A Marubozu is a candlestick characterized by a large real body and little or no upper and lower shadows. It can indicate strong directional price movement during a candle period, although its interpretation depends on the preceding trend, market context, and subsequent price action.
A strong candle does not guarantee that the next candle will continue in the same direction.
Explore the PatternMarubozu is a Japanese candlestick term commonly used for a candle with a large real body and little or no shadow. Here is the idea in simple language.
The traded range extends beyond the open and close at both ends.
Opens near the low, closes near the high, with no visible shadows.
Opens near the high, closes near the low, with no visible shadows.
Dotted guide lines show where each candle begins and ends. In a classic full Marubozu, the body fills the entire range.
Thresholds vary. Some charting platforms and educational sources use slightly different thresholds for near-Marubozu candles. There is no single numerical rule that applies across the whole industry.
Colors here only help you tell the drawings apart. The shape and the context matter, not the color.
Some classifications distinguish candles with a shadow at one end but not the other:
Terminology and exact definitions vary across educational sources and markets.
Three steps within a single candle period. Both a bullish and a bearish version are shown in each step.
The candle period begins at or near one extreme of its trading range.
Price moves predominantly upward or downward during the period.
Price finishes near the opposite extreme, leaving little or no shadow at one or both ends.
Two idealized candles built from hypothetical prices. They do not represent a live market or an actual security.
| Candle | Open | High | Low | Close |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bullish | ₹100.00 | ₹110.00 | ₹100.00 | ₹110.00 |
| Bearish | ₹110.00 | ₹110.00 | ₹100.00 | ₹100.00 |
Hypothetical values only. They do not represent a live market or an actual security.
Open equals the low and close equals the high, making this an idealized full Bullish Marubozu.
Open equals the high and close equals the low, making this an idealized full Bearish Marubozu.
Enter the OHLC values of one candle to see its structure measured. The thresholds below are illustrative rules for this calculator, not universal industry standards. This tool describes candle structure only. It gives no buy or sell advice and no prediction of future prices.
Bullish Marubozu-like structure
Educational structure check only. It is not a trading signal or a prediction.
These are possible interpretations, not guaranteed predictions.
A Bullish Marubozu may reflect strong upward momentum during the candle period. However, an extended move may also be followed by consolidation or a pullback.
A Bearish Marubozu may reflect strong selling pressure during the candle period. It does not guarantee that the decline will continue.
A Marubozu near a relevant price zone may be worth examining alongside the broader chart, but price levels can fail and a large candle can move through a zone without establishing a lasting trend.
A large-bodied candle may accompany a breakout from a trading range. Breakouts can fail, and the candle alone cannot establish whether the move is sustainable.
Tick each point as you work through it. The ticks are only for your own reference on this page.
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A large candle can occur during news-driven volatility, and confirmation can fail. A move that looks convincing on one candle may fade on the next.
No single candle guarantees continued momentum. Treat a Marubozu as one piece of evidence to examine with the rest of the chart, not as an answer on its own.
These patterns describe candle structures and should be interpreted within market context.
| Pattern | Main visual feature | Common interpretation | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
Marubozu |
Large real body with little or no shadow. | Strong directional movement during the candle period, upward if bullish and downward if bearish. | Does not predict continuation by itself, and thresholds vary across sources. |
Doji |
Open and close are equal or very close, producing an extremely small real body. | Often read as a balance between buyers and sellers during the period. | Meaning depends heavily on context, and shadow lengths vary widely. |
Spinning Top |
Small real body with upper and lower shadows. | Often read as price moving in both directions with no clear winner in the period. | A common shape that is weak on its own, and “small” has no single definition. |
Hammer |
Small real body near the upper part of the range and a relatively long lower shadow. | Commonly studied after a decline as a possible sign that lower prices were rejected. | Needs further evidence, does not guarantee a reversal, and “long” varies by source. |
A strong candle describes one period. The next candle may continue, pause, or reverse.
A large candle may accompany a breakout, but breakouts can fail. What price does afterwards matters.
The same candle can mean different things after a long rally, after a decline, or inside a range.
Opening, closing, and near-Marubozu candles differ in their shadows, and definitions vary by source.
A large candle on a thin or news-driven day, or on a different timeframe, can carry a different meaning.
Costs, position size, and the possibility of a reversal all matter. Plan for risk before acting.
A Marubozu is a candlestick with a large real body and little or no upper and lower shadows. It shows strong directional movement during the candle period.
Not by itself. It may reflect strong upward movement during the period, but future price action depends on market context and other factors.
A Bullish Marubozu closes above its open, with the open near the low and the close near the high. A Bearish Marubozu closes below its open, with the open near the high and the close near the low.
A classic full Marubozu has virtually no upper or lower shadows. Some commonly used variations have a small shadow at one end or both ends, depending on the classification convention.
Educational content only. Candlestick patterns do not guarantee future price movements and should not be used as the sole basis for investment or trading decisions. Markets involve risk. Conduct independent research and consider your financial circumstances before making financial decisions.
