Circled Asterisk Operator (⊛) is the Unicode character at U+229B in the Mathematical Operators block (official name: CIRCLED ASTERISK OPERATOR). It is used in math and logic notation when an asterisk-style operator sits inside a circle.
Remember
Character ⊛
Unicode U+229B
Hex entity ⊛
Decimal ⊛
Named entity ⊛ / ⊛
CSS escape \229B
All of these produce the same glyph: ⊛. Prefer ⊛ or a typed ⊛ in hand-written HTML; use numeric forms when generating markup.
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
⊛ or ⊛
HTML markup
Hex entity
⊛
HTML markup
Decimal entity
⊛
HTML markup
CSS escape
\229B
Stylesheet content
When to use which
Situation
Use
Hand-written HTML
⊛ or type ⊛
Generated / numeric-only markup
⊛ or ⊛
Generated text via ::before / ::after
content: "\229B"
Circled times (look-alike)
Use ⊗ (U+2297), not ⊛
Everyday footnote / emphasis
Use plain asterisk *
See it
Live Preview
Circled Asterisk Operator rendered in common writing contexts.
Inline textA ⊛ B
Large glyph⊛
Compared⊛ ⊗ ⊙ *
Monospaceop ⊛ → circled asterisk
With entitiesNamed: ⊛ | Hex: ⊛ | Decimal: ⊛
Code
Complete HTML Example
One page that shows Circled Asterisk Operator with the named entity, hex entity, decimal entity, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.
Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS + Typed
Five ways to produce ⊛ in a single document.
html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Circled Asterisk Operator (⊛) in HTML</title>
<style>
#point::after {
content: "\229B";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Circled Asterisk Operator using Named Entity: ⊛</p>
<p>Circled Asterisk Operator using Hex Code: ⊛</p>
<p>Circled Asterisk Operator using HTML Code: ⊛</p>
<p id="point">Circled Asterisk Operator using CSS Entity: </p>
<p>Typed directly: ⊛</p>
</body>
</html>
Circled Asterisk Operator using Named Entity: ⊛
Circled Asterisk Operator using Hex Code: ⊛
Circled Asterisk Operator using HTML Code: ⊛
Circled Asterisk Operator using CSS Entity: ⊛
Typed directly: ⊛
How It Works
1. Named:⊛ (alias ⊛) is the HTML5 named reference for U+229B → ⊛.
2. Hex:U+229B → ⊛ in HTML. Same glyph as the named form.
3. Decimal: same code point as 8859 → ⊛. Same result as hex.
4. CSS: use \229B in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⊛ after the paragraph text.
5. Typed ⊛: fine in UTF-8 pages. All five lines show the same glyph.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Circled Asterisk Operator entities.
Named
Use ⊛
⊛ and ⊛ both work. Always end with ;.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\229B belongs in CSS. ⊛ / ⊛ / ⊛ belong in HTML.
⊛ vs ⊗
Different characters
⊛ is U+229B. Circled times ⊗ is U+2297.
Meaning
Math operator, not footnote
Use ⊛ for formal notation. Use * for footnotes, wildcards, or casual emphasis.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ⊛ and ⊛, not bare forms.
Fonts
Math font coverage
Some UI fonts lack ⊛. If missing, label the operator in nearby text.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Circled Asterisk Operator (U+229B) and its entity forms (⊛, ⊛, ⊛, ⊛, CSS \\229B) are supported in all mainstream browsers.
✓ Universal support
Circled Asterisk Operator (⊛)
Type ⊛, or encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — same glyph everywhere encoding is supported.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+229B / entitiesFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ⊛ or a typed ⊛ for math notation. Use decimal when generating markup, and \\229B only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: circled asterisk operator is U+229B (decimal 8859).
Use ⊛ (hex), ⊛ (decimal), ⊛ or ⊛ (named), or the CSS escape \229B in the content property. All render ⊛. You can also paste ⊛ directly when your file is UTF-8.
U+229B (hex 229B, decimal 8859). Unicode names it CIRCLED ASTERISK OPERATOR. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block.
Yes. Both ⊛ and ⊛ map to U+229B. Prefer ⊛ in hand-written HTML; numeric forms are useful in generated markup.
⊛ (U+229B) is circled asterisk operator. ⊗ (U+2297) is circled times — a different math operator with its own code point.
HTML entities (⊛, ⊛, ⊛, or ⊛) go in markup. The CSS escape \229B is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ⊛.
Use it in math, logic, or scientific notation when you need this exact operator. Prefer a plain asterisk (*) for everyday footnotes or emphasis.
🤔
Did you know?
Circled asterisk operator is Unicode U+229B (decimal 8859) — official name CIRCLED ASTERISK OPERATOR in the Mathematical Operators block. HTML named references are ⊛ and ⊛. It is not circled times (U+2297 ⊗).
