# X mark
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/X_mark
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/X_mark.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_mark
> Source revision: 1356091750
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Short description|Symbol with multiple meanings}}
{{distinguish|Crossmark|CrossMark|Mark X (disambiguation){{!}}Mark X|multiplication sign|X{{!}}the letter X}}
[[File:Uida mapa.jpg|thumb|An X mark marking the spot of the [wrecked](/source/shipwreck) ''[Whydah Gally](/source/Whydah_Gally)'' in [Cape Cod](/source/Cape_Cod)]]
An '''X mark''' (also known as an '''ex mark''' or a '''cross mark''' or simply an '''X''' or '''ex''' or a '''cross''') is either used to indicate the concept of negation (for example "no, this has not been verified", "no, that is not the correct answer" or "no, I do not agree"), or indicate affirmation (for example, in election [ballot papers](/source/Ballot), legal documents, or [map](/source/map)s as an [x-marks-the-spot](/source/x_marks_the_spot_(disambiguation))). When used to mean "no," its opposite is often considered to be the [O mark](/source/marujirushi) used in [Japan](/source/Japan) and [Korea](/source/Korea) or the [check mark](/source/check_mark) (✓) used in the West. When used to mean "yes," it is often completely interchangeable with a check mark. In Japanese, the X mark (❌) is called "batsu" (ばつ) and can be expressed by someone by crossing their arms.[{{Cite web|url=http://genkienglish.net/marubatsu.htm|title=What is Maru Batsu?|website=genkienglish.net|access-date=2016-07-23}}]
{{SpecialChars}}
It is also used as a replacement for a [signature](/source/signature) for a person who is blind or [illiterate](/source/illiterate) and thus cannot write their name.[{{cite web | url=http://www.notarypublicstamps.com/blog/2013/12/notarizing-blind-illiterate-individuals/ | title=Notarizing for Blind and Illiterate Individuals | publisher=American Association of Notaries | date=December 2, 2013 | access-date=5 June 2014}}] Typically, the writing of an X used for this purpose must be witnessed to be valid.
Contrary to the negation or negative perception delegated to the letter X, there is a significant resilience in the usage displayed by the letter's placement. This unique letter is also recognized as the symbol of multiplicity, the Roman numerical symbol for 10, and also the mark of a forgotten treasure. As a verb, to '''X''' (or '''ex''')[{{cite web|title=Definition of X at Merriam-Webster|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/x|work=[Merriam-Webster](/source/Merriam-Webster) |publisher=Merriam-Webster, Inc.|access-date=26 February 2014}}] '''off'''/'''out''' or to '''cross off'''/'''out''' means to add such a mark. It is quite common, especially on printed forms and document, for there to be squares in which to place x marks, or interchangeably checks.
It is traditionally used on maps to indicate locations, most famously on [treasure map](/source/treasure_map)s.{{Cn|date=March 2024}} It is also used as a set of three to mark jugs of [moonshine](/source/moonshine) for having completed all distillation steps, while additionally signifying its potency (as high as 150 [proof](/source/alcohol_proof)) relative to legal spirits, which rarely exceed 80 proof (40% ABV).
Among Native Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries, the X mark was used as a signature to denote presence or approval, particularly regarding agreements and treaties.[Lyons, Scott Richard. ''X-Marks: Native Signatures of Assent''. NED-New edition, University of Minnesota Press, 2010. ''JSTOR'', http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctttt4rt . Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.]
