Lowercase r with tail (ɽ) is the Unicode character at U+027D in IPA Extensions. Official name: LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH TAIL — the letter r with a rightward hook (tail), used in IPA for the retroflex flap (common in Indic languages).
Remember
Character ɽ
Unicode U+027D
Hex entity ɽ
Decimal ɽ
CSS escape \027D
Named entity (none)
Not the same r · ɻ · ɹ
Prefer ɽ or ɽ in HTML when you need an entity. You can also type ɽ in a UTF-8 document.
Built with Hex: ɽ
Built with Decimal: ɽ
Built with CSS: ɽ
Typed: ɽ
IPA sample: [ɽ]
How It Works
1. Hex:U+027D → ɽ in HTML. The browser turns it into ɽ.
2. Decimal: same code point as 637 → ɽ. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: use \027D in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ɽ.
4. Typed: paste ɽ 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 tail.
Named?
No named entity
HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+027D. Use ɽ or ɽ.
Look-alikes
Not plain r or fishhook
Plain r is U+0072. ɻ is the retroflex approximant. ɽ is the retroflex flap — different manners of articulation.
Fonts
Need IPA Extensions coverage
Some fonts omit IPA Extensions. Prefer a font that includes U+027D for reliable glyphs.
CSS
Pad the CSS escape
Prefer \027D (four hex digits). A short \27D can swallow the next hex digit if one follows immediately.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\027D belongs in CSS strings. ɽ / ɽ belong in HTML.
Purpose
Not for body copy
Use plain r in normal English sentences. Reserve ɽ for phonetic transcription.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ɽ, not ɽ.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Lowercase r with tail (U+027D) and its entity forms (ɽ, ɽ, CSS \\027D) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on IPA Extensions font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Lowercase R Tail (ɽ)
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+027DFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ɽ or ɽ in HTML when encoding must be explicit, and \\027D only inside CSS content. There is no named entity.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: lowercase r with tail is U+027D (decimal 637) — glyph ɽ.
One line:U+027D → ɽ / ɽ / CSS \027D (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ɽ (hex), ɽ (decimal), type ɽ in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \027D in content. There is no HTML5 named entity for U+027D.
U+027D (LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH TAIL). Hex 27D, decimal 637. It belongs to IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character. Use numeric references like ɽ or ɽ when you need an entity form.
Use it for IPA phonetic transcription of the retroflex flap (common in Indic languages), linguistic dictionaries, and language-learning content that needs ɽ. Prefer plain r for ordinary English spelling.
HTML entities (ɽ or ɽ) go in markup. The CSS escape \027D 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. R with tail ɽ (U+027D) is the retroflex flap — different manners of articulation.
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Did you know?
Lowercase r with tail is Unicode U+027D (decimal 637) — LATIN SMALL LETTER R WITH TAIL in IPA Extensions. HTML5 has no named entity for it — use ɽ or ɽ. In IPA it marks the retroflex flap (many Indic languages). Not the same as plain r or r with fishhook ɻ.
