HTML Entity for Tilde (∼)
What You'll Learn
How to display the Tilde operator symbol (∼) in HTML using hexadecimal, decimal, named entity, and CSS escape methods. This character is U+223C (TILDE OPERATOR) in the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF)—used for similarity, equivalence, or approximation in math notation.
Render it with ∼, ∼, the named entity ∼, or CSS escape \223C. This is not the ASCII tilde character ~ (U+007E). Do not confuse ∼ with ~ or the combining mark ̰ (Tilde Below).
⚡ Quick Reference — Tilde Entity
U+223CMathematical Operators
∼Hexadecimal reference
∼Decimal reference
∼Most readable option
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+223C
Hex code ∼
HTML code ∼
Named entity ∼
CSS code \223C
Block Mathematical Operators (U+2200–U+22FF)
Official name TILDE OPERATOR
Related U+007E = Tilde (~), U+0330; = Tilde Below (̰)Complete HTML Example
This example demonstrates the Tilde operator symbol (∼) using hexadecimal code, decimal HTML code, named entity, and a CSS content escape:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point:after{
content: "\223C";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Using Hexadecimal: ∼</p>
<p>Using HTML Code: ∼</p>
<p>Using Named Entity: ∼</p>
<p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
The Tilde operator entity is universally supported in modern browsers:
👀 Live Preview
See the Tilde operator symbol (∼) in mathematical context:
🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
∼ uses the Unicode hexadecimal value 223C to display the Tilde operator symbol. The x prefix indicates hexadecimal format.
Decimal HTML Code
∼ uses the decimal Unicode value 8764 to display the same character.
CSS Entity
\223C is used in CSS stylesheets, particularly in the content property of pseudo-elements like ::before and ::after.
Named Entity
∼ is the semantic named entity — short for “similar” and the easiest to read in source HTML.
Same visual result
All four methods produce the glyph: ∼. Unicode U+223C in the Mathematical Operators block. Distinct from ASCII ~ (U+007E).
Use Cases
The Tilde operator symbol (∼) commonly appears in:
Equations and formulas for similarity or approximation.
Showing two objects or sets are similar or equivalent.
Equivalence classes and theoretical mathematics.
Research papers and academic publications.
Theorem statements and formal demonstrations.
Mathematics textbooks and instructional content.
Algorithm descriptions and formal specifications.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Prefer
∼for readable source markup - Use ∼ for mathematical similarity, not keyboard
~ - Pick one style (hex / decimal / named) per project
- Add
aria-labelfor standalone symbols in UI - Test the glyph across browsers and math-friendly fonts
Don’t
- Confuse ∼ (Tilde Operator) with ~ (ASCII U+007E)
- Mix entity styles randomly in one file
- Put CSS escape
\223Cdirectly in HTML text nodes - Use HTML entities in JS (use
\u223Cinstead) - Assume all fonts render ∼ clearly at small sizes
Key Takeaways
Three HTML references all render ∼
∼ ∼ ∼For CSS stylesheets, use the escape in the content property
\223CUnicode U+223C — TILDE OPERATOR
Prefer ∼ — the named entity for similarity notation
Not the same as keyboard tilde ~ (U+007E)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
∼ (hex), ∼ (decimal), ∼ (named), or \223C in CSS content. All produce ∼.U+223C (TILDE OPERATOR). Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF). Hex 223C, decimal 8764. Distinct from ASCII tilde ~ (U+007E).∼ is more readable in source code. Numeric references (∼ or ∼) are more explicit. CSS escape \223C is for stylesheets only. All produce ∼.∼ is the named HTML entity for ∼. The name sim stands for similarity and is part of the HTML5 standard. Prefer it over numeric codes when readability matters.Explore More HTML Entities!
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