HTML Entity for Left Bracket ([)

Q: How do I display Left Bracket ([) in HTML using entities?

Use [ (named), [ (hex), [ (decimal), or the CSS escape \5B in the content property. You can also type [ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

Q: What is the Unicode value for Left Bracket?

U+005B (LEFT SQUARE BRACKET). Hex 5B, decimal 91. It belongs to the Basic Latin (ASCII) block.

Q: Is there a named HTML entity for U+005B?

Yes. [ is the primary HTML5 named entity. [ is a supported alias. You can also use [ or [.

Q: When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it when documenting arrays, indexes, or intervals and you want an explicit entity. For normal body text, typing [ directly is usually fine.

Q: What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+005B?

HTML entities ([, [, or [) go in markup. The CSS escape \5B is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render [.

Q: How is [ different from { or ( ?

{ is Left Brace (U+007B). ( is Left Parenthesis (U+0028). [ is the left square bracket (U+005B).

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+005B

HTML Entity for Left Bracket (U+005B) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Left Bracket Entity?

Left Bracket ([) is the Basic Latin character at Unicode U+005B (LEFT SQUARE BRACKET). It opens arrays, indexes, and closed intervals — and pairs with ].

Remember

Character     [
Unicode       U+005B
Hex entity    &#x5B;
Decimal       &#91;
Named entity  &lbrack;  (alias &lsqb;)
CSS escape    \5B
Not the same  { (brace) · ( (parenthesis)

All of these produce the same glyph: [. Prefer [ when you want an explicit entity; typing [ directly is fine in normal UTF-8 HTML.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`[`	HTML markup (best entity default)
Hex entity	`[`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`[`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\5B`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`[`	UTF-8 HTML text

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Normal page text / code samples	Type `[` directly
Readable HTML entity source	`[` (or `[`)
Need a numeric entity	`[` or `[`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\5B"`
Closing bracket	Use ] (U+005D)

See it

Live Preview

Left Bracket in common coding contexts.

Array snippet [1, 2, 3]

Large glyph [

Named entity [ → [

vs brace / paren [ | { | (

With entities Hex: [ | Decimal: [ | Named: [

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows Left Bracket with hex, decimal, named, and CSS. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + Named + CSS

All four ways to produce [ in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Left Bracket ([) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\5B";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x5B;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#91;</p>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &lbrack;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p><code>&lbrack;1, 2, 3&rbrack;</code></p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+005B → [ in HTML. The browser turns it into [.

2. Decimal: same code point as 91 → [. Same result as hex.

3. Named: [ is the HTML5 name (alias [).

4. CSS: use \5B in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that [ after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Left Bracket.

Look-alikes

[ ≠ { ≠ (

Square bracket, curly brace, and parenthesis are different characters and Unicode points.

Pairing

Always close with ]

Use ] (U+005D) for the matching right bracket.

HTML

Usually safe to type

Unlike < and &, [ does not need escaping in normal HTML text — entities are optional.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\5B belongs in CSS. [ / [ / [ belong in HTML.

Alias

`[` works too

[ is an HTML5 alias for the same character as [.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write [, not &lbrack.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Left Bracket (U+005B) and its entity forms ([, [, [, CSS \\5B) are supported in all modern browsers.

✓ Universal support

Left Bracket ([)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type [ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

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+005B / [ Full support

Bottom line: Prefer typing [ in normal text, or [ when you want an explicit entity. Use \\5B only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this symbol is U+005B (decimal 91).
HTML: prefer [ — or use [ / [ / type [.
CSS: use \5B inside content for generated text.
Watch out: [ ≠ { ≠ ( — and close with ].

One line: U+005B → [ / [ / [ / CSS \5B.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display Left Bracket ([) in HTML using entities?

Use [ (named), [ (hex), [ (decimal), or the CSS escape \5B in the content property. You can also type [ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

What is the Unicode value for Left Bracket?

U+005B (LEFT SQUARE BRACKET). Hex 5B, decimal 91. It belongs to the Basic Latin (ASCII) block.

Is there a named HTML entity for U+005B?

Yes. [ is the primary HTML5 named entity. [ is a supported alias. You can also use [ or [.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it when documenting arrays, indexes, or intervals and you want an explicit entity. For normal body text, typing [ directly is usually fine.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+005B?

HTML entities ([, [, or [) go in markup. The CSS escape \5B is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render [.

How is [ different from { or ( ?

{ is Left Brace (U+007B). ( is Left Parenthesis (U+0028). [ is the left square bracket (U+005B).

Did you know?

Left Bracket is Unicode U+005B (decimal 91) — LEFT SQUARE BRACKET. HTML5 provides [ (alias [). Prefer it for readable source, or use [ / [. Pair it with ] (U+005D) for matching brackets.

Next: Left Dashed Arrow

Learn the HTML entity for Left Dashed Arrow — next in this sequence.

Left Dashed Arrow 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

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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HTML Entity | Left Brace HTML Entity | Left Dashed Arrow