With its point downward the equilateral triangle
adopts a negative spectrum of meaning. In alchemy it represents water,
the passive element. With a line,
or
,
it becomes the element of earth. In both the US and the British
systems of hobo signs it means spoiled, too many have been here. As
a traffic sign it means give way to crossing traffic.
Even in the astrological system of elements
stands
for water, and in certain meteorological systems it is used to
denote rain showers, although it is more common to use the
single-axis symmetric triangle,
,
for this meaning.
