HTML Entity for Mars (♂)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2642

HTML Entity for Mars symbol (U+2642) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Mars Entity?

Mars (♂) is the Miscellaneous Symbols character at Unicode U+2642 (MALE SIGN). The same glyph is the traditional planet Mars symbol in astronomy and astrology — and the male gender sign.

Remember

Character     ♂
Unicode       U+2642
Named entity  &male;
Hex entity    &#x2642;
Decimal       &#9794;
CSS escape    \2642

Named, hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ♂. Prefer &male; in HTML source — there is no separate &mars; name.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&male;`	HTML markup (best default)
Hex entity	`♂`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`♂`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2642`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`♂`	UTF-8 HTML text

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Readable HTML source	`&male;`
Numeric entity required	`♂` or `♂`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2642"`
Venus / female symbol ♀	See Female Sign (`&female;`)
Gender-focused page for the same glyph	See Male Sign

See it

Live Preview

Mars symbol rendered in astronomy and comparison contexts.

Inline text Planet: Mars ♂

Large glyph ♂

Named entity &male; → ♂

vs Venus ♀ ♂ | ♀

With entities Named: ♂ | Hex: ♂ | Decimal: ♂

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows the Mars symbol with named, hex, decimal, and CSS forms. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS

Four ways to produce ♂ in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Mars Symbol (&male;)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2642";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &male;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x2642;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#9794;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Planet: Mars &male;</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: &male; is the clearest HTML form and renders ♂.

2. Hex: U+2642 → ♂ in HTML. Same result as the named entity.

3. Decimal: same code point as 9794 → ♂. Same result as hex.

4. CSS: use \2642 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ♂ after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with the Mars symbol.

Named

Use `&male;`, not `&mars;`

HTML5 defines &male; for this glyph. There is no &mars; entity.

Same glyph

Same as male sign

U+2642 is one character used for both Mars and male. Context decides the meaning.

Not Venus ♀

Venus / female is &female; (U+2640) — a different character.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2642 belongs in CSS. &male; / ♂ / ♂ belong in HTML.

Encoding

Declare UTF-8

If you type ♂ directly, keep <meta charset="UTF-8"> so the file is not misread.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write &male;, not &male.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Mars / male sign (U+2642) and its entity forms (&male;, ♂, ♂, CSS \\2642) are supported in all mainstream browsers.

✓ Universal encoding

Mars (&male;)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ♂ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer IE 9+

Yes*

U+2642 Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &male; for readable HTML. Use \\2642 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: Mars is U+2642 (decimal 9794).
HTML: prefer &male; — or use ♂ / ♂.
CSS: use \2642 inside content for generated text.
Related: Venus is &female; (♀) — a different character.

One line: U+2642 → &male; / ♂ / ♂ / CSS \2642.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display the Mars symbol in HTML using entities?

Use &male; (named), ♂ (hex), ♂ (decimal), or the CSS escape \2642 in the content property. All render ♂. Prefer &male; in HTML source.

What is the Unicode value for Mars?

U+2642 (MALE SIGN). Hex 2642, decimal 9794. It belongs to the Miscellaneous Symbols block and is also used as the planet Mars symbol.

Is there a named HTML entity for Mars?

Yes. &male; is the HTML5 named entity for ♂. There is no separate &mars; name — use &male;.

When should I use the Mars HTML entity?

Use it for astronomy, astrology, planet references, and any content that needs the ♂ Mars symbol. The same entity is also used for the male gender sign.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+2642?

HTML entities (&male;, ♂, or ♂) go in markup. The CSS escape \2642 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ♂.

Is Mars the same as Venus?

No. Mars / male is ♂ (U+2642, &male;). Venus / female is ♀ (U+2640, &female;).

Did you know?

Mars is Unicode U+2642 (decimal 9794) — MALE SIGN in Miscellaneous Symbols. The same glyph is used as the planet Mars and the male gender symbol. HTML5 provides &male;. Related: Venus / female sign &female; (♀, U+2640).

Next: Kelvin Sign

Continue to the next HTML entity in this sequence.

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About the author

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.

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