HTML Entity for Not Subset Of (⊄)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2284

HTML Entity for not subset of (U+2284) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Not Subset Of Entity?

Not subset of (⊄) is the Mathematical Operators character at Unicode U+2284 (NOT A SUBSET OF). In set theory it states that one set is not a subset of another — for example A ⊄ B.

Remember

Character     ⊄
Unicode       U+2284
Named entity  &nsub;
Hex entity    &#x2284;
Decimal       &#8836;
CSS escape    \2284
Affirmative   &sub; (⊂, U+2282)

Named, hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ⊄. Prefer &nsub; in HTML source for clarity.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&nsub;`	HTML markup (best default)
Hex entity	`⊄`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`⊄`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\2284`	Stylesheet `content`
Direct character	`⊄`	UTF-8 HTML text

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Readable HTML source	`&nsub;`
Numeric entity required	`⊄` or `⊄`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2284"`
Affirmative ⊂	`⊂` — see Subset Of
Not a superset ⊅	`&nsup;` — see Not A Superset Of

See it

Live Preview

Not subset of in set-theory and comparison contexts.

Relation A ⊄ B

Large glyph ⊄

Named entity &nsub; → ⊄

vs ⊂ / ⊆ / ⊅ ⊄ | ⊂ | ⊆ | ⊅

With entities Named: ⊄ | Hex: ⊄ | Decimal: ⊄

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows this 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>Not Subset Of (&nsub;)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2284";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &nsub;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x2284;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8836;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Example: A &nsub; B</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: &nsub; is the clearest HTML form and renders ⊄.

2. Hex: U+2284 → ⊄ in HTML. Same result as the named entity.

3. Decimal: same code point as 8836 → ⊄. Same result as hex.

4. CSS: use \2284 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⊄ after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with the not-subset entity.

Pair

`&nsub;` ≠ `⊂`

&nsub; is the negation. ⊂ is the affirmative subset of (⊂).

Look-alikes

Not `&nsup;`, `&sube;`, or ⊈

&nsup; is not a superset. &sube; is ⊆. ⊈ is neither subset nor equal — a stronger combined negation.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2284 belongs in CSS. &nsub; / ⊄ / ⊄ belong in HTML.

Element

Not `∉`

∉ (∉) is membership negation. &nsub; is subset negation — different relations.

Encoding

Declare UTF-8

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

Semicolon

End references

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

Compatibility

Browser Support

Not subset of (U+2284) and its entity forms (&nsub;, ⊄, ⊄, CSS \\2284) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph availability depends on the font.

✓ Universal encoding

Not Subset Of (&nsub;)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or paste ⊄ 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 All versions

Yes

U+2284 Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &nsub; for readable HTML. Use \\2284 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this character is U+2284 (decimal 8836).
HTML: prefer &nsub; — or use ⊄ / ⊄.
CSS: use \2284 inside content for generated text.
Watch out: &nsub; ≠ ⊂ ≠ &nsup; ≠ ∉.

One line: U+2284 → &nsub; / ⊄ / ⊄ / CSS \2284.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display not subset of (⊄) in HTML using entities?

Use &nsub; (named), ⊄ (hex), ⊄ (decimal), or the CSS escape \2284 in the content property. All render ⊄. Prefer &nsub; in HTML source.

What is the Unicode value for nsub?

U+2284 (NOT A SUBSET OF). Hex 2284, decimal 8836. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+2284?

Yes. &nsub; is the HTML5 named entity for ⊄. Related: ⊂ for ⊂ (U+2282) and &nsup; for ⊅ (U+2285).

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it in set theory and mathematics when one set is not a subset of another (e.g. A ⊄ B). Prefer &nsub; for readable source.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+2284?

HTML entities (&nsub;, ⊄, or ⊄) go in markup. The CSS escape \2284 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ⊄.

How is ⊄ different from ⊂, ⊆, or ⊈?

⊂ (⊂) is subset of. ⊆ (&sube;) is subset of or equal to. ⊄ (&nsub;) means not a subset of. ⊈ (U+2288) is neither a subset of nor equal to — a stronger combined negation.

Did you know?

Not a subset of (⊄) is Unicode U+2284 (decimal 8836) in Mathematical Operators. HTML5 provides &nsub; — the most readable form. It negates subset of (⊂, ⊂, U+2282). Related: &nsup; (⊅, not a superset) and ⊈ (neither a subset of nor equal to).

Next: Not Tilde

Learn the HTML entity for ≁ — next in this sequence.

Continue tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

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