Superscript One (¹) is the Unicode character at U+00B9 in the Latin-1 Supplement block. It looks like a small raised 1 and appears in footnotes, powers such as x¹, and academic references.
Remember
Character ¹
Unicode U+00B9
Hex entity ¹
Decimal ¹
Named entity ¹
CSS escape \00B9
All of these produce the same glyph: ¹. Prefer ¹ when you want readable markup; use <sup>1</sup> when you want semantic superscript formatting instead.
Reference
Quick Reference
One table for every form you will actually use.
Form
Code
Where it goes
Direct character
¹
HTML text (UTF-8)
Named entity
¹
HTML markup (preferred readable form)
Hex entity
¹
HTML markup
Decimal entity
¹
HTML markup
CSS escape
\00B9
Stylesheet content
Semantic tag
<sup>1</sup>
HTML (formatting, not the ¹ glyph)
When to use which
Situation
Use
Need the Unicode glyph ¹
¹, or ¹ / ¹
Generated text via ::before / ::after
content: "\00B9"
Semantic superscript for any text
<sup>1</sup>
Plain digit one (not superscript)
Type 1 (U+0031)
Readable HTML source
Prefer ¹
See it
Live Preview
Superscript One rendered in common writing contexts.
Inline textSee note ¹ for details.
Large glyph¹
In a powerx¹ = x
Monospaceref ¹ → footnote
With entitiesNamed: ¹ | Hex: ¹ | Decimal: ¹
Semantic <sup>x1 (tag styles digit 1)
Code
Complete HTML Example
One page that shows Superscript One with hex, decimal, named entity, CSS escape, and the semantic <sup> option. Use View Output or open the live editor.
Hex + Decimal + Named + CSS + <sup>
Five ways to show a raised one in a single document.
html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Superscript One (¹) in HTML</title>
<style>
#point::after {
content: "\00B9";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Superscript One using Hex Code: ¹</p>
<p>Superscript One using HTML Code: ¹</p>
<p>Superscript One using Named Entity: ¹</p>
<p id="point">Superscript One using CSS Entity: </p>
<p>Semantic alternative: x<sup>1</sup></p>
</body>
</html>
Superscript One using Hex Code: ¹
Superscript One using HTML Code: ¹
Superscript One using Named Entity: ¹
Superscript One using CSS Entity: ¹
Semantic alternative: x¹
How It Works
1. Hex:U+00B9 → ¹ in HTML. The browser turns it into ¹.
2. Decimal: same code point as 185 → ¹. Same result as hex.
3. Named:¹ is the standard HTML named entity for ¹ — easier to read in source.
4. CSS: use \00B9 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ¹ after the paragraph text.
5. Semantic <sup>:x<sup>1</sup> styles digit one as a superscript. Prefer this when you need meaning, not a specific Unicode glyph.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Superscript One entities.
Named
Prefer ¹
Unlike most superscript digits, ¹ has a named entity. Use it for clearer HTML source.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\00B9 belongs in CSS. ¹ / ¹ / ¹ belong in HTML.
¹ vs 1
Different characters
¹ is U+00B9; digit 1 is U+0031. Do not treat them as the same.
Glyph vs tag
Choose intentionally
Use the Unicode glyph for exact look; use <sup> for semantic superscript on any text.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ¹, not ¹.
Related
Other superscripts
⁰ uses U+2070 (no named entity). ² and ³ also have named entities (², ³).
Compatibility
Browser Support
Superscript One (U+00B9) and its entity forms (¹, ¹, ¹, CSS \\00B9) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Glyph shape depends on the font.
✓ Universal support
Superscript One (¹)
Encode with ¹, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or use <sup> for semantic formatting.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+00B9 / entitiesFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ¹ for readable HTML, \\00B9 only inside CSS content, and <sup>1</sup> when you want semantic superscript.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: Superscript One is U+00B9 (decimal 185).
HTML: prefer ¹, or use ¹ / ¹.
CSS: use \00B9 inside content for generated text.
Alternative: use <sup>1</sup> for semantic superscript formatting.
One line:U+00B9 → ¹ / ¹ / ¹ / CSS \00B9, or semantic <sup>1</sup>.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ¹ (hex), ¹ (decimal), ¹ (named), or the CSS escape \00B9 in the content property. All render ¹. You can also paste ¹ directly when your file is UTF-8.
U+00B9 (hex 00B9, decimal 185). It belongs to the Latin-1 Supplement Unicode block.
Yes. HTML5 defines ¹ for superscript one. You can also use numeric references ¹ or ¹.
Use ¹ (or its entities) when you need the exact Unicode superscript glyph. Use <sup>1</sup> when you want semantic superscript formatting for arbitrary text.
No. Digit one is U+0031. Superscript One is U+00B9 — a different character with a different code point.
HTML entities (¹, ¹, or ¹) go in markup. The CSS escape \00B9 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ¹.
🤔
Did you know?
Superscript one is Unicode U+00B9 (decimal 185) in the Latin-1 Supplement block. Unlike most superscript digits, HTML5 defines a named entity: ¹. It is a different character from digit one (U+0031).
