HTML Entity for Proportional (∷)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+2237

HTML Entity for Proportion (U+2237) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Proportional Entity?

Proportional (proportion) is the math operator at Unicode U+2237 that joins two ratios (∷). Prefer the named entity &Colon;, or use ∷ / ∷.

Remember

Character     ∷
Unicode       U+2237
Named entity  &Colon;
Hex entity    &#x2237;
Decimal       &#8759;
CSS escape    \2237

Hex, decimal, named, and CSS all produce the same operator. Example: a:b∷c:d means “a is to b as c is to d.”

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&Colon;`	HTML (preferred)
Hex entity	`∷`	HTML
Decimal entity	`∷`	HTML
CSS escape	`\2237`	Stylesheet `content`
Proportional to	`&prop;`	U+221D — different character

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Ratio proportion (a:b ∷ c:d)	`&Colon;`
Need a numeric entity	`∷` or `∷`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\2237"`
Direct proportionality (∝)	See Proportional To — `&prop;`
Punctuation colon in text	Type `:` — not U+2237

See it

Live Preview

Proportion in a ratio statement, compared with lookalikes.

Example 2:3 ∷ 4:6

Large glyph ∷

Named entity &Colon; → ∷

vs lookalikes ∷ | ∝ | :

With entities Hex: ∷ | Decimal: ∷ | Named: ∷

Code

Complete HTML Example

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

Hex + Decimal + Named + CSS

Four ways to render U+2237 (proportion ∷).

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Proportion (U+2237)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\2237";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: 2:3 &#x2237; 4:6</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: 2:3 &#8759; 4:6</p>
  <p>Using Named Entity: 2:3 &Colon; 4:6</p>
  <p>Using CSS Entity: 2:3 <span id="point"></span> 4:6</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: ∷ inserts U+2237 from its hex value → ∷.

2. Decimal: same character as 8759 → ∷. Same visual result.

3. Named: &Colon; (capital C) is the readable HTML5 name for PROPORTION.

4. CSS: use \2237 only inside content (e.g. on ::after).

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Proportion.

vs ∝

Not `&prop;`

&prop; is U+221D (proportional to). Proportion for ratios is U+2237 with &Colon;.

vs :

Not punctuation colon

ASCII : separates pairs in a ratio. ∷ joins two complete ratios.

Name

Capital `C` in `&Colon;`

The named entity is case-sensitive: &Colon;, not &colon;.

A11y

Explain the reading

On first use, gloss ∷ as “is to … as …” so learners hear the ratio meaning.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\2237 belongs in CSS. &Colon; / ∷ belong in HTML.

Semicolon

End references

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

Compatibility

Browser Support

Proportion (U+2237) and its entity forms (&Colon;, ∷, ∷, CSS \\2237) are supported in all mainstream browsers.

✓ Universal support

Proportional (∷)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape. Ratio proportion — not proportional to (∝).

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+2237 Full support

Bottom line: Prefer &Colon; in HTML. Use \\2237 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: Proportion is U+2237 (decimal 8759).
HTML: prefer &Colon; (also ∷ / ∷).
CSS: use \2237 inside content.
Lookalike: not &prop; (∝) or ASCII :.

One line: U+2237 → &Colon; (also ∷ / ∷ / CSS \2237).

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Use ∷ (hex), ∷ (decimal), &Colon; (named), or the CSS escape \2237 in the content property. All four render the proportion operator ∷.

What is the Unicode value for Proportion?

U+2237 (PROPORTION). Hex 2237, decimal 8759. It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block.

Is there a named HTML entity for U+2237?

Yes. Prefer &Colon; (capital C) for readable HTML. It is not the punctuation colon (:).

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it for ratio statements like a:b ∷ c:d (“a is to b as c is to d”). Prefer &prop; (∝) when you mean proportional to.

Is U+2237 the same as proportional to (∝)?

No. U+2237 (&Colon;) is PROPORTION for ratio statements. U+221D (&prop;) is PROPORTIONAL TO — a different math relation.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for ∷?

HTML entities (&Colon;, ∷, or ∷) go in markup. The CSS escape \2237 is used in stylesheets (usually in content on ::before/::after). Both render ∷.

Did you know?

Proportion is Unicode U+2237 (decimal 8759) — in Mathematical Operators. Prefer the named entity &Colon; (capital C), or use ∷ / ∷. It means “is to … as …” in ratios (a:b ∷ c:d). Do not confuse with punctuation : or &prop; (∝, proportional to).

Next: Proportional To

Continue with the Proportional To (∝, &prop;) entity tutorial.

Proportional To tutorial →

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.

AWS Certified Developer – Associate (Credly)

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