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HTML Entities

Ever see web pages with random question marks and nonsense symbols? This occurs when people incorrectly encode characters using their computer’s character set, rather than the standard HTML encodings. The table below shows the standard HTML entities, generated from the HTML 4.0 spec at w3.org and the tables at htmlhelp.org. ALA’s EM ’n EN article and Dan’s web tips explain more in-depth how and why to use correct encodings.

The decimal encoding tends to be the best supported, though modern browsers like Firefox support all the encodings. Note that characters in the range 129–159 are invalid and should not be used. The sample image below was generated from Firefox 2 on Mac OS X. A few characters are not supported, such as ♠ and ⇑. (And yes, it is a single image; see the css for how this was accomplished.)

Sample
image		 Rendering in your browser Encoding Description
Entity Decimal Hex Entity Decimal Hex
Spaces
a a a a a a       non-breaking space
a a a a a a       thin space
a a a a a a       en space
a a a a a a       em space
a‌a a‌a a‌a ‌ ‌ ‌ zero width non-joiner
a‍a a‍a a‍a ‍ ‍ ‍ zero width joiner
Dashes
– – – – – – en dash
— — — — — — em dash
a­a a­a a­a ­ ­ ­ discretionary hyphen
Punctuation
¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ inverted exclamation mark
¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ inverted question mark
& & & & & & ampersand
§ § § § § § section sign
¶ ¶ ¶ paragraph sign (pilcrow)
† † † † † † dagger
‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ double dagger
• • • • • • bullet
… … … … … … horizontal ellipsis
Currency
¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢ cent sign
£ £ £ £ £ £ pound sign
¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ currency sign
¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ yen sign
€ € € € € € euro sign
Legal
© © © © © © copyright sign
® ® ® ® ® ® registered trade mark sign
™ ™ ™ ™ ™ ™ trade mark sign
Misc
¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ broken vertical bar
ª ª ª ª ª ª feminine ordinal indicator
¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ ¯ macron = overline
° ° ° ° ° ° degree sign
· · · · · · middle dot
º º º º º º masculine ordinal indicator
‾ ‾ ‾ ‾ ‾ ‾ overline = spacing overscore
◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ lozenge
♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ ♠ black spade suit
♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ black club suit = shamrock
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ black heart suit = valentine
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ black diamond suit
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ left-to-right mark
‏ ‏ ‏ ‏ ‏ ‏ right-to-left mark
Arrows
← ← ← ← ← ← leftwards arrow
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ upwards arrow
→ → → → → → rightwards arrow