In the 21st century, the X mark started to be used to indicate collaborations between fashion brands.[{{cite journal |last1=Yotka |first1=Steff |title=When Every Brand Has a Collaboration, How Do You Make Yours Stand Out? Here Are 10 Lessons for 2019 |journal=Vogue |date=4 Dec 2018 |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/best-fashion-collaborations-brand-lessons |access-date=31 May 2024}}]
== Unicode ==
[Unicode](/source/Unicode) provides various related symbols, including:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Symbol || Unicode Code point (hex) || Name
|-
| ☐ || U+2610 || [BALLOT BOX](/source/ballot_box) ([checkbox](/source/checkbox))
|-
| ☒ || U+2612 || BALLOT BOX WITH X (square with cross)
|-
| ✗ || U+2717 || BALLOT X (cross)
|-
| ✘ || U+2718 || HEAVY BALLOT X (bold cross)
|}
The mark is generally rendered with a less symmetrical form than the following cross-shaped symbols:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Symbol || Unicode Code point (hex) || Name
|-
| X || U+0058 || [LATIN CAPITAL LETTER X](/source/X)
|-
| x || U+0078 || [LATIN SMALL LETTER X](/source/X)
|-
| × || U+00D7 || [MULTIPLICATION SIGN](/source/multiplication_sign), [Hybrid (biology)](/source/Hybrid_(biology)) (esp. [botany](/source/botany))
|-
| Χ || U+03A7 || [GREEK CAPITAL LETTER CHI](/source/Chi_(letter))
|-
| χ || U+03C7 || [GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI](/source/Chi_(letter))
|-
| Х || U+0425 || [CYRILLIC CAPITAL LETTER HA](/source/Kha_(Cyrillic))
|-
| х || U+0445 || [CYRILLIC SMALL LETTER HA](/source/Kha_(Cyrillic))
|-
| ⌧ || U+2327 || [X IN A RECTANGLE BOX](/source/X_IN_A_RECTANGLE_BOX)
|-
| ╳ || U+2573 || [BOX DRAWINGS](/source/Box_Drawing) LIGHT DIAGONAL CROSS
|-
| ☓ || U+2613 || [SALTIRE](/source/saltire) (St Andrew's Cross)
|-
| ✕ || U+2715 || [MULTIPLICATION X](/source/multiplication_sign)
|-
| ✖ || U+2716 || HEAVY MULTIPLICATION X
|-
| ❌ || U+274C || CROSS MARK
|-
| ❎ || U+274E || NEGATIVE SQUARED CROSS MARK
|-
| ⨉ || U+2A09 || [N-ARY TIMES OPERATOR](/source/variadic_function)
|-
| ⨯ || U+2A2F || [VECTOR](/source/vector_product) OR [CROSS PRODUCT](/source/cross_product)
|-
| 𝑥 || U+1D465 || MATHEMATICAL ITALIC SMALL X
|-
| 𝓍 || U+1D4CD || MATHEMATICAL SCRIPT SMALL X
|-
| 🗙 || U+1F5D9 || CANCELLATION X
|-
| 🗴 || U+1F5F4 || BALLOT SCRIPT X
|-
| 🞨 || U+1F7A8 || THIN SALTIRE
|-
| 🞩 || U+1F7A9 || LIGHT SALTIRE
|-
| 🞪 || U+1F7AA || MEDIUM SALTIRE
|-
| 🞫 || U+1F7AB || BOLD SALTIRE
|-
| 🞬 || U+1F7AC || HEAVY SALTIRE
|-
| 🞭 || U+1F7AD || VERY HEAVY SALTIRE
|-
| 🞮 || U+1F7AE || EXTREMELY HEAVY SALTIRE
|}
==See also==
* [Check mark](/source/Check_mark) ✓
* [Dagger (typography)](/source/Dagger_(typography)) † ‡
* [List of international common standards](/source/List_of_international_common_standards)
* [No symbol](/source/No_symbol) ⃠
* [Saltire](/source/Saltire)
* [Single-letter second-level domain](/source/Single-letter_second-level_domain)
* [Tally marks](/source/Tally_marks)
;Mathematics
* [Multiplication sign](/source/Multiplication_sign)
** [Cartesian product](/source/Cartesian_product)
** [Cross product](/source/Cross_product)
;Subcultures
* [Straight edge](/source/Straight_edge)
==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
Category:Cross symbols
Category:Mathematical symbols
Category:Typographical symbols
[it:Segno di spunta](/source/it%3ASegno_di_spunta)
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [X mark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_mark) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_mark?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.