Equal to or Less-Than ⋜
⋜ (U+22DC) 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: Equal to or Less-Than 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: U+22DC is the symbol for EQUAL TO OR LESS-THAN. It sits in the Mathematical Operators block and is used in the Common script. In formulas, it marks a relation where one value is less than or equal to another. In user interfaces, it helps users compare numbers and choices quickly. The meaning is clear: the left side does not exceed the right side. This symbol appears with other comparison signs to express math ideas or constraints. Designers place it where people expect a comparison to appear in lists, calculators, and charts. The symbol keeps a simple, compact shape that readers recognize with experience in math notation. It works well in inline text and as part of larger equations. Its history includes broad use in education, science, and software. When people see it, they quickly interpret the relation as a bound or limit. As a common math symbol, it supports quick understanding of rules and conditions.
Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+22DC 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+22DC - General Category:
Sm - Age:
1.1 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
Mathematical Operators - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 8B 9C - UTF-16:
22DC - UTF-32:
000022DC - HTML dec:
⋜ - HTML hex:
⋜ - JS escape:
\u22DC - Python \N{}:
\N{EQUAL TO OR LESS-THAN} - Python \u:
\u22DC - Python \U:
\U000022DC - URL-encoded:
%E2%8B%9C - CSS escape:
\22DC
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+22DC 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.