Home HTML Entities Plus (+) HTML Entity for Plus (+) Definition
What Is the Plus Entity? Plus (+ ) is the Basic Latin character at Unicode U+002B (PLUS SIGN). It marks addition and positive values — for example a + b .
Character +
Unicode U+002B
Named entity +
Hex entity +
Decimal +
CSS escape \2B
Related − (−), ± (±) Named, hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed + all produce the same glyph: + . Prefer the literal + or + in HTML source.
Reference
Quick Reference One table for every form you will actually use.
Form Code Where it goes Named entity +HTML markup Hex entity +HTML markup Decimal entity +HTML markup CSS escape \2BStylesheet content Direct character +UTF-8 HTML text
When to Use Which Situation Use Everyday HTML Type + or use + Numeric entity required + or +Generated text via ::before / ::after content: "\2B" or "+"Minus / subtraction − − — see Minus Plus-minus ± ± — see Plus Minus
See it
Live Preview Plus sign in common contexts.
Relation a + b
Large glyph +
Named entity + → +
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.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Plus (+)</title>
<style>
#point::after {
content: "\2B";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Using Named Entity: +</p>
<p>Using Hex Code: +</p>
<p>Using HTML Code: +</p>
<p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
<p>Example: 2 + 3 = 5</p>
</body>
</html> Using Named Entity: +
Using Hex Code: +
Using HTML Code: +
Using CSS Entity: +
Example: 2 + 3 = 5 How It Works 1. Named: + is the clearest entity form and renders +.
2. Hex: U+002B → + in HTML. Same result as the named entity.
3. Decimal: same code point as 43 → +. Same result as hex.
4. CSS: use \2B (or "+") in content. #point::after appends that + after the paragraph text.
Pitfalls & Tips Common mistakes when working with the plus entity.
Literal Typing + is fine Unlike < or &, the plus sign needs no escaping in HTML. Use + when you want an explicit entity.
Look-alikes Not − or ✚ − is − (minus). Dingbat crosses like ✚ look similar but are different characters.
URL Spaces in URLs In query strings, + often means a space. Prefer %20 for spaces and keep math plus signs in page content, not raw URLs.
CSS vs HTML Do not mix escapes \2B belongs in CSS. + / + / + belong in HTML.
Encoding Declare UTF-8 ASCII + is safe everywhere; keep <meta charset="UTF-8"> for mixed Unicode math pages.
Semicolon End references Always finish with ; — write +, not &plus.
Compatibility
Browser Support Plus (U+002B) and its entity forms (+, +, +, CSS \\2B) are supported in all modern browsers.
✓ Universal encoding
Plus (+) Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type + directly in UTF-8 HTML.
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+002B Full support
Bottom line: Prefer the literal + or + for readable HTML. Use \\2B only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways Unicode: this character is U+002B (decimal 43).
HTML: prefer + or + — or use + / +.
CSS: use \2B or "+" inside content.
Watch out: + ≠ − ≠ ±.
One line: U+002B → + / + / + / + / CSS \2B.
Frequently Asked Questions How do I display plus (+) in HTML using entities? Use + (named), + (hex), + (decimal), type + in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \2B in content. All render +. Prefer + or the literal + character.
What is the Unicode value for plus? U+002B (PLUS SIGN). Hex 2B, decimal 43. It belongs to the Basic Latin block (U+0000–U+007F).
Is there a named HTML entity for U+002B? Yes. HTML5 defines + for this character. Related: − for − and ± for ±.
When should I use this HTML entity? Use it for addition, positive values, and “add” UI labels. Typing + is fine in most HTML. Prefer + when you want an explicit entity (e.g. generated markup or consistency with other operators).
What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+002B? HTML entities (+, +, or +) go in markup. The CSS escape \2B is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render +.
How is + different from ± or −? − (U+2212, −) is the minus sign. ± (U+00B1, ±) is plus-minus. + (+) is only addition / positive — do not substitute one for another.
🤔
Did you know? Plus (+ ) is Unicode U+002B (decimal 43 ) — PLUS SIGN in Basic Latin. HTML5 provides +. You can also type + directly in UTF-8. Related: − (−) and ± (±).
Next: Plus Minus Learn the HTML entity for ± / U+00B1 — next in this sequence.
Continue tutorial → About the author Developer, cloud engineer, and technical writer
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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