Gravestone Doji
A doji with a long upper wick and no lower wick, where open, low, and close cluster at the bottom.
Anatomy
A gravestone doji opens, lows, and closes at virtually the same price near the bottom, with a long upper wick and essentially no lower wick. It is the mirror image of the dragonfly and resembles a bodyless shooting star.
Market psychology
Buyers pushed price sharply higher intraday, but sellers reclaimed the entire advance and forced the close back to the open. It is a strong rejection of higher prices when it lands at resistance.
When it matters
A gravestone after an uptrend at resistance is a bearish reversal hint. In the middle of a trend or a flat range it is just indecision. As with all doji, the next candle confirms or denies the read.
Common beginner mistakes
- Reading it as bearish in any location — without an uptrend and resistance it is just a doji.
- Acting on the wick alone; wait for a confirming red candle before treating it as a top.
Frequently asked questions
Is a gravestone doji the same as a shooting star?
Nearly. Both have a long upper wick rejecting highs. The gravestone has essentially no body (open ≈ close ≈ low), while a shooting star has a small visible body. Both lean bearish at resistance after an uptrend.
What does a gravestone doji predict?
It does not predict; it warns. At resistance after an uptrend it signals that buyers failed to hold their gains. You confirm the bearish read with the next candle before acting.
Reveal real historical charts one candle at a time and practice recognizing this pattern in context.