HTML Entity for Lowercase W Reverse (ʍ)

Beginner
⏱️ 5 min read
📚 Updated: Jun 2026
🎯 1 Code Example
Unicode U+028D
HTML Entity for Lowercase W Reverse tutorial illustration

What You'll Learn

How to display the lowercase w reverse (ʍ) in HTML using hexadecimal, decimal, and CSS escape methods. This character is officially named LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED W—a rotated w used in IPA for the labial-velar approximant [ʍ] (the voiceless counterpart to [w], as in the “wh” sound in English where and which in many pronunciations). It is U+028D in the IPA Extensions block.

Render it with ʍ, ʍ, or CSS escape \028D. There is no named HTML entity for this character. Do not confuse ʍ (turned w) with plain w (U+0077) or ŵ (w circumflex).

⚡ Quick Reference — Lowercase W Reverse Entity

Unicode U+028D

IPA Extensions

Hex Code ʍ

Hexadecimal reference

HTML Code ʍ

Decimal reference

Named Entity —

No named entity

Reference Table
Name           Value
────────────   ──────────
Unicode        U+028D
Hex code       ʍ
HTML code      ʍ
Named entity   (none)
CSS code       \028D
Meaning        Latin small letter turned w (reverse w)
Also called    Turned w
IPA            Labial-velar approximant [ʍ]
Related        [w] = plain w (U+0077)
Block          IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF)
1

Complete HTML Example

A simple example showing the lowercase w reverse (ʍ) using hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, and a CSS content escape:

html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
 <style>
  #point:after{
   content: "\028D";
  }
 </style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Symbol (hex): &#x028D;</p>
<p>Symbol (decimal): &#653;</p>
<p id="point">Symbol (CSS): </p>
</body>
</html>
Try It Yourself

🌐 Browser Support

The lowercase w reverse (ʍ) is supported in modern browsers when the font includes IPA Extensions glyphs:

Chrome1+
Firefox1+
Safari1+
Edge12+
Opera4+
Android4.4+
iOS Safari1+

👀 Live Preview

See the lowercase w reverse (ʍ) in phonetic and content contexts:

Large glyphʍ
IPALabial-velar approximant: [ʍ] (voiceless w; e.g. where, which)
Unicode nameLatin small letter turned w
Voiced pair[w] = plain w (U+0077)
Not the same asplain w (U+0077)  |  ŵ (w circumflex)  |  ʷ (modifier letter small w)
Numeric refs&#x028D; &#653; \028D

🧠 How It Works

1

Hexadecimal Code

&#x028D; uses the Unicode hexadecimal value 028D to display the character. The x prefix indicates hexadecimal format.

HTML markup
2

Decimal HTML Code

&#653; uses the decimal Unicode value 653 to display the same character. A common method for IPA Extensions characters.

HTML markup
3

CSS Entity

\028D is used in CSS stylesheets, particularly in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::before and ::after.

CSS stylesheet
=

Same visual result

All three methods produce the glyph: ʍ. Unicode U+028D sits in IPA Extensions. Do not confuse with plain w (U+0077) or ŵ (w circumflex). Use IPA-capable fonts for reliable rendering.

✅

Use Cases

The lowercase w reverse (ʍ) is commonly used in:

🎤 IPA Phonetics

Represents the labial-velar approximant [ʍ]—voiceless w, as in English where and which in many transcriptions.

📝 Linguistics & Phonology

Phonetic transcription, dictionaries, and academic papers using IPA consonant symbols.

🔤 Education

Language learning apps, pronunciation guides, and phonetics courses teaching IPA consonants.

🌍 Hmong Romanization

Used in Hmong romanization systems and related linguistic documentation.

📄 Academic Content

Character charts and linguistic resources requiring precise IPA representation.

🎨 Typography

Font specimens and design references showcasing IPA Extensions characters.

⚙ Programmatic HTML

When building HTML from phonetic data, using &#653; or &#x028D; guarantees correct output.

💡 Best Practices

Do

  • Serve pages as UTF-8; you can type ʍ directly in UTF-8 source
  • Use numeric references (&#x028D; or &#653;) when escaping is required
  • Use \028D in CSS content when generating the symbol via pseudo-elements
  • Use fonts that support IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF)
  • Distinguish ʍ (turned w) from plain w and ŵ (w circumflex)

Don’t

  • Substitute plain w when ʍ is required for IPA accuracy
  • Confuse ʍ (turned w consonant) with ŵ (w circumflex vowel letter)
  • Use the old incorrect CSS escape \0028D—the correct value is \028D
  • Expect a named HTML entity—none exists for ʍ
  • Put CSS escape \028D in HTML text nodes

Key Takeaways

1

Type ʍ directly, or use hex/decimal references

&#x028D; &#653;
2

For CSS stylesheets, use the escape in the content property

\028D
3

Unicode U+028D — LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED W

4

IPA labial-velar approximant [ʍ]; voiced pair is [w] (plain w)

5

Previous: Lowercase W Circumflex (ŵ)   Next: Lowercase Wynn (ƿ)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Use &#x028D; (hex), &#653; (decimal), or \028D in CSS content. There is no named HTML entity. In UTF-8 you can also type ʍ directly.
U+028D (LATIN SMALL LETTER TURNED W). IPA Extensions block. Hex 028D, decimal 653. Also called turned w. Used in IPA for the labial-velar approximant [ʍ].
When writing IPA phonetic transcriptions (e.g. voiceless wh in English), linguistic notation, pronunciation guides, or Hmong romanization requiring turned w.
ʍ (U+028D) is turned w—an IPA consonant symbol for [ʍ] (voiceless labial-velar approximant). Plain w (U+0077) is the standard Latin letter for [w] in everyday text. They are different characters with different Unicode values.
No. Use &#653; or &#x028D; in HTML, or \028D in CSS.

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About the author

Mari Selvan M P
Mari Selvan M P 🔗

Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer

  • Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
  • Focus Full Stack Development, AWS, and Developer Education

I write practical tutorials so students and working developers can learn by doing—from databases and APIs to deployment on AWS.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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Lowercase W Circumflex (ŵ) Lowercase Wynn (ƿ)