HTML Entity for Left Paired Arrows (⇇)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+21C7

HTML Entity for Left Paired Arrows (U+21C7) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Left Paired Arrows Entity?

Left Paired Arrows (⇇) is the Arrows-block character at Unicode U+21C7 (LEFTWARDS PAIRED ARROWS). Two leftward arrows are stacked as a pair.

Remember

Character     ⇇
Unicode       U+21C7
Hex entity    &#x21C7;
Decimal       &#8647;
Named entity  &llarr; · &leftleftarrows;
CSS escape    \21C7
Not the same  &larr; (←) · &rrarr; (⇉)

All of these produce the same glyph: ⇇. Prefer &llarr; or &leftleftarrows; when you want an explicit entity.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&llarr;` / `&leftleftarrows;`	HTML markup (best entity default)
Hex entity	`⇇`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`⇇`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\21C7`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`⇇`	UTF-8 HTML text

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Readable HTML entity source	`&llarr;` or `&leftleftarrows;`
Need a numeric entity	`⇇` or `⇇`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\21C7"`
Single left arrow	Use ← (U+2190)
Right paired arrows	Use `&rrarr;` / `&rightrightarrows;` (U+21C9)

See it

Live Preview

Left Paired Arrows in common navigation and diagram contexts.

Label snippet ⇇ Previous

Large glyph ⇇

Named entity &llarr; → ⇇

vs ← / &rrarr; ⇇ | ← | ⇉

With entities Hex: ⇇ | Decimal: ⇇ | Named: ⇇

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows this symbol 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 Paired Arrows (⇇)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\21C7";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x21C7;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8647;</p>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &llarr;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p><code>&llarr; Previous</code></p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+21C7 → ⇇ in HTML. The browser turns it into ⇇.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8647 → ⇇. Same result as hex.

3. Named: &llarr; and &leftleftarrows; are the HTML5 names for this character.

4. CSS: use \21C7 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⇇ after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Left Paired Arrows.

Look-alikes

⇇ ≠ ← ≠ ⇉

&llarr; (paired left), ← (single), and &rrarr; (paired right) are different characters.

Name

`&llarr;` ≠ `←`

The double ll selects the paired form. Do not drop a letter.

Fonts

Glyph may be missing

Paired-arrow coverage varies. Test on your target devices or provide a fallback font.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\21C7 belongs in CSS. &llarr; / ⇇ / ⇇ belong in HTML.

A11y

Add nearby words

Pair the glyph with label text (for example &llarr; Previous) or use aria-label when it stands alone.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write &llarr;, not &llarr.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Left Paired Arrows (U+21C7) and its entity forms (&llarr;, &leftleftarrows;, ⇇, ⇇, CSS \\21C7) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph coverage depends on the font.

✓ Universal encoding

Left Paired Arrows (&llarr;)

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 IE 9+

Yes*

U+21C7 / &llarr; Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &llarr; or &leftleftarrows; for readable HTML. Use \\21C7 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this symbol is U+21C7 (decimal 8647).
HTML: prefer &llarr; / &leftleftarrows; — or use ⇇ / ⇇.
CSS: use \21C7 inside content for generated text.
Watch out: &llarr; ≠ ← ≠ &rrarr;.

One line: U+21C7 → &llarr; / ⇇ / ⇇ / CSS \21C7.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display Left Paired Arrows (⇇) in HTML using entities?

Use &llarr; or &leftleftarrows; (named), ⇇ (hex), ⇇ (decimal), or the CSS escape \21C7 in the content property. You can also type ⇇ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

What is the Unicode value for Left Paired Arrows?

U+21C7 (LEFTWARDS PAIRED ARROWS). Hex 21C7, decimal 8647. It belongs to the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+21C7?

Yes. &llarr; and &leftleftarrows; are both HTML5 named entities. You can also use ⇇ or ⇇.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it in navigation, diagrams, and math when you need two leftward arrows stacked as a pair. Prefer &llarr; or &leftleftarrows; for readable HTML.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+21C7?

HTML entities (&llarr;, ⇇, or ⇇) go in markup. The CSS escape \21C7 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ⇇.

How is &llarr; different from ← or &rrarr;?

← (U+2190) is a single left arrow. &rrarr; / &rightrightarrows; (U+21C9) is the rightwards paired form. &llarr; (U+21C7) is two leftward arrows paired together.

Did you know?

Left Paired Arrows is Unicode U+21C7 (decimal 8647) — LEFTWARDS PAIRED ARROWS. HTML5 provides &llarr; and &leftleftarrows;. Prefer a named form for readable source. Do not confuse it with a single ← (U+2190) or the right paired form (&rrarr;, U+21C9).

Next: Left Parenthesis

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

Continue tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

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Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
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