How do origami diagrams communicate folding steps without using a shared language?

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Red origami crane with outstretched wings and pointed beak, displayed against a solid black background. — origami An origami crane.

Origami diagrams communicate folding steps across different languages through the use of a standardized system of signs, symbols, and arrows. By utilizing these visual cues, practitioners can accurately describe and replicate complex folding sequences regardless of their native language. This universal visual language allows the art form to be learned and shared globally, as the diagrams provide clear, non-verbal instructions that guide the folder through each stage of a creation.1