HTML Entity for Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically (⁑)
Beginner
5 min read
Updated: Sep 2026
1 example
Unicode U+2051
Definition
What Is the Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically Entity?
Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically (⁑) is the General Punctuation character at Unicode U+2051 (TWO ASTERISKS ALIGNED VERTICALLY). It is a single glyph of two asterisks stacked — useful for annotations and decorative typography.
Remember
Character ⁑
Unicode U+2051
Hex entity ⁑
Decimal ⁑
Named entity (none)
CSS escape \2051
Not the same * / * · ⁂ (asterism) · ∗ (∗)
Hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ⁑. Prefer ⁑ when you want an explicit entity.
Using Hex Code: ⁑
Using HTML Code: ⁑
Using CSS Entity: ⁑
⁑ See footnote
How It Works
1. Hex:U+2051 → ⁑ in HTML. The browser turns it into ⁑.
2. Decimal: same code point as 8273 → ⁑. Same result as hex.
3. Named: HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character — use hex or decimal instead.
4. CSS: use \2051 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ⁑ after the paragraph text.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically.
Look-alikes
⁑ ≠ * ≠ ⁂
U+2051 is one stacked double-asterisk glyph. * is a single ASCII asterisk. U+2042 is the three-asterisk asterism.
Named
No &…; name
Do not invent a name. Use ⁑ or ⁑.
Fonts
Glyph may be missing
General Punctuation coverage varies. Test on your target devices or provide a fallback font.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\2051 belongs in CSS. ⁑ / ⁑ belong in HTML.
A11y
Add nearby words
Pair the glyph with text like See footnote or use aria-label when it stands alone.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ⁑, not ⁑.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically (U+2051) and its entity forms (⁑, ⁑, CSS \\2051) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph coverage depends on the font.
✓ Universal encoding
Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically (⁑)
Encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ⁑ directly in UTF-8 HTML. No named entity.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerIE 9+
Yes*
U+2051Full support
Bottom line: Prefer ⁑ for readable HTML. Use \\2051 only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: this symbol is U+2051 (decimal 8273).
HTML: prefer ⁑ — or use ⁑. No named entity.
CSS: use \2051 inside content for generated text.
Watch out:U+2051 ≠ * ≠ U+2042.
One line:U+2051 → ⁑ / ⁑ / CSS \2051 (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ⁑ (hex), ⁑ (decimal), or the CSS escape \2051 in the content property. All render ⁑ when the font supports General Punctuation. There is no named HTML entity.
U+2051 (TWO ASTERISKS ALIGNED VERTICALLY). Hex 2051, decimal 8273. It belongs to General Punctuation (U+2000–U+206F).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+2051. Use numeric references like ⁑ or ⁑.
Use it for annotations, footnotes, and decorative typography when you need a single vertical double-asterisk glyph instead of typing two * characters. Prefer numeric entities when encoding must be explicit.
HTML entities (⁑ or ⁑) go in markup. The CSS escape \2051 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ⁑.
The ASCII * (U+002A / *) is a single horizontal asterisk. ∗ (U+2217) is the mathematical asterisk operator. U+2051 is one character: two asterisks stacked vertically.
🤔
Did you know?
Two Asterisks Aligned Vertically is Unicode U+2051 (decimal 8273) — TWO ASTERISKS ALIGNED VERTICALLY. HTML5 has no named entity — use ⁑ or ⁑. Do not confuse it with a plain * / * (U+002A), the asterism U+2042 (⁂), or the math asterisk ∗ (U+2217).
