Sixteen pointed asterisk (✺) is the Unicode character at U+273A in the Dingbats block. Official name: SIXTEEN POINTED ASTERISK. It is a decorative multi-pointed ornament for bullets, accents, and design details.
Remember
Character ✺
Unicode U+273A
Hex entity ✺
Decimal ✺
CSS escape \273A
Named entity (none)
Not the same * · ✶ · ∗
Prefer typing ✺ in UTF-8 when your file is encoded correctly, or use numeric entities when encoding must be explicit. There is no HTML5 named entity for this character.
Asterisk using Hex Code: ✺
Asterisk using HTML Code: ✺
Asterisk using CSS Entity: ✺
Typed directly: ✺
Accent: ✺ Special Notes ✺
How It Works
1. Hex:U+273A → ✺ in HTML. The browser turns it into ✺.
2. Decimal: same code point as 10042 → ✺. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: use \273A in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ✺ after the paragraph text.
4. Typed / accent: paste ✺ in UTF-8, or flank a heading with two marks for a simple decorative accent.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with this asterisk.
Named?
No named entity
HTML5 does not define a name for U+273A. Use ✺ or ✺.
vs *
Not an ASCII asterisk
* is for code and plain footnotes. Use ✺ only for decorative sixteen-pointed marks.
vs ✶
Not ✶
✶ is the six pointed black star (✶). Sixteen pointed asterisk is U+273A with no named form.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\273A belongs in CSS strings. ✺ / ✺ belong in HTML.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ✺, not ✺.
Fonts
Dingbats coverage varies
Some fonts omit ornamental Dingbats. Test on target devices or provide a fallback glyph / SVG.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Sixteen pointed asterisk (U+273A) and its numeric entity forms (✺, ✺, CSS \\273A) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on Dingbats font coverage.
✓ Universal support
Sixteen Pointed Asterisk (✺)
Encode with hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+273A / entitiesFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ✺ or ✺ in HTML when encoding must be explicit, and \\273A only inside CSS content.
HTML: use ✺ or ✺ — there is no named entity.
CSS: use \273A inside content for generated text.
Meaning:✺ is decorative — not *, not ✶.
One line:U+273A → ✺ / ✺ / CSS \273A (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ✺ (hex), ✺ (decimal), type ✺ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \273A in content. There is no named HTML entity.
U+273A (SIXTEEN POINTED ASTERISK). Hex 273A, decimal 10042. It belongs to the Dingbats block (U+2700–U+27BF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this ornament. Use numeric forms ✺ or ✺ when you need an entity.
No. ✺ is U+273A (sixteen pointed asterisk). * is U+002A (ASCII). ✶ is U+2736 (✶) — a six pointed black star. Different characters.
Use it for decorative bullets, accents, and ornamental design. Prefer * for programming and plain footnotes, and ✶ when you specifically want the six pointed star.
HTML entities (✺ or ✺) go in markup. The CSS escape \273A goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
🤔
Did you know?
Sixteen pointed asterisk is Unicode U+273A (decimal 10042) — glyph ✺ in the Dingbats block. HTML5 has no named entity for it — use ✺ or ✺. It is a decorative ornament — not ASCII * and not ✶ (✶).
