U+2237 · Math symbol
HTML entity
∷
LaTeX
\Colon
Proportion Symbol ∷
∷ is proportion. Write it in HTML as ∷ or paste the character directly. It was added in Unicode 1.1, and Unicode files it under Math symbol.
Codes & technical data
| Unicode | U+2237 | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML hex | ∷ | |
| HTML decimal | ∷ | |
| CSS | \2237 | |
| JavaScript | \u{2237} | |
| Python | \U00002237 | |
| Java / C# | \u2237 | |
| Rust | \u{2237} | |
| Swift | \u{2237} | |
| PHP | \u{2237} | |
| URL encoded | %E2%88%B7 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 B7 | |
| UTF-16 bytes | 2237 | |
| Base64 | 4oi3 | |
| Decimal | 8759 | |
| HTML entity | ∷ | |
| LaTeX | \Colon | |
| 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.
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 2237 then press Alt+X |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, then search for “proportion” |
| Linux | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2237, 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 ∷ proportion symbol?
- On Windows, type 2237 and press Alt+X. On Linux press Ctrl+Shift+U then 2237. On any system the quickest route is the copy button on this page.
- What is the code for ∷?
- Proportion is U+2237, written in HTML as ∷ and in LaTeX as \Colon. In UTF-8 it takes 3 bytes. The table above lists every escape format.
- What kind of character is ∷?
- Proportion 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.