Goodnight in Morse Code
"Goodnight" in Morse code is --. --- --- -.. -. .. --. .... - as one word, or --. --- --- -.. / -. .. --. .... - when you write "good night" as two.
--. --- --- -.. -. .. --. .... -
1 word, 11 dots and 13 dashes.
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Goodnight
Morse Beacon32 beads · pattern is 11.4 in (290 mm) long.
Longer than a 7 in bracelet. Try smaller beads.
Pattern estimate only; allow extra cord for knots and fastenings.
PNG · 1200 px wide · no watermark
Introduction
Goodnight in Morse code uses the same 24 signals whether you write it as one word or two. The only difference is the pause after the D: three units for "goodnight," seven for "good night." At 10 WPM the one-word version runs about 10.7 seconds. Radio operators skip most of it and send GN, a five-signal goodnight.
Letter by letter
Goodnight or good night: what changes
Merriam-Webster lists the phrase as "good night," two words, while "goodnight" is the spelling most people type into a text. Morse handles both, and the signals do not change.
| Spelling | Code | 10 WPM | 20 WPM | Bracelet pieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| goodnight | --. --- --- -.. -. .. --. .... - | 10.7 s | 5.3 s | 24 beads, 8 spacers |
| good night | --. --- --- -.. / -. .. --. .... - | 11.2 s | 5.6 s | 24 beads, 7 spacers, 1 ring |
| GN | --. -. | 2.0 s | 1.0 s | 5 beads, 1 spacer |
By ear, the two-word version has one clearly longer silence between GOOD and NIGHT. On jewelry, a ring replaces one spacer, so the piece count stays at 32.
GN: the radio operator's goodnight
Amateur radio operators abbreviate common words on CW, and GN appears in their published abbreviation lists as "good night." It sits beside GM (good morning) and GE (good evening).
One list also gives GN as "gone," so the meaning comes from context. At the end of a late conversation, it reads as goodnight.
One of those lists also gives 88 for "love and kisses." A bedtime message to a partner could be GN 88 (--. -. / ---.. ---..).
Sending goodnight at bedtime
A short flash works well between bedrooms, across a yard, or to a kid's window.
- Choose GN for a quick signal, or the full word if they are still learning.
- Set the speed chip to 10 WPM; a dot then lasts 0.12 seconds, long enough to see.
- Press Flash, or open the Morse code light page to use your phone's flashlight on supported phones.
- Point the light at their window and wait for a reply.
Prefer touch to light? Practice the rhythm on the Morse code tapper and tap it on a wall.
In light, the gap between GOOD and NIGHT is easy to miss. If the receiver reads "goodnight" as one word, the message still lands, so do not worry about which form they decode.
Related phrases
Questions people ask
Is goodnight one word or two in Morse code?
Either works. The 24 signals are identical; "good night" adds a seven-unit word gap after the D, written as a slash.
What does GN mean in Morse code?
GN means "good night" in amateur radio shorthand, sent as --. -. . Some lists also give "gone," so context decides.
How long does goodnight take to send?
About 10.7 seconds at 10 WPM and 5.3 seconds at 20 WPM as one word. GN alone takes about 2 seconds at 10 WPM.
How do I decode a goodnight message someone sent me?
Paste the dots and dashes into the Morse code decoder. For a sound recording, try the audio translator. Look up unfamiliar short forms in the abbreviations list.
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