: Next candle closes above inverted hammer's high

Hanging Man

Bearish Reversal Medium to High

Similar to hammer but appears at market tops. Long lower shadow with small body suggests selling pressure is building despite higher prices.

Structure: Small body, long lower shadow, minimal upper shadow
Psychology: Bulls losing control, bears testing lower
Confirmation: Next candle closes below hanging man's low

Piercing Pattern

Bullish Reversal High Reliability

A bullish candle that opens below the previous bearish candle's low and closes above its midpoint. Strong reversal signal in downtrends.

Structure: Bearish candle followed by bullish candle closing above midpoint
Psychology: Selling exhaustion meets strong buying pressure
Confirmation: Bullish candle closes above 50% of previous candle

Dark Cloud Cover

Bearish Reversal High Reliability

A bearish candle that opens above the previous bullish candle's high and closes below its midpoint. Indicates selling pressure at market tops.

Structure: Bullish candle followed by bearish candle closing below midpoint
Psychology: Buying exhaustion meets aggressive selling
Confirmation: Bearish candle closes below 50% of previous candle

Tweezer Tops

Bearish Reversal Medium Reliability

Two or more candles with similar highs that test the same resistance level. Shows rejection at key price levels and potential trend reversal.

Structure: Multiple candles with nearly identical highs
Psychology: Strong resistance at key level prevents further upside
Confirmation: Break below the pattern's lows with volume

Tweezer Bottoms

Bullish Reversal Medium Reliability

Two or more candles with similar lows that test the same support level. Indicates strong support and potential bullish reversal.

Structure: Multiple candles with nearly identical lows
Psychology: Strong support prevents further downside
Confirmation: Break above the pattern's highs with volume

Bullish Harami

Bullish Reversal Medium Reliability

A small bullish candle completely contained within the previous large bearish candle. "Harami" means pregnant in Japanese, suggesting new trend birth.

Structure: Large bearish candle followed by small contained bullish candle
Psychology: Selling momentum slows, buyers start entering
Confirmation: Break above first candle's high

Bearish Harami

Bearish Reversal Medium Reliability

A small bearish candle completely contained within the previous large bullish candle. Indicates potential trend change from bullish to bearish.

Structure: Large bullish candle followed by small contained bearish candle
Psychology: Buying momentum slows, sellers start entering
Confirmation: Break below first candle's low

Morning Doji Star

Bullish Reversal Very High Reliability

A three-candle pattern with a large bearish candle, followed by a doji star that gaps down, and then a large bullish candle. More reliable than regular Morning Star.

Structure: Large bearish, gap down doji star, large bullish
Psychology: Indecision at bottom leads to bullish reversal
Trading: Enter on bullish confirmation with stop below doji low

Evening Doji Star

Bearish Reversal Very High Reliability

A three-candle pattern with a large bullish candle, followed by a doji star that gaps up, and then a large bearish candle. More reliable than regular Evening Star.

Structure: Large bullish, gap up doji star, large bearish
Psychology: Indecision at top leads to bearish reversal
Trading: Enter on bearish confirmation with stop above doji high

Bullish Harami Cross

Bullish Reversal High Reliability

A two-candle pattern where a doji is completely contained within the previous large bearish candle. Shows strong indecision after selling pressure.

Structure: Large bearish candle followed by contained doji
Psychology: Selling exhaustion leads to indecision and potential reversal
Trading: Wait for bullish confirmation before entering

Bearish Harami Cross

Bearish Reversal High Reliability

A two-candle pattern where a doji is completely contained within the previous large bullish candle. Shows strong indecision after buying pressure.

Structure: Large bullish candle followed by contained doji
Psychology: Buying exhaustion leads to indecision and potential reversal
Trading: Wait for bearish confirmation before entering

Three Inside Up

Bullish Reversal High Reliability

A three-candle pattern starting with a bullish harami followed by a bullish confirmation candle that closes above the first candle's high.

