HTML Entity for Caret (^)
What You'll Learn
How to display the Caret (^) in HTML using various entity methods. This character is U+005E (CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT) in the Basic Latin block (ASCII 94), typed on QWERTY keyboards with Shift+6. In computing it is commonly called “caret”—used for exponentiation (x^2), regex start-of-line anchors, and keyboard shortcut notation (Ctrl^).
You can render it with ^, ^, the named entity ^, or \5e in CSS. Do not confuse ^ with U+2038 (‸) (proofreader CARET) or U+2041 (⁁) (Caret Insertion Point, entity ⁁).
⚡ Quick Reference — Caret
U+005EBasic Latin (ASCII 94)
^Hexadecimal reference
^Decimal reference
^Most readable option
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+005E
Hex code ^
HTML code ^
Named entity ^
CSS code \5eComplete HTML Example
This example demonstrates the Caret (^) using hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, the named entity, and a CSS content escape on a pseudo-element:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\5e";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Caret using Hexa Decimal: ^</p>
<p>Caret using HTML Code: ^</p>
<p>Caret using HTML Entity: ^</p>
<p id="point">Caret using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
The Caret entity is universally supported in all modern browsers:
👀 Live Preview
See the Caret (^) in common computing and notation contexts:
^ → ^ ⁁ → ⁁ (different character)🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
^ uses the Unicode hexadecimal value 5e to display the circumflex accent / caret character.
Decimal HTML Code
^ uses the decimal value 94 (ASCII) to display the same character.
Named HTML Entity
^ is the semantic named entity for U+005E—the most readable option for the circumflex accent in HTML source.
CSS Entity
\5e is used in CSS stylesheets, particularly in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::before and ::after.
Same visual result
All four methods produce the Caret / circumflex glyph: ^. Unicode U+005E is Basic Latin (ASCII). Distinct from proofreader marks U+2038 (‸) and U+2041 (⁁).
Use Cases
The Caret (^) commonly appears in:
Mathematical notation for powers (e.g. x^2, 10^3).
Start-of-line anchor in regex patterns (e.g. ^hello).
Documentation for Ctrl^, Ctrl+^, and shortcut notation.
Bitwise XOR (^) in C/Java/JavaScript; pointer and notation docs.
Inline code examples, documentation, and technical guides.
Circumflex accent for stress, tone, or length in transcription.
Pair with text or aria-label="caret" for screen readers.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Use
^for readable source markup of ^ (U+005E) - Clarify context: ^ means exponentiation, regex anchor, or XOR depending on topic
- Escape literal ^ in regex examples when needed:
\^ - Use semantic
<code>elements for programming notation - Remember Basic Latin U+005E is supported by virtually all fonts
Don’t
- Use
⁁when you mean ^ (it renders ⁁, U+2041) - Confuse ^ with proofreader marks ‸ or ⁁
- Put CSS escape
\5einside HTML text nodes - Assume ^ always means XOR in every programming language
- Mix entity styles randomly in one file
Key Takeaways
Three HTML references all render ^
^ ^ ^For CSS stylesheets, use the escape in the content property
\5eU+005E CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT — Basic Latin (ASCII 94)
Computing “caret” for math, regex, and shortcuts
^ ≠ ⁁ (⁁ is a different symbol)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
^ (hex), ^ (decimal), ^ (named), or \5e in CSS content. All produce ^.U+005E (CIRCUMFLEX ACCENT). Basic Latin block (ASCII 94). Hex 5e, decimal 94. Commonly called “caret” in computing.^, ^, or ^) go directly in markup. The CSS escape \5e is used in stylesheets, typically in the content property of pseudo-elements. Same visual result, different layers of the stack.^ is the named HTML entity for ^ (U+005E). Do not confuse with ⁁, which renders ⁁ (U+2041 Caret Insertion Point).Explore More HTML Entities!
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