Circled Minus ⊖

⊖ (U+2296) 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: Circled Minus 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 CIRCLED MINUS symbol, defined as codepoint U+2296 in the Mathematical Operators block, is used to show a subtract-like operation with a circled marker. It belongs to the Common script, so it can appear across many fonts and platforms. In History & usage contexts, it often marks a binary operation or a special kind of difference in formulas. Unicode includes it to fit mathematical notation into plain text and document formats. The symbol is chosen for clear visual meaning and compact form. In practice, editors and math tools use it to indicate a result that differs from a baseline or to denote a restricted set subtraction. It also appears in user interfaces where a compact indicator of a removed item is helpful. The usage_atoms describe its role: common math symbols indicate operations or comparisons in formulas and user interfaces. This guides how the circled minus is understood by readers and how it behaves in search and rendering. Overall, it serves as a precise, easily recognizable mark for subtraction-like relations within formulas and UI elements.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2296 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.