HTML Entity for Left Wave Arrow (↜)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+219C

HTML Entity for Left Wave Arrow (U+219C) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Left Wave Arrow Entity?

Left Wave Arrow (↜) is the Arrows-block character at Unicode U+219C (LEFTWARDS WAVE ARROW). It is a left-pointing arrow drawn with a wavy shaft.

Remember

Character     ↜
Unicode       U+219C
Hex entity    &#x219C;
Decimal       &#8604;
Named entity  (none)
CSS escape    \219C
Not the same  &larr; (←) · ⇜ (U+21DC) · &harrw; (↭)

Hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ↜. Prefer ↜ when you want an explicit entity.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Hex entity	`↜`	HTML markup (best entity default)
Decimal entity	`↜`	HTML markup
Named entity	None	HTML5 does not define one
CSS escape	`\219C`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`↜`	UTF-8 HTML text

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Readable numeric entity in HTML	`↜`
Decimal entity required	`↜`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\219C"`
Plain leftwards arrow	Use ← (U+2190)
Leftwards squiggle arrow	Use U+21DC

See it

Live Preview

Left Wave Arrow in common UI and diagram contexts.

Label snippet Back ↜

Large glyph ↜

Hex entity ↜ → ↜

vs ← / ⇜ ↜ | ← | ⇜

With entities Hex: ↜ | Decimal: ↜

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows this symbol with hex, decimal, and CSS. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + CSS

Three ways to produce ↜ in a single document (no named entity).

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Left Wave Arrow (↜)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\219C";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x219C;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8604;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p><code>Back &#x219C;</code></p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+219C → ↜ in HTML. The browser turns it into ↜.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8604 → ↜. Same result as hex.

3. Named: HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character — use hex or decimal instead.

4. CSS: use \219C in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ↜ after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Left Wave Arrow.

Look-alikes

↜ ≠ ← ≠ ⇜

U+219C is a leftwards wave arrow. ← is straight. U+21DC is a leftwards squiggle arrow — a different code point.

Named

No `&…;` name

Do not invent a name. Use ↜ or ↜.

Fonts

Glyph may be missing

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

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\219C belongs in CSS. ↜ / ↜ belong in HTML.

A11y

Add nearby words

Pair the glyph with label text (for example Back ↜) or use aria-label when it stands alone.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write ↜, not &#x219C.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Left Wave Arrow (U+219C) and its entity forms (↜, ↜, CSS \\219C) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph coverage depends on the font.

✓ Universal encoding

Left Wave Arrow (↜)

Encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ↜ directly in UTF-8 HTML. No named entity.

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+219C Full support

Bottom line: Prefer ↜ for readable HTML. Use \\219C only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this symbol is U+219C (decimal 8604).
HTML: prefer ↜ — or use ↜. No named entity.
CSS: use \219C inside content for generated text.
Watch out: U+219C ≠ ← ≠ U+21DC.

One line: U+219C → ↜ / ↜ / CSS \219C (no named entity).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display Left Wave Arrow (↜) in HTML using entities?

Use ↜ (hex), ↜ (decimal), or the CSS escape \219C in the content property. All render ↜ when the font supports the Arrows block. There is no named HTML entity.

What is the Unicode value for Left Wave Arrow?

U+219C (LEFTWARDS WAVE ARROW). Hex 219C, decimal 8604. It belongs to the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+219C?

No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+219C. Use numeric references like ↜ or ↜.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it for navigation UI, decorative arrows, and diagrams when you need a left-pointing wave arrow instead of a straight ←. Prefer numeric entities when encoding must be explicit.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+219C?

HTML entities (↜ or ↜) go in markup. The CSS escape \219C is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ↜.

How is U+219C different from ←, U+21DC, or &harrw;?

← (U+2190) is a plain left arrow. U+21DC is LEFTWARDS SQUIGGLE ARROW. &harrw; (U+21AD) is bidirectional. U+219C is a one-way leftwards wave arrow.

Did you know?

Left Wave Arrow is Unicode U+219C (decimal 8604) — LEFTWARDS WAVE ARROW. HTML5 has no named entity — use ↜ or ↜. Do not confuse it with a plain ← (U+2190), the squiggle form (U+21DC), or the bidirectional wave arrow &harrw; (U+21AD).

Next: Left White Arrow

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

Continue tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

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