Identical to (≡) is the Unicode character at U+2261 in Mathematical Operators. Official name: IDENTICAL TO. It marks identity, logical equivalence, or congruence — stronger than ordinary equals (=).
Remember
Character ≡
Unicode U+2261
Named entity ≡
Hex entity ≡
Decimal ≡
CSS escape \2261
Not the same = (equals) · ≠ (ne) · ≢ (nequiv)
Prefer ≡ in HTML source for readability. You can also type ≡ directly in a UTF-8 document, or use numeric forms when tooling requires them.
Built with Named: ≡
Built with Hex: ≡
Built with Decimal: ≡
Built with CSS: ≡
Typed: ≡
Congruence: a ≡ b (mod n)
How It Works
1. Named:≡ is the HTML5 name for U+2261 → ≡.
2. Hex:≡ inserts the same code point. Same visual as named.
3. Decimal: same code point as 8801 → ≡.
4. CSS: use \2261 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ≡.
5. Typed / context: paste ≡ in a UTF-8 file, or write congruence like a ≡ b (mod n).
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Identical To.
Name
Prefer ≡
In HTML source, ≡ is easier to read than numeric forms. Keep one style consistent per document.
=
Not ordinary equals
U+003D (=) is everyday equality. Use ≡ only when you mean identity or congruence.
≠
Not ≠
U+2260 means “not equal to.” For “not identical,” use U+2262 (≢).
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\2261 belongs in CSS strings. ≡ / ≡ / ≡ belong in HTML.
Fonts
Check math fonts
Most modern fonts include U+2261, but always preview if the page mixes body and monospace faces.
a11y
Add context
Screen readers may announce ≡ as “identical to” or “equivalent to.” Surrounding words (e.g. “mod n”) keep the meaning clear aloud.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ≡, not &equiv.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Identical to (U+2261) and its entity forms (≡, ≡, ≡, CSS \\2261) are supported in all mainstream browsers.
✓ Universal support
Identical To (≡)
Encode with named, hex, decimal, typed character, or CSS escape — 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+2261 / ≡Full support
Bottom line: Prefer ≡ in HTML text. Use ≡ / ≡ when a numeric form is required, and \\2261 only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: identical to is U+2261 (decimal 8801) — glyph ≡.
HTML: prefer ≡, or use ≡ / ≡.
CSS: use \2261 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ≡ ≠ equals (=) ≠ ne (≠) ≠ nequiv (≢).
One line:U+2261 → ≡ / ≡ / CSS \2261.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ≡ (named), ≡ (hex), ≡ (decimal), type ≡ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2261 in content.
U+2261 (IDENTICAL TO). Hex 2261, decimal 8801. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF).
Yes. ≡ is the HTML5 named entity for U+2261 and is usually the clearest choice in source markup.
Use it for identity, logical equivalence, definitions that hold identically, or congruence such as a ≡ b (mod n). Prefer = for ordinary equality and ≠ for inequality.
HTML entities (≡, ≡, or ≡) go in markup. The CSS escape \2261 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
No. U+2261 is ≡ (identical to / congruence). U+003D is = (equals). U+2260 is ≠ (not equal to). U+2262 is ≢ (not identical to).
🤔
Did you know?
Identical to is Unicode U+2261 (decimal 8801) — glyph ≡ (IDENTICAL TO) in Mathematical Operators. HTML5 names it ≡. Prefer it for identity, logical equivalence, or congruence (e.g. a ≡ b mod n). Do not confuse it with = (=), ≠ (≠), or ≢ (≢).
