HTML Entity for Left Harpoon Barb Down (↽)
What You'll Learn
How to display the Left Harpoon Barb Down (↽) in HTML using the named entity, hexadecimal, decimal, and CSS escape methods. This symbol is U+21BD (LEFTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB DOWNWARDS) in the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF)—a left-pointing harpoon with the barb facing down, used in mathematical notation, chemistry (reversible reactions), flow diagrams, and directional indicators.
Render it with ↽ (named), ↽, ↽, or CSS \21BD. Related: U+21BC (↼, left harpoon barb up / ↼), U+2190 (←, simple left arrow / ←).
⚡ Quick Reference — Left Harpoon Barb Down
U+21BDArrows block
↽Hexadecimal reference
↽Decimal reference
↽Most readable option
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+21BD
Hex code ↽
HTML code ↽
Named entity ↽
CSS code \21BD
Meaning Leftwards harpoon with barb down
Related U+21BC = left harpoon barb up (↼)
U+2190 = left arrow (←)Complete HTML Example
A simple example showing the Left Harpoon Barb Down (↽) using the named entity, hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, and a CSS content escape:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\21BD";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Symbol using Hexadecimal: ↽</p>
<p>Symbol using HTML Code: ↽</p>
<p>Symbol using HTML Entity: ↽</p>
<p id="point">Symbol using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
The Left Harpoon Barb Down (↽) renders in modern browsers when the font includes Arrows block glyphs:
👀 Live Preview
See the Left Harpoon Barb Down (↽) in math and chemistry contexts:
🧠 How It Works
Named HTML Entity
↽ is the named entity for the Left Harpoon Barb Down (leftwards harpoon with barb downwards). Easy to read in math and chemistry markup.
Hexadecimal Code
↽ uses the Unicode hexadecimal value 21BD. The x prefix indicates hexadecimal format.
Decimal HTML Code
↽ uses the decimal Unicode value 8637 for the same symbol.
CSS Entity
\21BD is used in CSS stylesheets in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::after.
Same visual result
All four methods produce ↽. Unicode U+21BD is in the Arrows block. Previous: Left Half Ring Above.
Use Cases
The Left Harpoon Barb Down (↽) is commonly used in:
Reversible reactions and equilibrium notation in chemical equations.
Harpoon notation in math, logic, and scientific documents.
Show direction or relationships with harpoon-style arrows.
Illustrate specialized arrow symbols in guides and reference material.
Decorative or functional left harpoon in buttons, labels, and icons.
Document and teach HTML entity usage for Arrows block symbols.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Prefer
↽in HTML for readability - Use fonts that support the Arrows block (U+21BD)
- Set
<meta charset="utf-8"> - Pair ↽ with context (chemistry, math) so meaning is clear
- Keep one encoding style per project for consistency
- Distinguish ↽ from ↼ when barb down vs barb up matters
Don’t
- Confuse
↽(U+21BD) with↼(U+21BC, barb up) - Confuse
↽with←(U+2190, simple left arrow) - Use CSS
\21BDinside HTML text nodes - Assume all fonts render harpoon glyphs identically
- Mix named and numeric entities inconsistently in the same component
Key Takeaways
Four ways to render U+21BD in HTML and CSS
↽ ↽ ↽For CSS, use \21BD in the content property
Unicode U+21BD — LEFTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB DOWNWARDS
Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF) — named entity ↽
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
↽ (named), ↽ (hex), ↽ (decimal), or \21BD in CSS content. All four methods render ↽ correctly.U+21BD (LEFTWARDS HARPOON WITH BARB DOWNWARDS). Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF). Hex 21BD, decimal 8637. A left-pointing harpoon with the barb facing down.↽, ↽, ↽) go in markup. The CSS escape \21BD is used in stylesheets, typically on ::before or ::after. Both produce ↽.↽ is the named HTML entity for U+21BD. You can also use ↽ (decimal) or ↽ (hex) and \21BD in CSS.Explore More HTML Entities!
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