Circled Less-Than ⧀

⧀ (U+29C0) 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 Less-Than is part of the Symbols family (block: Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-B). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.

History & usage: Character: CIRCLED LESS-THAN, codepoint U+29C0. It sits in the Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-B block and uses the Common script. Usage atoms describe its role. Common math symbols indicate operations or comparisons in formulas and user interfaces. This symbol communicates a less than idea with a circle around it, a form often chosen to show a special or alternative relation. In practice, designers and mathematicians use circled symbols to mark steps, labels, or emphasis in diagrams and interfaces. The name and codepoint help people locate and reference it in texts and charts. Its appearance signals a comparison that differs from the plain less-than sign, depending on context. While not as common as basic operators, it remains part of the broader set of symbolic tools used in math and UI design. Users may encounter it in educational materials, software, and technical documents that need clear, distinct symbols for relations. The symbol is stable, and its meaning is tied to the idea of a comparison with a circle around the less-than sign.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+29C0 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.