HTML Symbol Codes: Arrows, Math, Punctuation, Special Characters & More

List of Special Characters in HTML: Arrows, Math, Punctuation, and Symbols

Discover a comprehensive list of special characters in HTML, including the most commonly used symbols, arrows, mathematical operators, punctuation marks, and more.

Use the tabs to navigate through different categories and find the exact symbol you need or you can search name. Simply click on a table cell to copy the corresponding HTML code for quick and easy use in your projects.

How To Use These Symbol Codes

Below are examples of how to use these symbol codes in your HTML or CSS:

Preview:

• Copyright Sign: ©
• Trademark Sign: ™

HTML Code Example:

<div>Copyright Symbol: &copy;</div>
<div>Trademark Symbol: &trade;</div>

Arrow Symbols Preview:

• ▲ (Up Arrow: ▲)
• ▼ (Down Arrow: ▼)

HTML and CSS Code Example:

<span class="icon-up"></span>
<span class="icon-down"></span>

<style>
.icon-up:before {
    content: "\25B2"; /* Up Arrow */
}
.icon-down:before {
    content: "\25BC"; /* Down Arrow */
}
</style>

These examples demonstrate how to integrate symbols seamlessly into your web design.

Use Cases for HTML Special Characters

HTML special characters have a wide range of applications in web development and design. Below are some common use cases where these symbols play a crucial role:

1. Web Design and User Interfaces

Special characters, such as arrows (→, ↓) or symbols (✓, ✗), enhance navigation and visual appeal in buttons, menus, or icons. For example:

• Arrows for indicating directions or next/previous actions.
• Checkmarks and crosses for status indicators or feedback messages.

2. Displaying Reserved HTML Characters

Characters like <, >, and & are reserved in HTML and cannot be displayed directly. Using their codes (<, >, &), you can show them in code examples or plain text.

3. Mathematical and Scientific Content

Mathematical symbols (×, ÷, ∑, √) are essential for creating formulas, equations, or scientific data displays in educational and technical websites.

4. Legal and Copyright Notices

Symbols like the copyright (©), trademark (™), and registered trademark (®) are frequently used in footers, legal disclaimers, and product descriptions.

5. Content Localization

Special characters are useful for displaying currency symbols ($, €, ₹) and diacritical marks (é, ñ, ü) in multilingual content or when showing prices in different regions.

6. Improved Readability and Accessibility

Punctuation marks (…, —, “, ”) improve readability and enhance the appearance of text, making content more professional and user-friendly.

What is the Difference Between Named Entity Symbols and Numeric Code Symbols?

In HTML, special characters can be represented using named entities or numeric codes. Both methods allow you to display symbols and characters that are not easily typed directly into the code. However, they differ in syntax and usage.

Named Entity Symbols

Named entity symbols are human-readable text representations of special characters in HTML. They start with an ampersand (&) and end with a semicolon (;). These symbols are easy to read and remember, making them more developer-friendly.

• © for copyright symbol (©)
• ® for registered trademark (®)
• € for euro currency symbol (€)
• &lt; for less than symbol (<)
• &gt; for greater than symbol (>)

Numeric Code Symbols

Numeric code symbols represent characters using their decimal or hexadecimal Unicode code point values. They also start with an ampersand (&) and end with a semicolon (;), but use either a decimal (&#) or hexadecimal (&#x) prefix. These are more universal and can represent a broader range of characters, especially those not covered by named entities.

• &#169; (decimal) for copyright symbol (©)
• &#174; (decimal) for registered trademark (®)
• &#8364; (decimal) for euro currency symbol (€)
• &#x00A9; (hexadecimal) for copyright symbol (©)
• &#x2122; (hexadecimal) for trademark symbol (™)

Comparison Example

Here is a side-by-side comparison demonstrating both named and numeric entity symbols:

<!-- Named Entity Symbols -->
Copyright: &copy;
Registered Trademark: &reg;
Euro Symbol: &euro;

<!-- Decimal Numeric Symbols -->
Copyright: &#169;
Registered Trademark: &#174;
Euro Symbol: &#8364;

<!-- Hexadecimal Numeric Symbols -->
Copyright: &#x00A9;
Registered Trademark: &#x00AE;
Euro Symbol: &#x20AC;

Key Differences

The main differences between named and numeric code symbols are:

• 1. Readability: Named entities are more human-readable
• 2. Universality: Numeric codes can represent a wider range of characters
• 3. Browser Support: Named entities have more consistent support across browsers
• 4. Encoding: Numeric codes work across different character encodings

While both methods achieve the same purpose, named entity symbols are easier to read and remember, while numeric codes are sometimes used for compatibility or when a named entity is unavailable.