title: What does the '{' symbol (curly-brace) indicate in Java?
body: <p>I'm currently learning Java, and was given a question that seems to defy a simple answer:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>What is the meaning of the following symbol in Java: <code>{</code>?</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Of course, there are the common meanings: the body of an <code>if</code> statement, <code>for</code> loop, other control structures. But then it could also be the start of a method, or an initializer - these seem to have less in common. </p>
  
  <p>I've spent a good bit of time searching for a single definition for this symbol in the context of Java, but haven't found anything that would suffice here.</p>
  
  <p><strong>What is an all-encompassing definition of what the opening curly brace indicates in Java?</strong></p>