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ downwards arrow
↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ ↔ left right arrow
⇐ ⇐ ⇐ ⇐ ⇐ ⇐ leftwards double arrow
⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ ⇑ upwards double arrow
⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ rightwards double arrow
⇓ ⇓ ⇓ ⇓ ⇓ ⇓ downwards double arrow
⇔ ⇔ ⇔ ⇔ ⇔ ⇔ left right double arrow
↵ ↵ ↵ ↵ ↵ ↵ carriage return
Quotes
" " " " " " double quote
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ left single quote
’ ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ right single quote
‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ ‚ single low-9 quote
“ “ “ “ “ “ left double quote
” ” ” ” ” ” right double quote
„ „ „ „ „ „ double low-9 quote
′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ prime = minutes = feet
″ ″ ″ ″ ″ ″ double prime = seconds = inches
‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ ‹ single left angle quote
› › › › › › single right angle quote
« « « « « « left double angle quote (guillemet)
» » » » » » right double angle quote (guillemet)
Math - numbers
‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ ‰ per mille sign
¼ ¼ ¼ ¼ ¼ ¼ fraction one quarter
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ fraction one half
¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ fraction three quarters
¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ ¹ superscript one
² ² ² ² ² ² superscript two
³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ superscript three
Math - fancy
µ µ µ µ µ µ micro sign
ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ function = florin
℘ ℘ ℘ ℘ ℘ ℘ script P = power set = Weierstrass p
ℑ ℑ ℑ ℑ ℑ ℑ blackletter I = imaginary part
ℜ ℜ ℜ ℜ ℜ ℜ blackletter R = real part
ℵ ℵ ℵ ℵ ℵ ℵ alef
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ infinity
Math - set
∀ ∀ ∀ ∀ ∀ ∀ for all
∃ ∃ ∃ ∃ ∃ ∃ there exists
∴ ∴ ∴ ∴ ∴ ∴ therefore
∅ ∅ ∅ ∅ ∅ ∅ empty set
∈ ∈ ∈ ∈ ∈ ∈ element of
∉ ∉ ∉ ∉ ∉ ∉ not an element of
∋ ∋ ∋ ∋ ∋ ∋ contains as member
⊂ ⊂ ⊂ ⊂ ⊂ ⊂ subset of
⊃ ⊃ ⊃ ⊃ ⊃ ⊃ superset of
⊄ ⊄ ⊄ ⊄ ⊄ ⊄ not a subset of
⊆ ⊆ ⊆ ⊆ ⊆ ⊆ subset of or equal to
⊇ ⊇ ⊇ ⊇ ⊇ ⊇ superset of or equal to
∩ ∩ ∩ ∩ ∩ ∩ intersection = cap
∪ ∪ ∪ ∪ ∪ ∪ union = cup
⟨ 〈 〈 ⟨ 〈 〈 left angle bracket = bra
⟩ 〉 〉 ⟩ 〉 〉 right angle bracket = ket
Math - boolean
¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ ¬ not sign
∧ ∧ ∧ ∧ ∧ ∧ logical and = wedge
∨ ∨ ∨ ∨ ∨ ∨ logical or = vee
Math - relational
∝ ∝ ∝ ∝ ∝ ∝ proportional to
∼ ∼ ∼ ∼ ∼ ∼ tilde operator = similar to
≅ ≅ ≅ ≅ ≅ ≅ approximately equal to
≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ almost equal to = asymptotic to
≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ ≠ not equal to
≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡ identical to
< < < &lt; &#60; &#x3C; less-than sign
> > > &gt; &#62; &#x3E; greater-than sign
≤ ≤ ≤ &le; &#8804; &#x2264; less-than or equal to
≥ ≥ ≥ &ge; &#8805; &#x2265; greater-than or equal to
