HTML Entity for Excess (∹)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2239

HTML Entity for excess (U+2239) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is Excess?

Excess (∹) is the Unicode character at U+2239 in Mathematical Operators. Official name: EXCESS. It is a math relation glyph — related in appearance to ratio and colon-style operators, but a separate code point.

Remember

Character     ∹
Unicode       U+2239
Hex entity    &#x2239;
Decimal       &#8761;
CSS escape    \2239
Named entity  (none)
Not the same  ∶ (ratio) · ≕ (equals colon) · ≔ (colon equals)

Prefer ∹ or ∹ in HTML (no named form). You can also type ∹ in a UTF-8 document.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	None	—
Hex entity	`∹`	HTML markup (preferred)
Decimal entity	`∹`	HTML markup
Direct character	`∹`	HTML text (UTF-8)
CSS escape	`\2239`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Math excess relation	`∹` or type `∹`
Simple ratio / proportion colon	Ratio (∶)
Equals-over-colon definition	Equals colon (≕)
Colon-equals assignment / definition	Colon equals (`&colone;`, ≔)
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2239"`

See it

Live Preview

Excess rendered alone, in a sample relation, and compared with lookalikes.

Glyph ∹

Large glyph ∹

Sample a ∹ b

Compared ∹ ∶ ≕ ≔

With entities Hex: ∹ | Decimal: ∹

Code

Complete HTML Example

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

Hex + Decimal + CSS + Typed

Four ways to display ∹ in HTML and CSS.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Excess (U+2239) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2239";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Built with Hex: &#x2239;</p>
  <p>Built with Decimal: &#8761;</p>
  <p id="point">Built with CSS: </p>
  <p>Typed: ∹</p>
  <p>Relation: a &#x2239; b</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: ∹ inserts code point U+2239 → ∹.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8761 → ∹. Same visual as hex.

3. CSS: use \2239 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ∹.

4. Typed: paste ∹ in a UTF-8 document, or write a relation like a ∹ b.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Excess.

Name

No named entity

There is no HTML5 named entity for U+2239. Use ∹ or ∹. Do not invent &excess;.

∶

Not ratio

U+2236 (∶) is the ratio symbol. Choose excess only when you need U+2239 specifically.

≕

Not equals colon

U+2255 (≕) and colon equals (≔) are definition-style operators — different glyphs.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2239 belongs in CSS strings. ∹ / ∹ belong in HTML.

Fonts

Math operator coverage

Some fonts omit Mathematical Operators. Prefer a font with solid math coverage when ∹ must be visible.

a11y

Add accessible text

Screen readers may not announce ∹ clearly. Prefer nearby prose (for example “excess”) when the symbol carries meaning.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish entities with ; — write ∹, not &#x2239.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Excess (U+2239) and its entity forms (∹, ∹, CSS \\2239) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on Mathematical Operators font coverage.

✓ Universal support

Excess (∹)

Encode with 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+2239 Full support

Bottom line: Prefer ∹ in HTML (no named form). Use ∹ when decimal form is required, and \\2239 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: excess is U+2239 (decimal 8761) — glyph ∹.
HTML: no named entity — use ∹ / ∹ / type ∹.
CSS: use \2239 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ∹ ≠ ratio ∶ ≠ equals colon ≕.

One line: U+2239 → ∹ / ∹ / CSS \2239 (no named form).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display ∹ in HTML?

Use ∹ (hex), ∹ (decimal), type ∹ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2239 in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+2239.

What is the Unicode value for this symbol?

U+2239 (EXCESS). Hex 2239, decimal 8761. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for excess?

No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+2239. Prefer ∹ or ∹.

When should I use U+2239?

Use it for the math excess relation glyph. Prefer ratio (U+2236) for a simple ratio colon, and equals-colon / colon-equals for definition-style operators.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+2239?

HTML numeric entities (∹ or ∹) go in markup. The CSS escape \2239 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).

Is U+2239 the same as U+2236 or U+2255?

No. U+2239 is ∹ (excess). U+2236 is ∶ (ratio). U+2255 is ≕ (equals colon).

Did you know?

Excess is Unicode U+2239 (decimal 8761) — glyph ∹ (EXCESS) in Mathematical Operators. There is no HTML5 named entity; use ∹ or ∹. Related lookalikes include ratio (∶) and equals colon (≕).

Next: Exclamation Mark

Learn the HTML entity for exclamation mark (U+0021).

Exclamation Mark 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

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