Lowercase r reverse hook (ɻ) is the Unicode character at U+027B in IPA Extensions. Official name: LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH FISHHOOK — a turned r with a fishhook, used in IPA for the retroflex approximant (Mandarin ri, many Indic languages).
Remember
Character ɻ
Unicode U+027B
Hex entity ɻ
Decimal ɻ
CSS escape \027B
Named entity (none)
Not the same r · ɹ · ɺ
Prefer ɻ or ɻ in HTML when you need an entity. You can also type ɻ in a UTF-8 document.
Built with Hex: ɻ
Built with Decimal: ɻ
Built with CSS: ɻ
Typed: ɻ
IPA sample: [ɻ]
How It Works
1. Hex:U+027B → ɻ in HTML. The browser turns it into ɻ.
2. Decimal: same code point as 635 → ɻ. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: use \027B in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ɻ.
4. Typed: paste ɻ 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 r with fishhook.
Named?
No named entity
HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+027B. Use ɻ or ɻ.
Look-alikes
Not plain r or turned r
Plain r is U+0072. ɹ is the alveolar approximant. ɻ is the retroflex approximant — different place of articulation.
Fonts
Need IPA Extensions coverage
Some fonts omit IPA Extensions. Prefer a font that includes U+027B for reliable glyphs.
CSS
Pad the CSS escape
Prefer \027B (four hex digits). A short \27B can swallow the next hex digit if one follows immediately.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\027B belongs in CSS strings. ɻ / ɻ belong in HTML.
Purpose
Not for body copy
Use plain r in normal English sentences. Reserve ɻ for phonetic transcription.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ɻ, not ɻ.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Lowercase r with fishhook (U+027B) and its entity forms (ɻ, ɻ, CSS \\027B) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on IPA Extensions font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Lowercase R Reverse Hook (ɻ)
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+027BFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ɻ or ɻ in HTML when encoding must be explicit, and \\027B only inside CSS content. There is no named entity.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: lowercase r with fishhook is U+027B (decimal 635) — glyph ɻ.
HTML: use ɻ or ɻ — no named entity.
CSS: use \027B inside content for generated text.
Watch out: ɻ ≠ plain r ≠ ɹ (turned r / alveolar).
One line:U+027B → ɻ / ɻ / CSS \027B (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ɻ (hex), ɻ (decimal), type ɻ in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \027B in content. There is no HTML5 named entity for U+027B.
U+027B (LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH FISHHOOK). Hex 27B, decimal 635. It belongs to IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character. Use numeric references like ɻ or ɻ when you need an entity form.
Use it for IPA phonetic transcription of the retroflex approximant (e.g. Mandarin ri, many Indic languages), linguistic dictionaries, and language-learning content that needs ɻ. Prefer plain r for ordinary English spelling.
HTML entities (ɻ or ɻ) go in markup. The CSS escape \027B goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
No. Plain r is U+0072. Turned r ɹ (U+0279) is the alveolar approximant. R with fishhook ɻ (U+027B) is the retroflex approximant — different place of articulation.
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Did you know?
Lowercase r reverse hook (r with fishhook) is Unicode U+027B (decimal 635) — LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH FISHHOOK in IPA Extensions. HTML5 has no named entity for it — use ɻ or ɻ. In IPA it marks the retroflex approximant (Mandarin ri, many Indic languages). Not the same as turned r ɹ or plain r.
