Harami Patterns
Overview
A harami (Japanese for 'pregnant') is a two-candle pattern where a small candle is completely contained within the prior candle's body. A bullish harami appears in downtrends; a bearish harami in uptrends. Haramis signal fading momentum but require confirmation before trading.
Key Concepts
Small second candle contained within first candle's body, First candle should be large relative to recent candles, Cross harami (where the small candle is a doji) is a stronger signal, Inside bar is the Western equivalent
Entry Signals
Harami at key support/resistance, Cross harami with volume decline on the small candle, Confirmation break above/below the harami range, RSI divergence at the harami location
Exit Signals
Break of the harami range determines direction, Stop beyond the opposite side of the range, Target 1.5–2× the harami range as minimum
Best Timeframes
4H, Daily
Pro Tips
Haramis are moderate-strength patterns — add confluence from moving averages, Fibonacci levels, or volume profile for higher conviction.
More Topics in This Category
Pin Bar Setups
Pin bars are single-candle reversal patterns with a long tail (shadow) on one side and a small body on the opposite side. The tail shows a sharp rejection of a price level. Pin bars are the most widely used price action signal among naked chart traders and work on all markets and timeframes.
Morning & Evening Star
The morning star is a three-candle bullish reversal: a large bearish candle, a small body candle (the star) that gaps down, and a large bullish candle that closes well into the first candle's body. The evening star is the bearish mirror. These are among the strongest candlestick reversal patterns.
Bullish & Bearish Kickers
The kicker pattern is one of the most powerful two-candle reversal signals in candlestick analysis. It forms when the second candle opens at or beyond the open of the prior candle and moves aggressively in the opposite direction, effectively 'kicking' away from the previous sentiment. Kickers often occur after overnight news events or fundamental catalysts that cause an abrupt sentiment shift.
Piercing Line & Dark Cloud Cover
The piercing line is a two-candle bullish reversal pattern where a down candle is followed by an up candle that opens below the prior low and closes above the midpoint of the prior body. The dark cloud cover is its bearish counterpart — an up candle followed by a down candle that opens above the prior high and closes below the midpoint. Both patterns signal a potential shift in sentiment when they appear at key support or resistance levels.