Left Single Quotation Mark
Most keyboards skip the left single quotation mark entirely, which is why it gets copied instead of typed. This one lives at code point U+2018 and belongs to the punctuation group; click it above to copy, or use the table below for the HTML, CSS and JavaScript equivalents.
| Symbol | ‘ | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+2018 | |
| Name | Left Single Quotation Mark | |
| HTML (named) | ‘ | |
| HTML (decimal) | ‘ | |
| HTML (hex) | ‘ | |
| CSS content | \2018 | |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u2018 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | 0xE2 0x80 0x98 | |
| UTF-16 units | 0x2018 | |
| Windows alt code | Alt 0145 |
How to type the left single quotation mark symbol
- Copy and paste: click the ‘ at the top of this page, then paste with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac). This is the fastest route on any device.
- Windows alt code: hold Alt and type
0145on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. - HTML: write
‘or the named entity‘in your markup. - CSS: use
content: "\2018"in a::beforeor::afterrule. - JavaScript: the escape
\u2018produces this character in a string.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy the left single quotation mark symbol?
Click the ‘ above or the copy button and it is placed on your clipboard. Paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V. It is a real text character, so it works in documents, chats and code.
What is the Unicode code point for left single quotation mark?
The left single quotation mark has the Unicode code point U+2018. In HTML you can write it as ‘ or ‘, or with the named entity ‘.
What is the alt code for the left single quotation mark symbol?
On Windows, hold the Alt key and type Alt 0145 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Copying the ‘ from this page is quicker and works on any device.
Is the left single quotation mark an emoji or a text character?
It is a plain Unicode text character, not an image or an emoji sticker. That means the ‘ inherits the surrounding font, size and color wherever you paste it, and it works in places emoji often do not, such as usernames, file names and code.
Related symbols
Browse the full punctuation symbols hub, or return to the searchable symbol grid.