What does a tick mark look like?

What does a tick mark look like? - briefly

A tick mark is a compact check‑shaped symbol, typically rendered as a short downward stroke followed by an upward slant, forming a V‑like figure (✔︎). It is commonly displayed in a single color—often green—to indicate approval or correctness.

What does a tick mark look like? - in detail

A tick mark is a short, angular line resembling a check. The primary stroke runs diagonally upward from left to right, forming a steep angle of approximately 45 ° to 60 °. A secondary, shorter stroke connects to the upper end of the first, extending downward toward the right, creating a “V” shape that is open on the left side. The overall figure occupies a compact area, typically fitting within a square whose side measures one to two millimetres when printed at standard resolution.

Key visual attributes include:

  • Line thickness: Uniform or slightly tapered, ranging from 0.5 pt to 1.5 pt in typographic settings.
  • Proportions: The longer diagonal is roughly twice the length of the shorter leg.
  • Orientation: The apex points upward and to the right; mirrored versions appear in left‑handed contexts.
  • Curvature: Most implementations are straight; some stylized versions add a subtle curve to soften the angle.
  • Color: Often black or dark gray on light backgrounds; high‑contrast colors (green, blue) are common for indicating approval.

Unicode supplies a standard character (U+2713) for the plain tick, while U+2714 represents a heavier variant. Font families differ in exact shape: serif fonts may render the strokes with modest serifs, whereas sans‑serif fonts produce clean, crisp lines. Graphic design tools allow customization of size, stroke weight, and rotation, enabling adaptation to specific layout requirements.

In practice, the symbol serves as a visual indicator of correctness, completion, or acceptance. Its recognizability stems from the simple geometry described above, which remains consistent across printed media, digital interfaces, and handwritten notes.