oikein-merkki

oikein (“correct”) +‎ merkki (“sign”)

• IPA^(key): /ˈoi̯kei̯nˌmerkːi/, [ˈo̞i̯k̟e̞i̯mˌme̞rkːi]
• Rhymes: -erkːi
• Syllabification^(key): oi‧kein‧merk‧ki
• Hyphenation^(key): oikein‧merkki

oikein-merkki

1. A symbol commonly used in Finland to indicate agreement, correctness or acknowledgement, consisting of a slash (/) and one dot on each side of it (⁒), somewhat resembling a percent sign.
2. checkmark, tick (mark made to indicate agreement, correctness or acknowledgement) (see usage notes below)

• This symbol is not usually used when ticking a box as a sign of acceptance; this is done with an X (rasti).
• In Finland, the tick or checkmark ✓ is normally used to signify "incorrect" or "unacceptable". The habit has its origins in the old parish registers which had a column for registering parishioners' reading skills. X in that column meant "good", Y "fair", ⁒ "acceptable", and V "failed". V is also the first letter of the word väärin (“false, incorrect”).
  • A common usage of these symbols is in graded tests, where ⁒ is used to mark a correct answer and ✓ to mark a wrong answer.

• (antonym(s) of “✓-sign when used to indicate incorrectness”): pukki

• (sign X): rasti

• “oikein-merkki”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023