Less Than Equal To (⋜) is the Mathematical Operators character at Unicode U+22DC (EQUAL TO OR LESS-THAN). It places an equals bar above a less-than sign in one glyph.
Remember
Character ⋜
Unicode U+22DC
Hex entity ⋜
Decimal ⋜
Named entity (none)
CSS escape \22DC
Not the same ≤ (≤) · ≦ (≦) · ⪙ (U+2A99)
Hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ⋜. Prefer ⋜ when you want an explicit entity. For everyday ≤, use ≤ instead.
Using Hex Code: ⋜
Using HTML Code: ⋜
Using CSS Entity: ⋜
a ⋜ b
How It Works
1. Hex:U+22DC → ⋜ in HTML. The browser turns it into ⋜.
2. Decimal: same code point as 8924 → ⋜. Same result as hex.
3. Named: HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character — use hex or decimal instead. Do not use ⪙ here; that name maps to U+2A99.
4. CSS: use \22DC in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⋜ after the paragraph text.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Less Than Equal To.
Look-alikes
⋜ ≠ ≤ ≠ ≦
≤ (U+2264) and ≦ (U+2266) are different less/equal forms. Use this page only when you need U+22DC.
Named
No &…; name
Do not invent a name or reuse ⪙. Use ⋜ or ⋜.
Everyday ≤
Prefer ≤ for ≤
Most “less than or equal” UI and docs want U+2264. Reserve U+22DC for the equal-to-or-less-than glyph.
Fonts
Glyph may be missing
Math operator coverage varies. Test on your target devices or provide a fallback font.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\22DC belongs in CSS. ⋜ / ⋜ belong in HTML.
A11y
Add nearby words
Pair the glyph with label text (for example a ⋜ b) or use aria-label when it stands alone.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ⋜, not ⋜.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Less Than Equal To (U+22DC) and its entity forms (⋜, ⋜, CSS \\22DC) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph coverage depends on the font.
✓ Universal encoding
Less Than Equal To (⋜)
Encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ⋜ directly in UTF-8 HTML. No named entity.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerIE 9+
Yes*
U+22DCFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ⋜ for readable HTML. Use \\22DC only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: this symbol is U+22DC (decimal 8924).
HTML: prefer ⋜ — or use ⋜. No named entity.
CSS: use \22DC inside content for generated text.
Watch out:U+22DC ≠ ≤ ≠ ⪙.
One line:U+22DC → ⋜ / ⋜ / CSS \22DC (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ⋜ (hex), ⋜ (decimal), or the CSS escape \22DC in the content property. All render ⋜ when the font supports Mathematical Operators. There is no named HTML entity.
U+22DC (EQUAL TO OR LESS-THAN). Hex 22DC, decimal 8924. It belongs to Mathematical Operators (U+2200–U+22FF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+22DC. Use numeric references like ⋜ or ⋜. Note: ⪙ is a different character (U+2A99).
Use it when your notation needs the equal-to-or-less-than form (equals bar above less-than). For the everyday ≤ symbol, prefer ≤ (U+2264) instead.
HTML entities (⋜ or ⋜) go in markup. The CSS escape \22DC is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ⋜.
≤ (U+2264, ≤) is LESS-THAN OR EQUAL TO — the common inequality. U+22DC (⋜) is EQUAL TO OR LESS-THAN — a related but distinct glyph with no named entity.
🤔
Did you know?
Less Than Equal To is Unicode U+22DC (decimal 8924) — EQUAL TO OR LESS-THAN in Mathematical Operators. HTML5 has no named entity — use ⋜ or ⋜. Do not confuse it with ≤ (≤, U+2264) or invent ⪙ (that name is U+2A99).
