Lowercase r reverse (ɹ) is the Unicode character at U+0279 in IPA Extensions. Official name: LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED R — a rotated letter r, used in IPA for the alveolar approximant (English r in red).
Remember
Character ɹ
Unicode U+0279
Hex entity ɹ
Decimal ɹ
CSS escape \0279
Named entity (none)
Not the same r · ɻ · ɼ
Prefer ɹ or ɹ in HTML when you need an entity. You can also type ɹ in a UTF-8 document.
Built with Hex: ɹ
Built with Decimal: ɹ
Built with CSS: ɹ
Typed: ɹ
IPA sample: [ɹɛd]
How It Works
1. Hex:U+0279 → ɹ in HTML. The browser turns it into ɹ.
2. Decimal: same code point as 633 → ɹ. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: use \0279 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ɹ.
4. Typed: paste ɹ in a UTF-8 document for IPA text. There is no named entity — numeric form is required when you need an entity.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with lowercase turned r.
Named?
No named entity
HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+0279. Use ɹ or ɹ.
Look-alikes
Not plain r or fishhook
Plain r is U+0072. ɻ is the retroflex approximant. ɹ is turned r — different letters, different code points.
Fonts
Need IPA Extensions coverage
Some fonts omit IPA Extensions. Prefer a font that includes U+0279 for reliable glyphs.
CSS
Pad the CSS escape
Prefer \0279 (four hex digits). A short \279 can swallow the next hex digit if one follows immediately.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\0279 belongs in CSS strings. ɹ / ɹ belong in HTML.
Purpose
Not for body copy
Use plain r in normal English sentences. Reserve ɹ for phonetic transcription.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ɹ, not ɹ.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Lowercase turned r (U+0279) and its entity forms (ɹ, ɹ, CSS \\0279) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on IPA Extensions font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Lowercase R Reverse (ɹ)
Encode with hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+0279Full support
Bottom line: Prefer ɹ or ɹ in HTML when encoding must be explicit, and \\0279 only inside CSS content. There is no named entity.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: lowercase turned r is U+0279 (decimal 633) — glyph ɹ.
One line:U+0279 → ɹ / ɹ / CSS \0279 (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ɹ (hex), ɹ (decimal), type ɹ in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \0279 in content. There is no HTML5 named entity for U+0279.
U+0279 (LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED R). Hex 279, decimal 633. It belongs to IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character. Use numeric references like ɹ or ɹ when you need an entity form.
Use it for IPA phonetic transcription of the alveolar approximant (e.g. English red), linguistic dictionaries, and language-learning content that needs ɹ. Prefer plain r for ordinary English spelling.
HTML entities (ɹ or ɹ) go in markup. The CSS escape \0279 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
No. Plain r is U+0072. R with fishhook ɻ (U+027B) is the retroflex approximant. Turned r ɹ (U+0279) is the alveolar approximant — different place of articulation.
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Did you know?
Lowercase r reverse (turned r) is Unicode U+0279 (decimal 633) — LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED R in IPA Extensions. HTML5 has no named entity for it — use ɹ or ɹ. In IPA it marks the alveolar approximant (English r in red). Not the same as plain r or r with fishhook ɻ.
