HTML Entity for Lowercase E Schwa (ə)
What You'll Learn
How to display the schwa (ə) in HTML using hexadecimal, decimal, and CSS escape methods. Also called lowercase e schwa, this character is used in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for the mid central vowel—the most common vowel sound in English. It is U+0259 in the IPA Extensions block.
Render it with ə, ə, or CSS escape \259. There is no named HTML entity for the schwa, so numeric codes or CSS must be used.
⚡ Quick Reference — Lowercase E Schwa Entity
U+0259IPA Extensions
əHexadecimal reference
əDecimal reference
—No named entity
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+0259
Hex code ə
HTML code ə
Named entity (none)
CSS code \259
Meaning Latin small letter schwa
Also known as Lowercase e schwa
Block IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF)Complete HTML Example
A simple example showing the schwa (ə) using hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, and a CSS content escape:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\259";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Symbol (hex): ə</p>
<p>Symbol (decimal): ə</p>
<p id="point">Symbol (CSS): </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
The schwa (ə) and its numeric entity references are supported in modern browsers:
👀 Live Preview
See the schwa (ə) in IPA and linguistic contexts:
🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
ə uses the Unicode hexadecimal value 259 to display the character. The x prefix indicates hexadecimal format.
Decimal HTML Code
ə uses the decimal Unicode value 601 to display the same character. A common method for IPA Extension characters.
CSS Entity
\259 is used in CSS stylesheets, particularly in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::before and ::after.
Same visual result
All three methods produce the glyph: ə. Unicode U+0259 sits in the IPA Extensions block (U+0250–U+02AF). Do not confuse ə (schwa) with plain e (U+0065) or reversed e ɘ (U+0258). There is no named HTML entity.
Use Cases
The schwa (ə) is commonly used in:
International Phonetic Alphabet transcriptions for the mid central vowel.
Dictionary entries, apps, and courses showing how words are spoken.
Scholarly articles, research sites, and phonetic annotation tools.
Academic and editorial content with IPA or phonetic symbols.
English and ESL materials where schwa is the most frequent unstressed vowel.
Correct encoding so IPA content is indexed and read consistently.
Phonetic transcription systems and speech notation tools.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Use
əorəin HTML (no named entity exists) - Serve pages as UTF-8; you can also type ə directly in UTF-8 source
- Pick one style (hex or decimal) per project for consistency
- Use fonts that support IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF)
- Distinguish ə (schwa) from plain
e(U+0065) and ɘ (reversed e)
Don’t
- Assume a named entity exists—there is none for ə
- Substitute plain
ewhen ə is required for IPA accuracy - Put CSS escape
\259in HTML text nodes - Assume all fonts render IPA Extension glyphs identically
- Confuse ə (schwa) with ɘ (reversed e) or other IPA vowels
Key Takeaways
Three references render ə (no named entity)
ə əFor CSS stylesheets, use the escape in the content property
\259Unicode U+0259 — LATIN SMALL LETTER SCHWA
Essential for IPA, pronunciation guides, and phonetic web content
Previous: Lowercase E Reverse (ɘ) Next: Lowercase E Schwa Hook
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
ə (hex), ə (decimal), or \259 in CSS content. There is no named HTML entity; use numeric codes or CSS.U+0259 (LATIN SMALL LETTER SCHWA). IPA Extensions block. Hex 259, decimal 601. Used in the International Phonetic Alphabet for the mid central vowel—the most common vowel sound in English.ə or ə) is used in HTML content. The CSS entity (\259) is used in CSS, e.g. in the content property of pseudo-elements. Both produce ə but in different contexts.ə or ə in HTML, or \259 in CSS. This is standard for many IPA Extension characters.Explore More HTML Entities!
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