HTML Entity for Up Down Arrow Base (↨)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+21A8

HTML Entity for up down arrow with base (U+21A8) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is Up Down Arrow Base?

Up down arrow base (↨) is the Unicode character at U+21A8 in the Arrows block. Official name: UP DOWN ARROW WITH BASE. It is a vertical bidirectional arrow with a base line — often used for resize, toggle, or move-up/down cues.

Remember

Character     ↨
Unicode       U+21A8
Hex entity    &#x21A8;
Decimal       &#8616;
CSS escape    \21A8
Named entity  (none)
Not the same  &varr; · &vArr;

Prefer ↨ or ↨ in HTML markup. You can also type ↨ in UTF-8. There is no named entity.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Direct character	`↨`	HTML text (UTF-8)
Hex entity	`↨`	HTML markup (preferred)
Decimal entity	`↨`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\21A8`	Stylesheet `content`
Named entity	—	Not defined in HTML5
Up down arrow (related)	`&varr;` (↕, U+2195)	No base line

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Up-down arrow with base	`↨` or `↨`
Plain up-down arrow	↕ / `&varr;`
Up-down double arrow	⇕ / `&vArr;`
Looking for a named form	Does not exist — use numeric form
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\21A8"`

See it

Live Preview

Up down arrow with base rendered next to related vertical arrows.

Example Resize ↨

Large glyph ↨

Compared ↨ ↕ ⇕

With entities Hex: ↨ | Decimal: ↨

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows Up Down Arrow Base with hex, decimal, CSS escape, and a typed character. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Hex + Decimal + CSS + Typed

Four ways to produce ↨, plus a short UI label.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Up Down Arrow Base (↨) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\21A8";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x21A8;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#8616;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Typed directly: ↨</p>
  <p>Example: Resize ↨</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Hex: U+21A8 → ↨ in HTML. The browser turns it into ↨.

2. Decimal: same code point as 8616 → ↨. Same result as hex.

3. CSS: use \21A8 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ↨ after the paragraph text.

4. Typed / example: paste ↨ in UTF-8, or write Resize ↨ for a short UI label.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with Up Down Arrow Base.

Named?

No named entity

HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+21A8. Use ↨ or ↨.

↕

Not the plain up-down arrow

&varr; (U+2195) has no base line. Use U+21A8 when you specifically need the base form.

⇕

Not a double arrow

&vArr; (U+21D5) is a thick double-shaft up-down arrow — a different character.

Fonts

Arrow font coverage

Most fonts cover U+21A8. If a UI font substitutes poorly, prefer a font with full Arrows-block support.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\21A8 belongs in CSS strings. ↨ / ↨ belong in HTML.

Semicolon

End numeric references

Always finish with ; — write ↨, not &#8616.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Up down arrow with base (U+21A8) and its entity forms (↨, ↨, CSS \\21A8) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible glyphs depend on Arrows-block font coverage.

✓ Universal support

Up Down Arrow Base (↨)

Encode with hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.

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 versions

Yes

U+21A8 / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer ↨ or ↨ in HTML. Use \\21A8 only inside CSS content. There is no named entity.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: this mark is U+21A8 (decimal 8616) — glyph ↨.
HTML: use ↨ or ↨ — no named entity; typing ↨ also works.
CSS: use \21A8 inside content for generated text.
Meaning: ↨ = up-down arrow with base — not &varr;, not &vArr;.

One line: U+21A8 → ↨ / ↨ / CSS \21A8.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display ↨ in HTML?

Use ↨ (hex), ↨ (decimal), type ↨ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \21A8 in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+21A8.

What is the Unicode value for this mark?

U+21A8 (UP DOWN ARROW WITH BASE). Hex 21A8, decimal 8616. It belongs to the Arrows block (U+2190–U+21FF).

Is there a named HTML entity for U+21A8?

No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character. Use numeric forms ↨ or ↨.

When should I use U+21A8?

Use it for expand/collapse, resize, or bidirectional vertical-move indicators when you want the base-line form. Prefer &varr; for a plain up-down arrow without the base.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+21A8?

HTML entities (↨ or ↨) go in markup. The CSS escape \21A8 goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).

Is ↨ the same as ↕ or ⇕?

No. ↨ is up down arrow with base (U+21A8). ↕ is up down arrow (&varr;). ⇕ is up down double arrow (&vArr;).

Did you know?

Up down arrow base (↨) is Unicode U+21A8 (decimal 8616) — UP DOWN ARROW WITH BASE in the Arrows block. HTML5 has no named entity — use ↨ or ↨. Do not confuse it with up down arrow (&varr;, ↕) or up down double arrow (&vArr;, ⇕).

Next: Up Down Double Arrow

Learn the HTML entity for up down double arrow (⇕).

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)

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