U+2297 · Math symbol
HTML entity
⊗
LaTeX
\otimes
Circled Times Symbol ⊗
⊗ is circled times, U+2297. Unicode also records it as “tensor product”. It was added in Unicode 1.1, and Unicode files it under Math symbol.
Also known as
- tensor product
- vector pointing into page
Codes & technical data
| Unicode | U+2297 | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML hex | ⊗ | |
| HTML decimal | ⊗ | |
| CSS | \2297 | |
| JavaScript | \u{2297} | |
| Python | \U00002297 | |
| Java / C# | \u2297 | |
| Rust | \u{2297} | |
| Swift | \u{2297} | |
| PHP | \u{2297} | |
| URL encoded | %E2%8A%97 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 8A 97 | |
| UTF-16 bytes | 2297 | |
| Base64 | 4oqX | |
| Decimal | 8855 | |
| HTML entity | ⊗ | |
| LaTeX | \otimes | |
| Category | Math symbol (Sm) | |
| Introduced | Unicode 1.1 | |
Will ⊗ survive being pasted?
- Normalisation. Yes. ⊗ is unchanged by NFKC, so it survives normalising systems intact.
- Legacy encodings. ⊗ is Unicode-only — it has no Latin-1 equivalent, so a system stuck on an 8-bit encoding cannot represent it.
- Size. 3 bytes in UTF-8. Character-limited fields — SMS, bios, some form validators — usually count bytes, not characters.
Unicode cross-references
The standard points readers of ⊗ at these characters — usually because they look alike, or because one is the correct choice where the other is often used by mistake.
Nearby in Mathematical Operators
The operators mathematics and programming share — set theory, logic, calculus, comparison. Almost every character here has a LaTeX command, which is usually the fastest way to name the one you mean.
How to type ⊗
| Windows | Type 2297 then press Alt+X |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, then search for “circled times” |
| Linux | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2297, press Enter |
| HTML | ⊗ |
About Unicode’s Math symbol category
Unicode classifies this as a mathematical symbol, which means software that lays out formulas treats it as an operator or relation and gives it spacing accordingly, rather than setting it tight against its neighbours like a letter.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I type the ⊗ circled times symbol?
- On Windows, type 2297 and press Alt+X. On Linux press Ctrl+Shift+U then 2297. On any system the quickest route is the copy button on this page.
- What is the code for ⊗?
- Circled Times is U+2297, written in HTML as ⊗ and in LaTeX as \otimes. In UTF-8 it takes 3 bytes. The table above lists every escape format.
- What kind of character is ⊗?
- Circled Times is filed under Math symbol in the Mathematical Operators block, and was introduced in Unicode 1.1. Unicode classifies this as a mathematical symbol, which means software that lays out formulas treats it as an operator or relation and gives it spacing accordingly, rather than setting it tight against its neighbours like a letter.