HTML Entity for Union (∪)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+222A

HTML Entity for Union (U+222A) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Union Entity?

Union (∪) is the Mathematical Operators character at Unicode U+222A (UNION). It is the set-theory operator for combining all elements from two sets (A ∪ B).

Remember

Character     ∪
Unicode       U+222A
Hex entity    &#x222A;
Decimal       &#8746;
Named entity  &cup;
CSS escape    \222A
Not the same  ∩ (&cap;) · ⋃ (&bigcup;)

All of these produce the same glyph: ∪. Prefer ∪ in HTML for readable math source.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`∪`	HTML markup (preferred)
Hex entity	`∪`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`∪`	HTML markup
Direct character	`∪`	UTF-8 HTML text
CSS escape	`\222A`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Readable math in HTML	`∪`
Need a numeric entity	`∪` or `∪`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\222A"`
Set intersection	Use ∩ (U+2229)
N-ary / big union	Use &bigcup; (U+22C3)

See it

Live Preview

Union in common set-theory contexts.

Set expression A ∪ B

Large glyph ∪

Named entity ∪ → ∪

vs ∩ / ⋃ ∪ | ∩ | ⋃

With entities Hex: ∪ | Decimal: ∪ | Named: ∪

Code

Complete HTML Example

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

Hex + Decimal + Named + CSS

All four ways to produce ∪ in a single document (plus a set expression).

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Union (∪)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\222A";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x222A;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8746;</p>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &cup;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Set theory: A &cup; B</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+222A → ∪ in HTML. The browser turns it into ∪.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8746 → ∪. Same result as hex.

3. Named: ∪ is the HTML5 name for this character (think “cup” shape of ∪).

4. CSS: use \222A in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ∪ after the paragraph text.

5. Expression: A ∪ B shows the usual set-union notation in readable source.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Union.

Look-alikes

∪ ≠ ∩ ≠ ⋃

U+222A is binary union. Intersection is U+2229 (∩). N-ary union is U+22C3 (&bigcup;.

Readable

Prefer `∪`

Named form is easiest to scan in math tutorials. Numeric forms are equally valid.

Letter U

Do not fake it with U

A capital U is not the math operator. Use ∪ or paste ∪.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\222A belongs in CSS. ∪ / ∪ / ∪ belong in HTML.

A11y

Name the sets

Screen readers may say “cup” or skip the glyph. Keep set names nearby (A ∪ B).

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write ∪, not &cup.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Union (U+222A) and its entity forms (∪, ∪, ∪, CSS \\222A) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph shape depends on the math font.

✓ Universal encoding

Union (∪)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or paste ∪ in UTF-8 HTML.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All

Yes

U+222A / ∪ Full support

Bottom line: Prefer ∪ in HTML. Use \\222A only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this symbol is U+222A (decimal 8746).
HTML: prefer ∪, or use ∪ / ∪.
CSS: use \222A inside content for generated text.
Watch out: ∪ ≠ ∩ ≠ ⋃ (∪ ≠ ∩ ≠ &bigcup;).

One line: U+222A → ∪ / ∪ / ∪ / CSS \222A.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display Union (∪) in HTML using entities?

Use ∪ (named), ∪ (hex), ∪ (decimal), or the CSS escape \222A in the content property. You can also paste ∪ directly in UTF-8 HTML.

What is the Unicode value for Union?

U+222A (UNION). Hex 222A, decimal 8746. It belongs to Mathematical Operators (U+2200–U+22FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+222A?

Yes. ∪ is the HTML5 named entity. You can also use ∪ or ∪.

What is the difference between ∪ and &bigcup;?

∪ renders U+222A (∪), the binary set union. &bigcup; renders U+22C3 (⋃), the n-ary union for indexed families of sets. They are different characters.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+222A?

HTML entities (∪, ∪, or ∪) go in markup. The CSS escape \222A is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ∪.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use ∪ in set theory, math tutorials, and academic content when you mean set union. Pair it with set names (for example A ∪ B) so the meaning is clear.

Did you know?

Union is Unicode U+222A (decimal 8746) — UNION in the Mathematical Operators block. HTML5 provides ∪. Prefer ∪ for readable math markup. Do not confuse it with intersection U+2229 (∩) or n-ary union U+22C3 (&bigcup;).

Next: Universal Recycling Symbol

Learn the HTML entity for Universal Recycling Symbol — next in this sequence.

Continue 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)

8 people found this page helpful

HTML Entity | Undertie HTML Entity | Universal Recycling Symbol