Figure Dash ‒
‒ (U+2012) is a standard Unicode character that you can copy and paste anywhere text is accepted. This page provides a concise reference with safe tips, internal links, and practical guidance so you can use it reliably across apps and platforms.
What it is and where it’s used: Figure Dash is part of the Symbols family (block: General Punctuation). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.
History & usage: The FIGURE DASH is a symbol in General Punctuation. Its codepoint is U+2012. It belongs to the Common script group. The symbol appears in text as a dash like mark. It helps to set off numbers or names when needed. In writing, it can separate parts of a list or range. It can also add emphasis in a line. History and exact usage can vary. The purpose of a dash is to shape how we read a sentence. Punctuation marks structure text and convey tone; usage conventions differ by style and locale. This means editors and writers might choose it or another dash, depending on the rules they follow. Readers may notice a subtle change in flow or emphasis when the figure dash appears. Different regions may prefer different dash styles for the same idea. The figure dash is one option among many tools for clarity. Writers should be consistent with a chosen style. When used carefully, it helps clarity without drawing attention to itself.
Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2012 in many development tools or editors. Some operating systems provide a character viewer or input palette that lets you search by name or code and insert the glyph into documents.
Display and fallback: if you see an empty box (tofu) or a placeholder rectangle, the active font might not include this codepoint. Switching to a font with broader Unicode coverage or using a fallback font usually fixes the issue. On the web, ensure the page’s font stack includes a general‑purpose fallback.
Related references: browse the Categories for similar characters. When choosing a symbol, prefer the official codepoint for semantic clarity and better compatibility with search, copy, and accessibility tooling.
See our category page for related symbols.
Technical details
- Codepoint:
U+2012 - General Category:
Pd - Age:
1.1 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
General Punctuation - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 80 92 - UTF-16:
2012 - UTF-32:
00002012 - HTML dec:
‒ - HTML hex:
‒ - JS escape:
\u2012 - Python \N{}:
\N{FIGURE DASH} - Python \u:
\u2012 - Python \U:
\U00002012 - URL-encoded:
%E2%80%92 - CSS escape:
\2012
How to type / insert
Fast copy: click the Copy button near the top of this page.
By codepoint: in many editors and IDEs, you can insert via the Unicode code U+2012 or a built‑in character picker.
HTML: use the numeric entity ‒ (hex) or ‒ (decimal) when an HTML entity is needed.
Compatibility & troubleshooting
Font support: if the symbol does not render, the current font likely lacks this codepoint. Choose a font with broad Unicode coverage or allow a fallback font.
Web pages: ensure your CSS font stack includes a general fallback; avoid relying on images for common symbols to preserve accessibility and copyability.