Combining circumflex accent (U+0302) is a combining mark in the Combining Diacritical Marks block. It does not stand alone like a normal letter — it stacks above the character that comes before it. Example: a + ̂ renders as â (same look as precomposed â).
Remember
Character combining circumflex (after a base)
Unicode U+0302
Hex entity ̂
Decimal ̂
CSS escape \0302
Named entity (none for U+0302)
Example â → â
Not the same ˆ U+02C6 (ˆ spacing) · ^ U+005E
Prefer a precomposed letter (e.g. â / â, ê / ê) for everyday text. Use U+0302 when you need to compose accents, work with NFD text, or attach a circumflex to a base that has no single precomposed form.
Circumflex using Hex Code: â
Circumflex using HTML Code: â
Circumflex using CSS Entity: â
Typed directly: â
How It Works
1. Hex: write the base letter, then ̂ → â becomes â.
2. Decimal: same mark as 770 → â. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: put base + escape in one string: content: "a\0302". #point::after appends that sequence after the paragraph text.
4. Typed: in UTF-8 you can type a then the combining circumflex. Order must stay base first, mark second.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with combining circumflex.
Order
Base letter first
Write â, never put U+0302 before the letter you want to accent.
Named?
No named entity for U+0302
Use numeric forms. ˆ is for spacing ˆ (U+02C6), not the combining mark.
ˆ / ^
Not spacing circumflex or caret
Spacing ˆ (U+02C6) and caret ^ (U+005E) stand alone. U+0302 must follow a base character.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\0302 belongs in CSS strings. ̂ / ̂ belong in HTML.
Fonts
Combining support varies
Some fonts stack poorly. If layout looks wrong, prefer a precomposed letter for display text.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ̂, not ̂.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Combining circumflex (U+0302) and its numeric entity forms (̂, ̂, CSS \\0302) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Stacking quality depends on font support for combining marks.
✓ Universal support
Circumflex Accent (U+0302)
Encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape after a base letter — same combining mark 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+0302 / entitiesFull support
Bottom line: Prefer precomposed letters for normal prose. Use ̂ or ̂ after a base letter when you need the combining mark, and \\0302 only inside CSS content strings.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: combining circumflex is U+0302 (decimal 770).
HTML: base first, then ̂ or ̂ (e.g. â).
CSS: use "a\0302" (or another base) inside content.
Default: use precomposed â / â for everyday text when you can.
One line:U+0302 → after a base letter as ̂ / ̂ / CSS \0302.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place ̂ (hex) or ̂ (decimal) immediately after a base letter — for example â for â-looking text. In CSS, use content: "a\0302". There is no named HTML entity for U+0302.
U+0302 (hex 0302, decimal 770). It belongs to the Combining Diacritical Marks block and stacks above the preceding base character.
No. Use numeric references like ̂ or ̂. Note: ˆ is for spacing circumflex ˆ (U+02C6), not the combining mark.
Use U+0302 when composing accents dynamically, for NFD text, or bases without a precomposed form. For ordinary prose, prefer precomposed letters like â / â.
HTML entities (̂ or ̂) go in markup after the base letter. The CSS escape \0302 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after), typically as "a\0302".
U+0302 is a combining mark that attaches to the previous character. ˆ (U+02C6 / ˆ) is a spacing modifier. ^ (U+005E / ^) is the ASCII caret. Do not use them interchangeably.
🤔
Did you know?
Combining circumflex accent is Unicode U+0302 (decimal 770). It is a combining mark — place it after a base letter (e.g. â → â). HTML5 has no named entity for U+0302. ˆ maps to spacing circumflex (U+02C6 ˆ), not this mark.
