Heavy asterisk (✱) is the Unicode character at U+2731 in Dingbats. Official name: HEAVY ASTERISK. It is a bold, filled asterisk used for bullets, ratings, footnotes, and decorative emphasis.
Remember
Character ✱
Unicode U+2731
Hex entity ✱
Decimal ✱
CSS escape \2731
Named entity (none)
Meaning bold dingbat asterisk
Not the same * (ASCII) · ∗ (∗) · ✪
Prefer ✱ or ✱ in HTML (no named form). You can also type ✱ in a UTF-8 document. For plain code or footnotes, the ASCII * is often clearer.
Built with Hex: ✱
Built with Decimal: ✱
Built with CSS: ✱
Typed: ✱
Email ✱
ASCII asterisk: *
How It Works
1. Hex:✱ inserts code point U+2731 → ✱.
2. Decimal: same code point as 10033 → ✱. Same visual as hex.
3. CSS: use \2731 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ✱.
4. Typed: paste ✱ in a UTF-8 document when you need the bold dingbat. Prefer aria-label or nearby prose when the mark means “required” or a footnote.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with heavy asterisk.
Name
No named entity
There is no HTML5 named entity for U+2731. Use ✱ or ✱. Do not invent &heavyast;.
*
Not the ASCII asterisk
ASCII * is U+002A. Heavy asterisk is ✱. Related idea — different shape and code point.
Math
Not ∗
Math asterisk operator is ∗ (U+2217, ∗). Use that in formulas; use ✱ for dingbat emphasis.
Font
Font coverage
Some fonts omit Dingbats. If ✱ is missing, fall back to * or a font with U+2731 coverage.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\2731 belongs in CSS strings. ✱ / ✱ belong in HTML.
a11y
Add accessible text
Screen readers may not announce ✱ clearly. Prefer aria-label or nearby prose for required fields and footnotes.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ✱, not ✱.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Heavy asterisk (U+2731) and its entity forms (✱, ✱, CSS \\2731) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on Dingbats font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Heavy Asterisk (✱)
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+2731Full support
Bottom line: Prefer ✱ in HTML (no named form). Use ✱ when decimal form is required, and \\2731 only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: heavy asterisk is U+2731 (decimal 10033) — glyph ✱.
HTML: no named entity — use ✱ / ✱ / type ✱.
CSS: use \2731 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ✱ ≠ * — use ASCII for code; heavy asterisk for dingbat emphasis.
One line:U+2731 → ✱ / ✱ / CSS \2731 (no named form).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ✱ (hex), ✱ (decimal), type ✱ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2731 in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+2731.
U+2731 (HEAVY ASTERISK). Hex 2731, decimal 10033. It belongs to the Dingbats block (U+2700–U+27BF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+2731. Prefer ✱ or ✱.
Use it for bold decorative bullets, ratings, or emphasis. For plain footnotes or multiplication in code, prefer ASCII * (U+002A). For math asterisk operator, prefer ∗ (∗, U+2217).
HTML numeric entities (✱ or ✱) go in markup. The CSS escape \2731 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
No. Heavy asterisk is U+2731 (✱) in Dingbats. ASCII asterisk is U+002A (*). Different shapes and code points.
🤔
Did you know?
Heavy asterisk is Unicode U+2731 (decimal 10033) — glyph ✱ (HEAVY ASTERISK) in Dingbats. There is no HTML5 named entity; use ✱ or ✱. It is bolder than the ASCII asterisk * (U+002A). Prefer nearby text or aria-label when the mark carries meaning (required fields, footnotes).
