HTML Entity for Approximately Equal To or the Image Of (≒)

Beginner

6 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2252

HTML Entity for approximately equal to or the image of symbol (≒) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is Approximately Equal To or the Image Of?

Approximately equal to or the image of (≒) is Unicode U+2252 in the Mathematical Operators block. It is a specialized relation that some traditions use for approximate equality involving the image of a map. HTML provides the named entity &fallingdotseq;.

Remember

Character     ≒
Unicode       U+2252
Hex entity    &#x2252;
Decimal       &#8786;
Named entity  &fallingdotseq;
CSS escape    \2252
Not the same  ≈ U+2248 · ≅ U+2245 · ≐ U+2250

All of these produce the same glyph: ≒. Prefer &fallingdotseq; in hand-written HTML; type ≒ in UTF-8 when you can; use numeric or CSS forms for generated content.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Direct character	`≒`	HTML text (UTF-8)
Named entity	`&fallingdotseq;`	HTML markup (preferred name)
Hex entity	`≒`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`≒`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2252`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Approx. equal to or the image of (per your standard)	`&fallingdotseq;` or type `≒`
Almost equal (informal ≈)	≈ (U+2248) / `≈`
Approximately equal to	≅ (U+2245) / `&cong;`
Need an entity in HTML source	`&fallingdotseq;`, `≒`, or `≒`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2252"`

See it

Live Preview

Approximately-equal-to-or-the-image-of symbol in common study contexts.

Inline math f ≒ g

Large glyph ≒

vs. related operators ≒ image · ≈ almost · ≅ approx

Monospace x ≒ y

With entities Named: ≒ | Hex: ≒ | Decimal: ≒

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows ≒ with hex, decimal, named entity, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + Named + CSS + Typed

Five ways to produce ≒ in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Approximately Equal To or the Image Of (≒) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2252";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Image-of relation using Hex Code: &#x2252;</p>
  <p>Image-of relation using HTML Code: &#8786;</p>
  <p>Image-of relation using Named Entity: &fallingdotseq;</p>
  <p id="point">Image-of relation using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Typed directly: ≒</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+2252 → ≒ in HTML. The browser turns it into ≒.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8786 → ≒. Same result as hex.

3. Named: &fallingdotseq; is the standard HTML name for U+2252 — clear in source.

4. CSS: use \2252 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ≒ after the paragraph text.

5. Typed ≒: fine in UTF-8 source. All five lines show the same glyph.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with approximately equal to or the image of (≒).

Named

Use &fallingdotseq;

HTML5 defines &fallingdotseq; for U+2252 — prefer it over inventing a shorter name.

≈

Not almost equal

≒ is a specialized image-of relation. For informal “about equal” use ≈.

≅

Not approximately equal

≅ (U+2245) / &cong; is a different operator.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2252 belongs in CSS. &fallingdotseq; / ≒ belong in HTML.

Fonts

Use math-capable fonts

Some UI fonts omit Mathematical Operators. Prefer fonts with solid math coverage.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write &fallingdotseq;, not &fallingdotseq.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Approximately equal to or the image of (U+2252) and its entity forms (&fallingdotseq;, ≒, ≒, CSS \\2252) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Glyph availability depends on font support for Mathematical Operators.

✓ Universal support

Approximately Equal To or the Image Of (≒)

Type ≒, or encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — same glyph everywhere encoding is supported.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All versions

Yes

U+2252 / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &fallingdotseq; or a typed ≒ for normal text. Use numeric forms when generating markup, and \\2252 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: approximately equal to or the image of is U+2252 (decimal 8786).
HTML: prefer &fallingdotseq; (or ≒ / ≒).
CSS: use \2252 inside content for generated text.
Watch out: ≒ ≠ ≈ ≠ ≅.

One line: U+2252 → &fallingdotseq; / ≒ / ≒ / CSS \2252.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display approximately equal to or the image of (≒) in HTML?

Use ≒ (hex), ≒ (decimal), &fallingdotseq; (named), or the CSS escape \2252 in the content property. All render ≒. You can also paste ≒ directly if your file is UTF-8.

What is the Unicode value for approximately equal to or the image of?

U+2252 (hex 2252, decimal 8786). Unicode names it APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO OR THE IMAGE OF. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for ≒ (U+2252)?

Yes. &fallingdotseq; maps to U+2252. Prefer it in hand-written HTML; numeric forms are useful in generated markup.

When should I use ≒ instead of ≈ or ≅?

Use ≒ only when your notation standard explicitly calls for this combined relation. Use ≈ (U+2248) for almost equal, and ≅ (U+2245) for approximately equal — different operators.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for ≒?

HTML entities (≒, ≒, or &fallingdotseq;) go in markup. The CSS escape \2252 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ≒.

What does “image of” mean here?

In some mathematical traditions this operator ties approximate equality to the image of a map or relation. Always gloss the symbol in words for a general audience — meaning depends on your textbook.

Did you know?

Approximately equal to or the image of is Unicode U+2252 (decimal 8786) in the Mathematical Operators block. HTML provides &fallingdotseq; for ≒. It is a specialized relation — not the same as ≈ (almost equal) or ≅ (approximately equal).

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Mari Selvan M P 🔗

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