The candlestick body is the rectangular part of a candle spanning from the open to the close. When the close is above the open, the body is bullish; when below, bearish. It records the net directional displacement of that time window.
How it works
A longer body means a larger net move from open to close. It does not mean the window was calm: price may have moved violently in between.
The body connects to the wicks: the open-to-close range is the body, and anything beyond it becomes the upper or lower shadow.
Why it matters
The body is the quickest visual summary of who ended the window ahead.
But it is only one part of the candle. A bullish body with a long upper wick means something different from a bullish body with a long lower wick, even though both close above the open.
A simple market example
A stock opens at $100 and closes at $105 with a small range in between: the body is a net +5 move. If it instead dipped to $96 and rallied to $106 before closing at $105, the body is still +5, but the battle inside the window was far more violent.
Common mistakes
Reading a long body as evidence that the move will continue. A long body at an extreme can precede a reversal.
Ignoring the wicks. The body shows the result, but the shadows show how contested the window really was.
Frequently asked questions
Does a long body always mean strong momentum?
It shows strong net displacement in that window, but momentum is about what comes next, which requires context beyond one candle.
How is the body different from the wick?
The body is open-to-close net movement; the wick is the distance price explored beyond that and was rejected.
What makes a body bullish or bearish?
Only the direction of the close relative to the open. Close above open is bullish; close below is bearish.
Educational content only. Definitions describe common market usage and may vary by jurisdiction, instrument, or institution.