Structure: Large bearish, small bullish harami, bullish confirmation
Psychology: Selling pressure weakens, then buyers take control
Trading: Enter on confirmation candle close with stop below pattern low

Three Inside Down

Bearish Reversal High Reliability

A three-candle pattern starting with a bearish harami followed by a bearish confirmation candle that closes below the first candle's low.

Structure: Large bullish, small bearish harami, bearish confirmation
Psychology: Buying pressure weakens, then sellers take control
Trading: Enter on confirmation candle close with stop above pattern high

Abandoned Baby (Bullish)

Bullish Reversal Very High Reliability

A rare three-candle pattern with a doji that gaps away from both surrounding candles, creating an "island" at the bottom of a downtrend.

Structure: Large bearish, isolated doji, large bullish
Psychology: Complete abandonment of selling leads to strong reversal
Trading: Very reliable signal - enter on bullish confirmation

Abandoned Baby (Bearish)

Bearish Reversal Very High Reliability

A rare three-candle pattern with a doji that gaps away from both surrounding candles, creating an "island" at the top of an uptrend.

Structure: Large bullish, isolated doji, large bearish
Psychology: Complete abandonment of buying leads to strong reversal
Trading: Very reliable signal - enter on bearish confirmation

Kicking (Bullish)

Bullish Reversal Very High Reliability

Two consecutive marubozu candles in opposite directions with a gap between them. Shows immediate and decisive sentiment change.

Structure: Bearish marubozu followed by gap up bullish marubozu
Psychology: Sudden shift from bearish to bullish dominance
Trading: Strong reversal signal - enter immediately on pattern completion

Kicking (Bearish)

Bearish Reversal Very High Reliability

Two consecutive marubozu candles in opposite directions with a gap between them. Shows immediate and decisive sentiment change.

Structure: Bullish marubozu followed by gap down bearish marubozu
Psychology: Sudden shift from bullish to bearish dominance
Trading: Strong reversal signal - enter immediately on pattern completion

Interactive Pattern Recognition

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Trading Applications

Entry Signals

Use reversal patterns like hammer and engulfing patterns to identify optimal entry points at trend changes.

  • Wait for pattern confirmation
  • Combine with support/resistance levels
  • Use appropriate position sizing

Risk Management

Set stop losses based on pattern structure and use pattern failure as exit signals.

  • Place stops beyond pattern extremes
  • Exit if pattern fails to confirm
  • Adjust position size based on pattern reliability

Market Psychology

Understand the sentiment behind patterns to better predict market movements.

  • Analyze volume with pattern formation
  • Consider market context and trends
  • Watch for pattern clusters at key levels

Time Frames

Apply patterns across different time frames for multi-timeframe analysis.

  • Higher timeframes = stronger signals
  • Use lower timeframes for precise entries
  • Align patterns across multiple timeframes

Quick Reference Guide

Pattern
Type
Reliability
Best Context
Confirmation
Hammer
Bullish Reversal
High
Downtrend bottom
Next candle breaks high
Shooting Star
Bearish Reversal
High
Uptrend top
Next candle breaks low
Bullish Engulfing
Bullish Reversal
Very High
Downtrend/Support
Volume increase
Bearish Engulfing
Bearish Reversal
Very High
Uptrend/Resistance
Volume increase
Doji
Indecision
Context Dependent
Any trend
Next candle direction
Morning Star
Bullish Reversal
Very High
Strong downtrend
Third candle confirmation
Inverted Hammer
Bullish Reversal
Medium-High
Downtrend bottom
Next candle breaks high
Piercing Pattern
Bullish Reversal
High
Downtrend/Support
Closes above 50% of prev candle
Dark Cloud Cover
Bearish Reversal
High
Uptrend/Resistance
Closes below 50% of prev candle
Tweezer Tops/Bottoms
Reversal
Medium
Key support/resistance
Break of pattern levels
Rising Three Methods
Bullish Continuation
High
Strong uptrend
Final candle new highs
Harami
Reversal
Medium
After strong moves
Break outside pattern range

Candlestick Patterns FAQ

Expert answers to common questions about candlestick pattern trading

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