Morse code alphabet
J in Morse Code
The letter J in Morse code is .--- — spoken "di-dah-dah-dah". Press play to hear it, flash it as light, or copy the code.
What does .--- mean in Morse code?
.--- is the letter J in International Morse code. The code is made of 1 dit (short) and 3 dahs (long), which is why it is read aloud as "di-dah-dah-dah". It takes 13 time units to send — at a standard 20 words per minute that is roughly 780 milliseconds.
J is the only letter that starts with a single dit and then three dahs, and at four symbols it is one of the longest letters. It was added relatively late — the original American Morse had a different J.
How J is timed
Morse timing is built from one unit — the length of a dit. A dah is three units, and there is one silent unit between the symbols of a letter. Here is J drawn to scale:
How to remember J
Say the phrase in-JAWS JAWS JAWS to the rhythm of the code — the stressed syllables are the dahs, the rest are dits. Hear it a few times with the player above and the phrase will come back by itself.
Easy to confuse with
When you are learning by ear, these codes sound close to J:
Words that start with J
J at a glance
| Morse code | .--- |
|---|---|
| Spoken | di-dah-dah-dah |
| Symbols | 1 dit, 3 dahs |
| Length | 13 units · ≈780 ms at 20 WPM |
| NATO phonetic | Juliett |
| Frequency in English | ≈0.15% — #23 of 26 letters |
| Position in alphabet | 10 of 26 |
| Reversed | ---. (unused) |
Frequently asked questions
How do you write J in Morse code?
The letter J is written .--- — 1 dit and 3 dahs. Spoken aloud it is "di-dah-dah-dah".
What does .--- mean in Morse code?
.--- is the letter J J in International Morse code. If you see or hear "dit dah dah dah", it stands for J.How long does J take to send?
J lasts 13 time units (a dit is 1 unit, a dah is 3, with 1 unit between symbols). At 20 WPM that is about 780 ms; at a beginner speed of 12 WPM about 1300 ms — plus a 3-unit pause before the next character.
What is the NATO phonetic word for J?
In the NATO phonetic alphabet J is "Juliett". Radio operators often say the word and then send .--- so the letter cannot be misheard.