Genogram Symbols: The Complete Key
Genograms use a standardized set of symbols so that anyone can read them the same way. Shapes show each person, the lines between them show relationships, and shading records health and behavioral patterns. Here is the complete key, grouped by what each symbol does.
Individuals & gender
Every person is a shape. The base shape encodes sex, while inner shapes, triangles, and outlines record gender identity, orientation, and special roles.
A square represents a male family member.
A circle represents a female family member.
A triangle is used when a person's sex is unknown.
A circle inside a square marks a transgender man.
A square inside a circle marks a transgender woman.
A downward triangle inside a square marks a gay man.
A downward triangle inside a circle marks a lesbian woman.
A dashed inner triangle in a square marks a bisexual man.
A dashed inner triangle in a circle marks a bisexual woman.
A double outline marks the subject the genogram is built around.
A diamond represents a pet or animal in the family.
A house shape stands for a care home, agency, or institution.
A sprout above the shape marks someone of multiple cultures.
A double sprout above the shape marks an immigrant.
Dates, age & death
Birth years, current age, and death are written on the person's shape so a lifespan can be read at a glance.
The birth year sits above the shape and the current age inside it.
Corner crosses mark a death; the age at death stays inside.
Birth and death years above, with age at death inside the shape.
An X inside the shape shows the person has died.
Relationship lines
Horizontal lines join partners. The line's style and color show the type of union, and slashes mark a separation or divorce.
A solid line shows a legal or committed marriage.
A dashed line shows an engaged but not yet married couple.
A dashed line with a house marks unmarried partners living together.
A dash-dot line with a house marks a registered partnership.
A dotted line shows a casual relationship or dating.
A long-dashed line marks a love affair.
A single backslash across the line indicates a de facto separation.
A single slash across the line marks a legal separation.
Two slashes across the line indicate a divorce.
A dashed line with a house marks an engaged, cohabiting couple.
A dashed line with a slash marks a broken engagement.
A dashed line, house, and slash mark separated cohabitants.
A dash-dot line with a slash marks a dissolved partnership.
A dotted line with a slash marks an ended casual relationship.
Children & pregnancy
Children hang from the couple's line. The connector and shape show how each child joined the family, plus pregnancies and losses.
A solid vertical line connects a biological child.
A dashed connector marks an adopted child.
A dotted connector marks a foster child.
Two lines from one point show fraternal (non-identical) twins.
A bar joining the twins marks them as identical.
Three lines from one point show triplets.
A triangle marks a current pregnancy.
A small crossed triangle marks a miscarriage.
A crossed triangle with a bar marks an induced abortion.
A small crossed square marks a male stillbirth.
A small crossed circle marks a female stillbirth.
Emotional relationships
A second layer of lines records how people feel about each other. Green ties are positive, red are strained, and arrows point at the focus of a behavior.
A fine dotted line shows an indifferent, apathetic tie.
A dashed line shows a distant or poor relationship.
Two bars across the line mark a cutoff or estrangement.
A red dashed line shows discord or conflict.
Three red dashed lines show hatred.
A solid green line shows a harmonious relationship.
A green dashed line shows friendship or closeness.
A thick green band shows a very close, best-friend bond.
A green line with a ring shows love.
A green line with two rings shows being in love.
Three red lines show an enmeshed or fused relationship.
A red ladder of bars across the line shows distrust.
A red jagged line shows hostility.
A straight line overlaid with a red jag shows distant hostility.
A double line with a jag shows a close but hostile tie.
Triple lines with a jag show a fused, hostile relationship.
A sharp red jagged line shows violence.
A straight line overlaid with a sharp red jag shows distant violence.
A double line with a sharp jag shows close violence.
An arrow shows one person focused on another.
A jagged arrow shows a negative focus on another person.
A jagged line marks an abusive relationship.
A jagged arrow marks physical abuse directed at a person.
A jagged arrow marks emotional abuse directed at a person.
A dense jagged line marks sexual abuse directed at a person.
A dashed arrow marks neglect directed at a person.
A crossed box on the line means the two never met.
A red cross on the line marks a manipulative tie.
A red crossed box marks a controlling relationship.
A ring near one person marks a fan or admirer.
Two rings near one person mark limerence or infatuation.
Medical & behavioral markers
Shading inside a person's shape records health and behavioral information. Colors and quadrants are assigned in a key.
A fully shaded shape flags a physical illness.
A left-half fill flags a mental health condition.
A split fill flags both a mental and a physical condition.
A bottom-half fill flags substance use or addiction.
A bottom quadrant fill marks recovery from addiction.
A dashed outline flags a suspected or at-risk condition.
Get the printable symbols key
A one-page, branded reference with every symbol on this page: individuals, relationship lines, emotional bonds, children, and medical markers. Print it for class, or keep it open while you build.
Download the Genogram Symbols PDFBuild a genogram with these symbols, automatically
Describe your family in plain English and Genogenie places the right symbols for you. No legend memorizing required.
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Genogram symbols FAQ
Quick answers to the questions people ask most about reading and using genogram symbols.
What do the symbols in a genogram mean?
Each symbol is a shorthand for a person or a relationship. Shapes show individuals (square for male, circle for female), the lines between them show how people are connected (marriage, divorce, biological children), and a second layer of lines records emotional bonds like close, distant, or estranged.
What is the difference between a male and a female symbol?
A male is drawn as a square and a female as a circle. People whose gender is unknown are shown as a triangle, and a non-binary or gender-diverse person is shown as a diamond. The identified or index person is drawn with a heavier double outline.
How do you show divorce on a genogram?
Draw the marriage line between the two partners, then place two short slashes across it. A single slash indicates separation, while two slashes indicate divorce. A dashed or dotted line instead shows cohabitation or engagement rather than marriage.
How do you show that someone has died?
Place an X inside that person's square or circle. The shape and connecting lines stay the same, so the person still appears in the family structure with their relationships intact.
Is there a printable genogram symbols key?
Yes. You can download the full Genogram Symbols PDF from this page and print it, or use it as a quick reference while you build your own genogram with the free Genogenie maker.