Semicolon (;) is the Basic Latin character at Unicode U+003B (SEMICOLON). HTML5 names it ;. You can also type ; directly on the keyboard.
Remember
Character ;
Unicode U+003B
Named entity ;
Hex entity ;
Decimal ;
CSS escape \3B
Not the same ⁏ (⁏ reversed)
Named, hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ;. Prefer typing ; in normal text; use ; when an explicit entity helps. Do not confuse it with Reversed Semicolon (⁏).
Built with Named: ;
Built with Hex: ;
Built with Decimal: ;
Built with CSS: ;
Typed: ;
List: apples; oranges; bananas
How It Works
1. Named:; is the HTML5 name for U+003B → ;.
2. Hex:; inserts the same code point. Same visual as named.
3. Decimal: same code point as 59 → ;.
4. CSS: use \3B in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends ;.
5. Typed: press ; on the keyboard in a UTF-8 document — the everyday default.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Semicolon.
Typing
Prefer the key
For normal text, type ;. Save entities for docs, generators, or when you need an explicit reference.
Named
; exists
HTML5 defines ;. It is case-sensitive — write ;, not ;.
Look-alikes
; ≠ ⁏
U+003B is the normal semicolon. U+204F is reversed semicolon (⁏).
Entities
Terminator role
A semicolon ends every HTML character reference (§, §, …). That is syntax — not the same as displaying U+003B as content.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\3B belongs in CSS. ; / ; / ; belong in HTML.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish entities with ; — write ;, not &semi.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Semicolon (U+003B) and its entity forms (;, ;, ;, CSS \\3B) are supported in all modern browsers.
✓ Universal encoding
Semicolon (;)
Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ; directly in UTF-8 HTML.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerIE 9+
Yes*
U+003B / ;Full support
Bottom line: Prefer typing ; in everyday HTML. Use ; when an explicit entity helps, and \\3B only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: this symbol is U+003B (decimal 59) — ASCII semicolon.
HTML: type ;, or use ; / ; / ;.
CSS: use \3B inside content for generated text.
Watch out: not the same as reversed semicolon (⁏, U+204F).
One line:U+003B → type ; / ; / ; / CSS \3B.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ; (named), ; (hex), ; (decimal), or the CSS escape \3B in the content property. You can also type ; on the keyboard. All methods render ;.
U+003B (SEMICOLON). Hex 3B, decimal 59, named entity ;. It belongs to Basic Latin (ASCII).
Yes. HTML5 defines ; for U+003B. It is case-sensitive — write ;, not ;. Typing ; directly is also fine.
Type ; for normal prose and code. Use ; or numeric forms when teaching entities, generating markup, or when an explicit reference is clearer than a raw character.
HTML entities (;, ;, or ;) go in markup. The CSS escape \3B is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ;.
U+003B is the normal semicolon (;). U+204F is REVERSED SEMICOLON (⁏) with entity ⁏ — a different character.
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Did you know?
Semicolon is Unicode U+003B (decimal 59) — SEMICOLON in Basic Latin (ASCII). HTML5 names it ; (case-sensitive). You can also type ; directly. Do not confuse it with reversed semicolon (⁏, U+204F).
