HTML Entity for Divides (∣)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2223

HTML Entity for divides (U+2223) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is Divides?

Divides (∣) is the Unicode character at U+2223 in the Mathematical Operators block. Official name: DIVIDES. In number theory, a ∣ b means a divides b (b is a multiple of a).

Remember

Character     ∣
Unicode       U+2223
Named entity  &mid;
Hex entity    &#x2223;
Decimal       &#8739;
CSS escape    \2223
Not the same  | · ÷ · ∤

Prefer &mid; in HTML markup (alias: &VerticalBar;). You can also type ∣ in UTF-8, or use numeric forms when needed.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&mid;`	HTML markup (preferred)
Direct character	`∣`	HTML text (UTF-8)
Hex entity	`∣`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`∣`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2223`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Divisibility (a divides b)	`&mid;` or type `∣`
Does not divide	∤ / `&nmid;`
Arithmetic division (quotient)	÷ / `÷`
Programming / separator pipe	Type `\|` (U+007C)
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2223"`

See it

Live Preview

Divides rendered in common number-theory contexts.

Example 3 ∣ 12

Large glyph ∣

Compared ∣ | ÷ ∤

With entities Named: ∣ | Hex: ∣ | Decimal: ∣

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows Divides with named, hex, decimal, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS + Typed

Five ways to produce ∣, plus a divisibility example.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Divides (∣) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2223";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Divides using Named Entity: &mid;</p>
  <p>Divides using Hex Code: &#x2223;</p>
  <p>Divides using HTML Code: &#8739;</p>
  <p id="point">Divides using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Typed directly: ∣</p>
  <p>Example: 3 &mid; 12 means 3 divides 12.</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: &mid; is the HTML5 name for U+2223 → ∣. Best default in markup.

2. Hex: U+2223 → ∣ in HTML. Same glyph as the named form.

3. Decimal: same code point as 8739 → ∣. Same result as hex and named.

4. CSS: use \2223 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ∣ after the paragraph text.

5. Typed / example: paste ∣ in UTF-8, or write 3 &mid; 12 to state that 3 divides 12.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Divides.

Not the ASCII pipe

Use | for code, tables, or separators. For math divisibility, use &mid; (∣).

Not the division sign

÷ (÷) is an arithmetic operator. ∣ is a relation: a divides b.

∤

Does not divide

Use ∤ (&nmid;) when a does not divide b.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2223 belongs in CSS strings. &mid; / ∣ / ∣ belong in HTML.

Fonts

Math font coverage

Some fonts omit U+2223. Prefer a font with Mathematical Operators coverage for display.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write &mid;, not &mid.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Divides (U+2223) and its entity forms (&mid;, ∣, ∣, CSS \\2223) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on math font coverage.

✓ Universal support

Divides (∣)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All versions

Yes

U+2223 / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &mid; in HTML. Use ∣ or ∣ when numeric form is required, and \\2223 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: divides is U+2223 (decimal 8739) — glyph ∣.
HTML: prefer &mid;, or use ∣ / ∣ / type ∣.
CSS: use \2223 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ∣ = divides relation — not |, ÷, or ∤.

One line: U+2223 → &mid; / ∣ / ∣ / CSS \2223 / type ∣.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display divides (∣) in HTML?

Use &mid; (named), ∣ (hex), ∣ (decimal), type ∣ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2223 in content. Prefer &mid; in normal HTML.

What is the Unicode value for divides?

U+2223 (DIVIDES). Hex 2223, decimal 8739. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+2223?

Yes. Use &mid; (preferred) or &VerticalBar;. Numeric forms ∣ and ∣ also work.

When should I use U+2223?

Use it in number theory and math when a divides b (divisibility), for example 3 ∣ 12. Do not use it as a programming pipe or as the ÷ operator.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+2223?

HTML entities (&mid;, ∣, or ∣) go in markup. The CSS escape \2223 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).

Is &mid; the same as | or ÷?

No. &mid; is U+2223 (divides). The ASCII pipe | is U+007C. The division sign ÷ is U+00F7 (÷). They serve different roles.

Did you know?

Divides is Unicode U+2223 (decimal 8739) — glyph ∣ in the Mathematical Operators block. HTML5 names it &mid; (also &VerticalBar;). It means a divides b, not the division sign ÷ or the ASCII pipe |.

Next: Division

Learn the HTML entity for the division sign (U+00F7).

Division tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

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