Question

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I have a question.

You know those symbols for male and female?

The ones that look like a circle with a cross below it (female) or a circle with an arrow pointing up at an angle (male)?

Does anybody know what they are actually called?

Comments

Possible answer

Generally I think they are pictograms or glyphs. Specifically they are the symbols for the planet Venus (female) and Mars (male).

Danni R.

They're usually called

Angharad's picture

glyphs and were used in alchemy and astrology. Mars is the male sign with the circle and arrow above ♂, Venus, the circle with the cross below it, is the female principle.♀

Angharad

Mythology

Sammi's picture

Mars was the roman god of war (Ares being the Greek counterpart) the symbol with the circle and arrow above ♂ is thought to depict a shield and a spear.
Venus♀, the circle with the cross below it, is also known to have been used in alchemy to denote copper.
And both are thought to be derived from the contractions from the Greek script of the Greek names of the planets


"REMEMBER, No matter where you go, There you are."

Sammi xxx

does this mean?

shadowsblade's picture

does this mean?

that all this time, earth has been the 3rd wheel on a date between mars and Venus all this time? or is earth that fellow friend that has to hear all the BS they spout out and not say anything to the other?

then is that asteroid belt, between mars and Jupiter.? Whats left of the last guy or girl in a love triangle?

who knows!

Proud member of the Whateley Academy Drow clan/collective

in between

Patricia Marie Allen's picture

Earth is in between Mars and Venus, which is where most of us are, in between; some closer to Mars and a lot closer to Venus.

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann

Cross

Shield and spear, yes, and the Venus symbol is a hand mirror and a comb held across the handle.