Image of or Approximately Equal To ≓
≓ (U+2253) 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: Image of or Approximately Equal To is part of the Symbols family (block: Mathematical Operators). 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 symbol IMAGE OF OR APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO is in the Mathematical Operators block. It is listed in Unicode as U+2253, with the name IMAGE OF OR APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO. It is used to show a connection between exact equality and approximation, often as a visual cue in diagrams or formulas. In practice, it is less common in everyday math writing than the standard ≈ or ≃, but it appears in some fonts and documents where a graphic cue is preferred. The symbol can appear in digital math editors, charts, and technical material to signal a relationship that is not a precise match but is closely related. Writers may use it when an image or a representation is shown as an approximate stand-in for the real value. It helps readers grasp a link between two items without asserting exact equality. This use is typical in contexts that blend numeric data with visuals or images. Overall, the symbol serves as a niche indicator in math notation and user interfaces while remaining part of the common math symbol set.
Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2253 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+2253 - General Category:
Sm - Age:
1.1 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
Mathematical Operators - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 89 93 - UTF-16:
2253 - UTF-32:
00002253 - HTML dec:
≓ - HTML hex:
≓ - JS escape:
\u2253 - Python \N{}:
\N{IMAGE OF OR APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO} - Python \u:
\u2253 - Python \U:
\U00002253 - URL-encoded:
%E2%89%93 - CSS escape:
\2253
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+2253 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.