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Technical AnalysisIntermediate

Marubozu

A marubozu is a candle with little or no wick, meaning it opened at one extreme and closed at the other — one side controlled the whole period.

A marubozu is a long Candlestick with no shadow, or almost none. The open sits at one end of the range and the close at the other, so one side pushed price the whole session. Traders read it as a sign of strong buying or selling pressure.

Category
Technical Analysis
Reading time
3 min
Also called
Bald candle, Shaven candle, White marubozu
Updated

Marubozu in plain words

A marubozu is a candle with no wick at the open, the close or both ends.1

The name suits it: “marubozu” is Japanese for bald.2

In a white marubozu the open is the low and the close is the high; a black one opens at the high and closes at the low.3

How to read a marubozu

  1. Check the shadows

    Look for a body with little or no wick at either end.1

  2. Find the colour

    White or green means buyers ran the session; black or red means sellers did.

  3. Compare the length

    A marubozu matters more when its body is long against recent candles.

  4. Read the location

    Patterns at key support or resistance levels carry significantly more weight.4

  5. Watch the next candle

    See whether the following session continues the move or stalls.

  6. Plan the risk

    Set a hypothetical stop beyond the other end of the candle before you act.

Worked examples

Example 1 — White marubozu

Buyers in control

A hypothetical stock opens at 50 and closes at 54, which is also the high; the low is 50.

Example 1 — White marubozu — calculation
Open = low50
Close = high54

Open equals low and close equals high, so it is a white marubozu, a sign buyers controlled the session.3

Example 2 — Black marubozu

Sellers in control

A hypothetical index opens at 200, the high, and closes at 192, the low.

Example 2 — Black marubozu — calculation
Open = high200
Close = low192

Open equals high and close equals low, which defines a black marubozu.3

Example 3 — Mid-range candle

Treat with caution

A hypothetical long white candle forms in the middle of a range, far from support or resistance.

Example 3 — Mid-range candle — calculation
ShadowsNone
ContextWeak

A pattern appearing mid-trend without supporting context carries less weight than one at key levels.4

Marubozu vs other candles

AspectMarubozuDoji
BodyLong, full rangeTiny
ShadowsNone or almost noneCan be long
MessageOne side in controlIndecision
Typical useMomentumTurn warnings

Where traders use it

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • Easy to see on a chart.
  • Shows clearly which side controlled the session.
  • Works on any timeframe.
  • Useful as confirmation for other signals.

Disadvantages

  • One candle is a small sample.
  • Very long candles can mean an exhausted move.
  • Definitions of 'no shadow' vary between platforms.
  • Gaps can follow and erase the move.

Going deeper

Read as far as you need. Each level builds on the one before it.

Bald candles

Beginner

With no hair-like wicks, the candle looks bald — hence the name.2

Strength

Intermediate

Marubozu candles are seen as an especially strong form of long candle.3 A bald green candle shows clear buying conviction.2

Context first

Advanced

A pattern backed by indicators or volume counts for much more than the same shape in the middle of a trend with nothing to support it.4

Common mistakes

  1. Trading every bald candle

    Check where it formed first.

  2. Ignoring the timeframe

    A five-minute marubozu means less than a daily one.

  3. Chasing after a huge candle

    Entry far from the stop raises risk.

  4. Skipping a stop

    Plan the exit before entry.

Check your understanding

Test yourself before moving on. Each answer comes with an explanation.

Q1A candle opens at its low and closes at its high. What is it?
Q2Where does a marubozu carry the most weight?

Key points to remember

  1. A marubozu has little or no shadow.
  2. The name means bald in Japanese.
  3. White means buyers controlled the session.
  4. Black means sellers controlled it.
  5. Context and confirmation still matter.

Frequently asked questions

Is a marubozu bullish or bearish?

White is bullish, black is bearish.

Must it have zero shadow?

Ideally yes; many traders accept a very small one.

Is it a reversal pattern?

It is mostly read as strength, but at key levels it can mark a turn.

Further learning

Sources

This article is written in our own words. The sources below support the specific facts, rules and figures marked with a number in the text. Links open the original publisher’s page.

  1. StockCharts ChartSchool. Candlestick Pattern Dictionary (opens in a new tab) Checked .
  2. IG. Japanese Candlesticks: What They Are + How to Trade (opens in a new tab) Checked .
  3. StockCharts ChartSchool. Introduction to Candlesticks (opens in a new tab) Checked .
  4. IG. 16 Candlestick Patterns Every Trader Should Know (opens in a new tab) Checked .

Read more elsewhere

Educational content, not financial advice. Examples use hypothetical prices and simplified costs; actual fees, margin rules and regulations vary by broker, market and country. Trading Metrics is our sister site, under the same ownership; we are not affiliated with any other publisher linked above. Last reviewed . Report an error or request a source credit.