U+227A · Math symbol
HTML entity
≺
LaTeX
\prec
Precedes Symbol ≺
≺ is precedes. Write it in HTML as ≺ or paste the character directly. It was added in Unicode 1.1, and Unicode files it under Math symbol.
Also known as
- lower rank than
Codes & technical data
| Unicode | U+227A | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML hex | ≺ | |
| HTML decimal | ≺ | |
| CSS | \227A | |
| JavaScript | \u{227A} | |
| Python | \U0000227A | |
| Java / C# | \u227A | |
| Rust | \u{227a} | |
| Swift | \u{227A} | |
| PHP | \u{227A} | |
| URL encoded | %E2%89%BA | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 89 BA | |
| UTF-16 bytes | 227A | |
| Base64 | 4om6 | |
| Decimal | 8826 | |
| HTML entity | ≺ | |
| LaTeX | \prec | |
| 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 227A then press Alt+X |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, then search for “precedes” |
| Linux | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 227a, 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 ≺ precedes symbol?
- On Windows, type 227A and press Alt+X. On Linux press Ctrl+Shift+U then 227a. On any system the quickest route is the copy button on this page.
- What is the code for ≺?
- Precedes is U+227A, written in HTML as ≺ and in LaTeX as \prec. In UTF-8 it takes 3 bytes. The table above lists every escape format.
- What kind of character is ≺?
- Precedes 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.