HTML Entities for Currency and Math Symbols
- Currency symbols (€, £, ¥, ¢) and math operators (±, ×, ÷) all have named HTML entities
- On UTF-8 pages you can paste them directly, but named entities are more portable
- Entity encoder converts any pasted symbol to its entity code automatically
- Quick reference table for the most commonly needed symbols
Table of Contents
Currency symbols and mathematical operators come up constantly in web content — pricing tables, formulas, product specs. While UTF-8 HTML handles all of these characters natively, named entities are more portable, easier to type, and immune to encoding issues when content moves between systems. Here is the reference you can bookmark.
HTML Entities for Currency Symbols
| Symbol | Named Entity | Numeric Entity | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| € | € | € | Euro |
| £ | £ | £ | Pound sterling |
| ¥ | ¥ | ¥ | Yen / Yuan |
| ¢ | ¢ | ¢ | Cent |
| $ | (none) | $ | Dollar — ASCII, no entity needed |
| ₹ | (none) | ₹ | Indian Rupee |
Note: $ and ₹ do not have named HTML entities. Use the numeric form ($ / ₹) or paste the character directly on UTF-8 pages.
HTML Entities for Math and Operator Symbols
| Symbol | Named Entity | Numeric Entity | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| ± | ± | ± | Plus-minus |
| × | × | × | Multiplication sign |
| ÷ | ÷ | ÷ | Division sign |
| ≠ | ≠ | ≠ | Not equal to |
| ≤ | ≤ | ≤ | Less than or equal |
| ≥ | ≥ | ≥ | Greater than or equal |
| ∑ | ∑ | ∑ | Summation (sigma) |
| √ | √ | √ | Square root |
| ∞ | ∞ | ∞ | Infinity |
When to Use Entity Codes vs Direct Characters
On a modern UTF-8 HTML page: both work. Pasting € or £ directly renders correctly without encoding.
Use named entities when:
- Your content flows through systems that may not preserve UTF-8 encoding (legacy CMSes, some email systems, non-UTF-8 XML feeds)
- You want to be explicit about what character is being used — € is harder to misread than a € that might get corrupted to a question mark or box in transit
- You are generating HTML programmatically and want safe ASCII output
Use direct characters when:
- You are writing HTML by hand and your editor supports UTF-8 (which all modern editors do)
- The content is going directly to a UTF-8 browser without intermediate processing
- Readability of your source HTML matters
Neither approach is wrong on a properly configured modern web page. The entity approach is marginally more portable; the direct approach is more readable.
How to Find the Entity Code for Any Symbol
If a symbol is not in the table above, two ways to find its entity code:
Use the encoder tool: Paste the symbol into the HTML entity encoder. The output shows the entity code — either the named form if one exists, or the numeric form for symbols without a named entity.
Unicode reference: Find the character's Unicode code point (e.g., U+20AC for €) and convert to decimal (8364). The numeric entity is €. Most Unicode reference sites show this directly.
The encoder tool is faster for one-off lookups — paste the symbol, copy the entity code.
Get Entity Codes for Any Symbol
Paste any character or text. Entity codes returned instantly. Free, no signup.
Open Free HTML Entity ToolFrequently Asked Questions
What is the HTML entity for the euro sign €?
€ is the named entity. The numeric form is €. On UTF-8 pages, you can also paste € directly.
What is the HTML entity for the pound sign £?
£ is the named entity. The numeric form is £.
What is the HTML entity for the multiplication sign ×?
× is the named entity for ×. Use it instead of the letter x when displaying multiplication to ensure correct rendering and semantics.
How do I find the HTML entity code for a symbol not in the list?
Paste the symbol into the HTML entity encoder. The output shows the entity code — named if available, numeric otherwise.