Math - operators
∏ ∏ ∏ &prod; &#8719; &#x220F; n-ary product
∑ ∑ ∑ &sum; &#8721; &#x2211; n-ary sumation
∂ ∂ ∂ &part; &#8706; &#x2202; partial differential
∫ ∫ ∫ &int; &#8747; &#x222B; integral
∇ ∇ ∇ &nabla; &#8711; &#x2207; nabla (gradient)
− − − &minus; &#8722; &#x2212; minus sign
± ± ± &plusmn; &#177; &#xB1; plus-or-minus sign
∗ ∗ ∗ &lowast; &#8727; &#x2217; asterisk operator
√ √ √ &radic; &#8730; &#x221A; square root/radical
× × × &times; &#215; &#xD7; multiplication sign
÷ ÷ ÷ &divide; &#247; &#xF7; division sign
⁄ ⁄ ⁄ &frasl; &#8260; &#x2044; fraction slash
⊕ ⊕ ⊕ &oplus; &#8853; &#x2295; circled plus = direct sum
⊗ ⊗ ⊗ &otimes; &#8855; &#x2297; circled times
⋅ ⋅ ⋅ &sdot; &#8901; &#x22C5; dot operator
⌈ ⌈ ⌈ &lceil; &#8968; &#x2308; left ceiling
⌉ ⌉ ⌉ &rceil; &#8969; &#x2309; right ceiling
⌊ ⌊ ⌊ &lfloor; &#8970; &#x230A; left floor
⌋ ⌋ ⌋ &rfloor; &#8971; &#x230B; right floor
Math - geometry
∠ ∠ ∠ &ang; &#8736; &#x2220; angle
⊥ ⊥ ⊥ &perp; &#8869; &#x22A5; perpendicular
Accents
´ ´ ´ &acute; &#180; &#xB4; acute accent
ˆ ˆ ˆ &circ; &#710; &#x2C6; modifier letter circumflex accent
˜ ˜ ˜ &tilde; &#732; &#x2DC; small tilde
¨ ¨ ¨ &uml; &#168; &#xA8; diaeresis
¸ ¸ ¸ &cedil; &#184; &#xB8; cedilla
Accented letters - uppercase
À À À &Agrave; &#192; &#xC0; A grave
Á Á Á &Aacute; &#193; &#xC1; A acute
   &Acirc; &#194; &#xC2; A circumflex
à à à &Atilde; &#195; &#xC3; A tilde
Ä Ä Ä &Auml; &#196; &#xC4; A diaeresis
Å Å Å &Aring; &#197; &#xC5; A ring
Æ Æ Æ &AElig; &#198; &#xC6; AE ligature
Ç Ç Ç &Ccedil; &#199; &#xC7; C cedilla
È È È &Egrave; &#200; &#xC8; E grave
É É É &Eacute; &#201; &#xC9; E acute
Ê Ê Ê &Ecirc; &#202; &#xCA; E circumflex
Ë Ë Ë &Euml; &#203; &#xCB; E diaeresis
Ì Ì Ì &Igrave; &#204; &#xCC; I grave
Í Í Í &Iacute; &#205; &#xCD; I acute
Î Î Î &Icirc; &#206; &#xCE; I circumflex
Ï Ï Ï &Iuml; &#207; &#xCF; I diaeresis
Ð Ð Ð &ETH; &#208; &#xD0; ETH
Ñ Ñ Ñ &Ntilde; &#209; &#xD1; N tilde
Ò Ò Ò &Ograve; &#210; &#xD2; O grave
Ó Ó Ó &Oacute; &#211; &#xD3; O acute
Ô Ô Ô &Ocirc; &#212; &#xD4; O circumflex
Õ Õ Õ &Otilde; &#213; &#xD5; O tilde
Ö Ö Ö &Ouml; &#214; &#xD6; O diaeresis
Ø Ø Ø &Oslash; &#216; &#xD8; O stroke = O slash
ΠΠΠ&OElig; &#338; &#x152; OE ligature
Ù Ù Ù &Ugrave; &#217; &#xD9; U grave
Ú Ú Ú &Uacute; &#218; &#xDA; U acute
Û Û Û &Ucirc; &#219; &#xDB; U circumflex
Ü Ü Ü &Uuml; &#220; &#xDC; U diaeresis
Ý Ý Ý &Yacute; &#221; &#xDD; Y acute
Š Š Š &Scaron; &#352; &#x160; S caron
Þ Þ Þ &THORN; &#222; &#xDE; THORN
Accented letters - lowercase
ß ß ß &szlig; &#223; &#xDF; sharp s = ess-zed
à à à &agrave; &#224; &#xE0; a grave
á á á &aacute; &#225; &#xE1; a acute
â â â &acirc; &#226; &#xE2; a circumflex
ã ã ã &atilde; &#227; &#xE3; a tilde
ä ä ä &auml; &#228; &#xE4; a diaeresis
å å å &aring; &#229; &#xE5; a ring
æ æ æ &aelig; &#230; &#xE6; ae ligature
ç ç ç &ccedil; &#231; &#xE7; c cedilla
è è è &egrave; &#232; &#xE8; e grave
é é é &eacute; &#233; &#xE9; e acute
ê ê ê &ecirc; &#234; &#xEA; e circumflex
