U+221D · Math symbol
HTML entity
∝
LaTeX
\propto
Proportional To Symbol ∝
∝ is proportional to. 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+221D | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML hex | ∝ | |
| HTML decimal | ∝ | |
| CSS | \221D | |
| JavaScript | \u{221D} | |
| Python | \U0000221D | |
| Java / C# | \u221D | |
| Rust | \u{221d} | |
| Swift | \u{221D} | |
| PHP | \u{221D} | |
| URL encoded | %E2%88%9D | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 9D | |
| UTF-16 bytes | 221D | |
| Base64 | 4oid | |
| Decimal | 8733 | |
| HTML entity | ∝ | |
| LaTeX | \propto | |
| 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 221D then press Alt+X |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, then search for “proportional to” |
| Linux | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 221d, 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 ∝ proportional to symbol?
- On Windows, type 221D and press Alt+X. On Linux press Ctrl+Shift+U then 221d. On any system the quickest route is the copy button on this page.
- What is the code for ∝?
- Proportional To is U+221D, written in HTML as ∝ and in LaTeX as \propto. In UTF-8 it takes 3 bytes. The table above lists every escape format.
- What kind of character is ∝?
- Proportional To 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.