HTML Entity for Combining Breve (̆)
What You'll Learn
How to display the Combining Breve (̆) in HTML and CSS. This character is U+0306 in the Combining Diacritical Marks block (U+0300–U+036F), approved in Unicode 1.1 (1993). It is a nonspacing mark that attaches above the preceding character, shaped like the top half of a circle. In Latin and other scripts it marks shorter or softer vowel variants—from Ancient Greek βραχύ (brachy, “short”).
There is no named HTML entity for U+0306. Use ̆ or ̆ in markup, or \306 in stylesheet content. Place the mark immediately after the base letter (e.g. ă renders as ă). The related Spacing Breve (˘ U+02D8) is a standalone modifier with named entity ˘—a different character.
⚡ Quick Reference — Combining Breve
U+0306Combining Diacritical Marks (U+0300–U+036F)
̆Hexadecimal reference
̆Decimal reference
—None for U+0306 (˘ is U+02D8)
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+0306
Hex code ̆
HTML code ̆
Named entity —
CSS code \306
Spacing breve U+02D8 (˘)Complete HTML Example
This example shows U+0306 using hexadecimal and decimal references, combining with a base letter, plus a CSS content escape. There is no named HTML entity for the combining breve:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\306";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Breve using Hexa Decimal: ̆</p>
<p>Breve using HTML Code: ̆</p>
<p id="point">Breve using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
U+0306 is widely supported when paired with a base character; combining mark placement depends on font shaping:
👀 Live Preview
See the combining breve with base letters and precomposed forms (font-dependent):
˘)🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
̆ references code point U+0306 using hex digits 0306. Place it immediately after a base letter (e.g. ă).
Decimal HTML Code
̆ is the decimal equivalent (774) for the same Combining Breve character.
CSS Entity
\306 is the CSS escape for U+0306, used in the content property of ::before or ::after.
Combining behavior
The breve attaches above the preceding character. When alone it may display as a floating mark ̆. Precomposed ă (U+0103) is an alternative. Spacing Breve U+02D8 (˘) uses ˘.
Use Cases
The Combining Breve (̆) is commonly used for:
ă (a-breve) and other Romanian-specific vowel markings.
Breve-accented vowels in Turkish and related languages.
International Phonetic Alphabet transcriptions and linguistics.
Language courses, pronunciation guides, and educational content.
Dictionary entries, pronunciation keys, and lexical databases.
Correct rendering of diacritics in multilingual typography.
Ensure base + combining sequence is correct; screen readers rely on proper Unicode order.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Place the breve immediately after the base letter:
ă - Use precomposed U+0103, U+0115, U+012D when a single code point is preferred
- Declare
<meta charset="utf-8">for correct combining rendering - Choose fonts that support Combining Diacritical Marks (U+0300–U+036F)
- Use
\306only inside CSScontent, not inside HTML text nodes
Don’t
- Confuse U+0306 (combining breve) with U+02D8 (spacing breve,
˘) - Insert a space between the base letter and the combining mark
- Confuse breve with circumflex (e.g. â uses U+0302, not U+0306)
- Assume every font positions breve correctly on all base letters
- Mix CSS escapes into HTML text nodes (use numeric refs in markup)
Key Takeaways
Two numeric references render the combining mark
̆ ̆CSS content escape
\306U+0306 attaches above the preceding character; order matters
˘ is U+02D8 (spacing breve)—not the combining mark
Precomposed ă (U+0103) is an alternative to a + ̆
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
̆ (hex), ̆ (decimal), or \306 in CSS content. Place the mark immediately after the base letter (e.g. ă = ă). There is no named entity for U+0306.U+0306 (Combining Breve). Combining Diacritical Marks (U+0300–U+036F). Hex 0306, decimal 774. Spacing Breve U+02D8 (˘) is a separate character.\306 escape belongs in stylesheets (for example on pseudo-elements). Place the breve right after the base letter in HTML.̆, ̆, or \306 in CSS. The named entity ˘ refers to Spacing Breve U+02D8, not the combining mark.Explore More HTML Entities!
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