ë ë ë &euml; &#235; &#xEB; e diaeresis
ì ì ì &igrave; &#236; &#xEC; i grave
í í í &iacute; &#237; &#xED; i acute
î î î &icirc; &#238; &#xEE; i circumflex
ï ï ï &iuml; &#239; &#xEF; i diaeresis
ð ð ð &eth; &#240; &#xF0; eth
ñ ñ ñ &ntilde; &#241; &#xF1; n tilde
ò ò ò &ograve; &#242; &#xF2; o grave
ó ó ó &oacute; &#243; &#xF3; o acute
ô ô ô &ocirc; &#244; &#xF4; o circumflex
õ õ õ &otilde; &#245; &#xF5; o tilde
ö ö ö &ouml; &#246; &#xF6; o diaeresis
ø ø ø &oslash; &#248; &#xF8; o stroke = o slash
œ œ œ &oelig; &#339; &#x153; oe ligature
ù ù ù &ugrave; &#249; &#xF9; u grave
ú ú ú &uacute; &#250; &#xFA; u acute
û û û &ucirc; &#251; &#xFB; u circumflex
ü ü ü &uuml; &#252; &#xFC; u diaeresis
ý ý ý &yacute; &#253; &#xFD; y acute
ÿ ÿ ÿ &yuml; &#255; &#xFF; y diaeresis
Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ &Yuml; &#376; &#x178; Y diaeresis
š š š &scaron; &#353; &#x161; s caron
þ þ þ &thorn; &#254; &#xFE; thorn
Greek letters - uppercase
Α Α Α &Alpha; &#913; &#x391; alpha
Β Β Β &Beta; &#914; &#x392; beta
Γ Γ Γ &Gamma; &#915; &#x393; gamma
Δ Δ Δ &Delta; &#916; &#x394; delta
Ε Ε Ε &Epsilon; &#917; &#x395; epsilon
Ζ Ζ Ζ &Zeta; &#918; &#x396; zeta
Η Η Η &Eta; &#919; &#x397; eta
Θ Θ Θ &Theta; &#920; &#x398; theta
Ι Ι Ι &Iota; &#921; &#x399; iota
Κ Κ Κ &Kappa; &#922; &#x39A; kappa
Λ Λ Λ &Lambda; &#923; &#x39B; lambda
Μ Μ Μ &Mu; &#924; &#x39C; mu
Ν Ν Ν &Nu; &#925; &#x39D; nu
Ξ Ξ Ξ &Xi; &#926; &#x39E; xi
Ο Ο Ο &Omicron; &#927; &#x39F; omicron
Π Π Π &Pi; &#928; &#x3A0; pi
Ρ Ρ Ρ &Rho; &#929; &#x3A1; rho
Σ Σ Σ &Sigma; &#931; &#x3A3; sigma
Τ Τ Τ &Tau; &#932; &#x3A4; tau
Υ Υ Υ &Upsilon; &#933; &#x3A5; upsilon
Φ Φ Φ &Phi; &#934; &#x3A6; phi
Χ Χ Χ &Chi; &#935; &#x3A7; chi
Ψ Ψ Ψ &Psi; &#936; &#x3A8; psi
Ω Ω Ω &Omega; &#937; &#x3A9; omega
Greek letters - lowercase
α α α &alpha; &#945; &#x3B1; alpha
β β β &beta; &#946; &#x3B2; beta
γ γ γ &gamma; &#947; &#x3B3; gamma
δ δ δ &delta; &#948; &#x3B4; delta
ε ε ε &epsilon; &#949; &#x3B5; epsilon
ζ ζ ζ &zeta; &#950; &#x3B6; zeta
η η η &eta; &#951; &#x3B7; eta
θ θ θ &theta; &#952; &#x3B8; theta
ι ι ι &iota; &#953; &#x3B9; iota
κ κ κ &kappa; &#954; &#x3BA; kappa
λ λ λ &lambda; &#955; &#x3BB; lambda
μ μ μ &mu; &#956; &#x3BC; mu
ν ν ν &nu; &#957; &#x3BD; nu
ξ ξ ξ &xi; &#958; &#x3BE; xi
ο ο ο &omicron; &#959; &#x3BF; omicron
π π π &pi; &#960; &#x3C0; pi
ρ ρ ρ &rho; &#961; &#x3C1; rho
ς ς ς &sigmaf; &#962; &#x3C2; final sigma
σ σ σ &sigma; &#963; &#x3C3; sigma
τ τ τ &tau; &#964; &#x3C4; tau
υ υ υ &upsilon; &#965; &#x3C5; upsilon
φ φ φ &phi; &#966; &#x3C6; phi
χ χ χ &chi; &#967; &#x3C7; chi
ψ ψ ψ &psi; &#968; &#x3C8; psi
ω ω ω &omega; &#969; &#x3C9; omega
Greek letters - special
ϑ ϑ ϑ &thetasym; &#977; &#x3D1; theta symbol
ϒ ϒ ϒ &upsih; &#978; &#x3D2; upsilon with hook symbol
ϖ ϖ ϖ &piv; &#982; &#x3D6; pi symbol
Valid HTML 4.01 Valid CSS
Copyright © 2011 by Mark Gates. Updated September 2, 2011.
Available from http://web.eecs.utk.edu/~mgates3/
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