En dash (–) is the Unicode character at U+2013 in General Punctuation. Official name: EN DASH. It is a mid-length dash used mainly for ranges and spans, as in 2010–2020.
Remember
Character –
Unicode U+2013
Named entity –
Hex entity –
Decimal –
CSS escape \2013
Not the same — (em dash) · ‐ (hyphen) · -
Prefer – in HTML markup. You can also use – / –, or type – in a UTF-8 document.
Built with Named: –
Built with Hex: –
Built with Decimal: –
Built with CSS: –
Typed: –
Range: 2020–2025
How It Works
1. Named:– is the preferred HTML5 name for U+2013 → –.
2. Hex:– inserts the same code point. Same visual as named.
3. Decimal: same code point as 8211 → –.
4. CSS: use \2013 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends –.
5. Typed: paste – in a UTF-8 document, or write a range like 2020–2025.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with En Dash.
Name
Prefer –
– is the readable named form for U+2013. Numeric forms still work when you need them.
—
Not an em dash
U+2014 (—) is longer and used for sentence breaks. En dash is for ranges.
-
Not a hyphen-minus
The keyboard - (U+002D) is not an en dash. Use – when you need the typographic range dash.
Spaces
Usually no spaces in ranges
Most style guides write ranges closed, like 10–20, not 10 – 20. Follow your house style.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\2013 belongs in CSS strings. – / – / – belong in HTML.
a11y
Keep range meaning clear
Screen readers may announce an en dash as a pause or “dash.” Nearby words like “from … to …” help when precision matters.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write –, not &ndash.
Compatibility
Browser Support
En dash (U+2013) and its entity forms (–, –, –, CSS \\2013) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on General Punctuation font coverage.
✓ Universal support
En Dash (–)
Encode with named, 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+2013 / –Full support
Bottom line: Prefer – in HTML. Use – / – when numeric form is required, and \\2013 only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: en dash is U+2013 (decimal 8211) — glyph –.
HTML: prefer – (named form).
CSS: use \2013 inside content for generated text.
Length: en – ≠ em — ≠ hyphen ‐ ≠ -.
One line:U+2013 → – / – / CSS \2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use – (named), – (hex), – (decimal), type – directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2013 in content.
U+2013 (EN DASH). Hex 2013, decimal 8211. It belongs to the General Punctuation block (U+2000–U+206F).
Yes. – is the HTML5 named entity for U+2013 and is usually the most readable choice in typographic markup.
Use it for number or date ranges (for example 2010–2020 or pages 10–20). Prefer — for strong sentence breaks, and a hyphen for compound words.
HTML entities (–, –, or –) go in markup. The CSS escape \2013 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
No. U+2013 is – (en dash). U+2014 is — (em dash). U+2010 is ‐ (hyphen).
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Did you know?
En dash is Unicode U+2013 (decimal 8211) — glyph – (EN DASH) in General Punctuation. HTML5 names it –. It is shorter than an em dash (—, —) and longer than a hyphen (‐, ‐). Common uses: number and date ranges.
