Indecision signal · 1-candle pattern

Doji candlestick pattern

A doji is a candle that opens and closes at almost the same price, so its body is a thin line between the wicks. It is the clearest picture of indecision on a chart.

An illustration, not a real trade. The highlighted candles are the Doji, with a few candles of lead-in before it.

How to spot a Doji

  • The open and close are nearly equal, so the body is tiny or just a line.
  • It can have wicks above, below or both. The wicks show how far each side pushed before the price came back.
  • It matters most after a strong move, when a pause is notable.

Memory tip: Look for a body so thin it is almost a line.

What it usually means

Buyers and sellers fought to a draw. After a long rise or fall, that pause can come before a slowdown or reversal, but it can just as easily be a rest before the trend continues.

What traders wait for

Wait for the next candle. A strong close in one direction after the doji gives the pause a direction. A doji by itself does not.

Common mistakes

  • Treating every doji as a reversal signal. In a quiet, sideways market they are everywhere and mean little.
  • Ignoring the candles around it. Where the doji forms (after a trend, at a level) matters more than the shape.
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Questions people ask

What is a Doji candlestick?

A doji is a candle that opens and closes at almost the same price, so its body is a thin line between the wicks. It is the clearest picture of indecision on a chart.

How do you spot a Doji?

The open and close are nearly equal, so the body is tiny or just a line. It can have wicks above, below or both. The wicks show how far each side pushed before the price came back. It matters most after a strong move, when a pause is notable.

Is a Doji bullish or bearish?

It is usually read as neutral (indecision). Buyers and sellers fought to a draw. After a long rise or fall, that pause can come before a slowdown or reversal, but it can just as easily be a rest before the trend continues.

Is a Doji reliable on its own?

No pattern is a guarantee. Wait for the next candle. A strong close in one direction after the doji gives the pause a direction. A doji by itself does not. Always decide your risk before you act, and treat patterns as clues, not predictions.

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Candlr is educational. Candlestick patterns describe what price did, they do not predict what it will do next, and nothing here is financial advice. Trading involves a high risk of loss.