Morse Code Numbers
Every number is five elements long — 1–5 start with dots, 6–0 start with dashes. Click a row to hear it.
| Number | Morse | Pattern |
|---|
Morse Code Numbers Chart
[INTERACTIVE TABLE: rows for 0–9, each showing digit, code (large), play-audio button, copy button]
Click any number to hear it.
The Pattern Behind the Numbers
Morse code numbers look intimidating until you see the system hiding inside them. Every digit uses exactly five signals — five dots, dashes, or a mix — and the ten digits split into two mirrored halves.
Digits 1 through 5 start with dots and fill the remaining signals with dashes:
- 1 — ·−−−− (one dot, four dashes)
- 2 — ··−−− (two dots, three dashes)
- 3 — ···−− (three dots, two dashes)
- 4 — ····− (four dots, one dash)
- 5 — ····· (five dots)
Digits 6 through 0 mirror the pattern, starting with dashes instead:
- 6 — −···· (one dash, four dots)
- 7 — −−··· (two dashes, three dots)
- 8 — −−−·· (three dashes, two dots)
- 9 — −−−−· (four dashes, one dot)
- 0 — −−−−− (five dashes)
Think of it as a countdown: the number of leading dots (or dashes) tells you the digit. 3 has three leading dots; 8 has three leading dashes. Once that clicks, you can reconstruct any digit from memory instead of memorizing ten separate codes — which is exactly why this pattern has survived since the 1860s. It was designed to be learnable by ear under pressure, not just readable on paper.
The fixed five-signal length also serves a practical purpose: numbers are instantly distinguishable from letters, which use one to four signals. At high receiving speeds, that uniform length is what keeps a string of digits from blurring into letters.
[Try these numbers in the translator → /]
Cut Numbers — the Shortcut
In fast operation, experienced operators shorten the longer digit codes. This is called using "cut numbers": 1 becomes ·−, 2 becomes ··−, 3 becomes ···−, and so on through 9 as −···. Zero is usually left alone or sent as a single long dash.
Cut numbers are a contest and high-speed telegraphy convention — don't use them when a beginner might be listening. For the full cut-number table and the prosigns operators pair them with, see the cut numbers reference.
Frequently asked questions
How do you write 5 in Morse code?
5 in Morse code is ····· — five dots. It follows the number pattern exactly: digits 1 through 5 begin with dots (one dot for 1, two for 2, all the way to five dots for 5), with dashes filling out the rest of the five signals.
Why do Morse numbers all have five signals?
Every digit uses exactly five dots and dashes so numbers stand out instantly from letters, which use one to four signals. That fixed length is what makes copying long strings of digits reliable at speed — your ear learns to expect the five-beat rhythm.
What is 0 in Morse code?
0 is −−−−− (five dashes) — the mirror image of 5's five dots. It completes the 6-to-0 half of the pattern, where digits lead with dashes instead of dots. Get the printable chart