Left Parenthesis Extension ⎜

⎜ (U+239C) 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: Left Parenthesis Extension is part of the Symbols family (block: Miscellaneous Technical). 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 LEFT PARENTHESIS EXTENSION was added to the Miscellaneous Technical block to extend the range of parentheses. It appears as a symbol to open a group, parameter, or quoted text. It is used in writing and in code to show where a group starts and to separate elements. In technical documents, this symbol helps distinguish nested groups from ordinary parentheses. It is handy in formulas, programming languages, and data formats that need clear delimiting. The symbol works like a normal left parenthesis but with a distinct codepoint. In practice, writers and programmers may pair it with a matching extension close or another bracket to mark structure. The usage atom notes its role in delimiting groups, parameters, or quoted text. This helps readers and parsers identify boundaries quickly. Over time, people adopt it in diagrams and specification notes for clarity. It does not replace standard parentheses but complements them in places where extended symbol sets exist. It remains a niche but helpful tool for precise notation.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+239C 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.