HTML Entity for Asterisk Math (*)
What You'll Learn
How to render the asterisk (*, Unicode U+002A) in HTML for multiplication-style math, footnotes, wildcards, and labels. This is the same character as the ASCII star on your keyboard; HTML gives you several equivalent escapes so you can avoid ambiguity when * is special in Markdown, templates, or build tools.
Use the named entity *, numeric * / *, or the CSS escape \002A in content. For published equations, you may also prefer dedicated multiplication signs such as × (U+00D7) or the dot operator ⋅ where style guides require it.
⚡ Quick Reference — Asterisk (U+002A)
U+002ABasic Latin (ASCII)
*Hexadecimal reference
*Decimal (ASCII 42)
*Readable in source
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+002A
Hex code *
HTML code *
Named entity *
CSS code \002AComplete HTML Example
This example shows the asterisk using hexadecimal, decimal, the named entity *, and a CSS content escape:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\002A";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Asterisk Math using Hexa Decimal: *</p>
<p>Asterisk Math using HTML Code: *</p>
<p>Asterisk Math using HTML Entity: *</p>
<p id="point">Asterisk Math using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
U+002A is universal in browsers and fonts:
👀 Live Preview
Typical uses of the asterisk in web content:
🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
* encodes U+002A using hex 2A. Leading zeros (e.g. *) are optional but valid.
Decimal HTML Code
* is the classic ASCII decimal code for the asterisk.
CSS Entity
\002A (or \2a followed by a space) appears in CSS content for pseudo-elements.
Named Entity
* is the standard named reference—easy to grep and safe when raw * is ambiguous.
Same visual result
All four forms render *. Unicode U+002A is ASTERISK in the Basic Latin range.
Use Cases
The asterisk is everywhere in math-flavored and general UI copy:
Informal multiplication, comments, and languages that use * for pointers or splats.
Reference markers in articles, disclaimers, and endnotes.
Search boxes, glob help text, and SQL LIKE documentation.
Required-field markers next to labels (always add wording or aria-required).
K–12 and e-learning UIs that mirror textbook multiplication notation.
Pair * with visible “required” text or ARIA so the intent is announced.
One stable glyph across locales for the same keyboard symbol.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Use
*when tooling might treat raw*as markup - Pick one style (named vs decimal) per codebase for escaped asterisks
- Document required fields with words, not only a red star
- Use
\002Aonly inside CSScontent, not pasted into HTML text - Follow house style for × vs
*in formal math publishing
Don’t
- Rely on a lone * on a form label without “required” context
- Confuse ASCII * with other star operators (e.g. U+2217, U+22C6)
- Double-escape (
&ast;) unless you truly need it in nested contexts - Use CSS escapes inside HTML text nodes
- Assume Markdown will leave inline
*untouched
Key Takeaways
Four common references all render *
* * *For CSS, use \002A in content
\002AU+002A is Basic Latin—universal font coverage
Prefer * when escaping improves clarity in source
For strict math typography, consider × or dot operators per your style guide
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
*, *, *, or \002A in CSS content. All produce the same * character.U+002A (ASCII 42). Unicode name: ASTERISK.*; in generated markup where you want an explicit escape; or in teaching materials that show the literal entity forms.\002A (or \2a) inside stylesheets. Same code point, different syntax rules.*. It is equivalent to * and * in modern browsers.Explore More HTML Entities!
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