Dotted cross (⁜) is the Unicode character at U+205C in the General Punctuation block. Official name: DOTTED CROSS. It is a four-dot cross historically used as a manuscript annotation mark (obelism).
Remember
Character ⁜
Unicode U+205C
Hex entity ⁜
Decimal ⁜
CSS escape \205C
Named entity (none)
Not the same × · + · ∔
Prefer ⁜ or ⁜ in HTML (no named form). You can also type ⁜ in UTF-8.
Dotted Cross using Hex Code: ⁜
Dotted Cross using HTML Code: ⁜
Dotted Cross using CSS Entity: ⁜
Typed directly: ⁜
Annotation: ⁜ check this line
How It Works
1. Hex:U+205C → ⁜ in HTML. Preferred when there is no named entity.
2. Decimal: same code point as 8284 → ⁜. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: use \205C in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⁜ after the paragraph text.
4. Typed / annotation: paste ⁜ in UTF-8, or write ⁜ check this line.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Dotted Cross.
Name
No named entity
There is no &dottedcross;. Use ⁜ or ⁜.
×
Not the times sign
For multiplication, prefer × (×). ⁜ is a punctuation/annotation glyph.
+
Not ordinary plus
The keyboard + is for addition. Do not use ⁜ as a substitute plus.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\205C belongs in CSS strings. ⁜ / ⁜ belong in HTML.
Fonts
Punctuation font coverage
Some fonts omit U+205C. Prefer a font with General Punctuation coverage for display.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish numeric entities with ; — write ⁜, not ⁜.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Dotted cross (U+205C) and its entity forms (⁜, ⁜, CSS \\205C) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on punctuation font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Dotted Cross (⁜)
Encode with hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point 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+205C / entitiesFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ⁜ in HTML (no named form). Use ⁜ when decimal form is required, and \\205C only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: dotted cross is U+205C (decimal 8284) — glyph ⁜.
HTML: no named entity — use ⁜ / ⁜ / type ⁜.
CSS: use \205C inside content for generated text.
Meaning:⁜ = annotation/decorative cross — not ×, +, or ∔.
One line:U+205C → ⁜ / ⁜ / CSS \205C / type ⁜.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ⁜ (hex), ⁜ (decimal), type ⁜ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \205C in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+205C.
U+205C (DOTTED CROSS). Hex 205C, decimal 8284. It belongs to the General Punctuation block (U+2000–U+206F).
No. Use numeric forms ⁜ or ⁜, or type the character in a UTF-8 document.
Use it for decorative or annotation-style marks (historically called obelism), or when a text needs the four-dot cross glyph. Prefer × (×) or × for math multiplication, and + for ordinary plus.
HTML entities (⁜ or ⁜) go in markup. The CSS escape \205C goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
No. U+205C is the dotted cross (⁜). The times sign × is U+00D7 (×). The plus sign + is U+002B. They serve different roles.
🤔
Did you know?
Dotted cross is Unicode U+205C (decimal 8284) — glyph ⁜ in the General Punctuation block. There is no HTML5 named entity; use ⁜ or ⁜. Historically linked to manuscript obelism (margin annotation marks).
