Minus Sign
This is the true Unicode minus sign, not the hyphen-minus on a keyboard. Typesetting software and some calculators treat the two differently, so pasting this exact character keeps a negative number or a subtraction from being read as a plain dash. The minus sign (−) sits at code point U+2212 in Unicode. It belongs to the math family and pastes as plain text, so it keeps working across documents, messages and web pages. Below you can copy it in one click and grab the exact HTML, CSS and JavaScript codes you need to reproduce it anywhere.
| Symbol | − | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+2212 | |
| Name | Minus Sign | |
| HTML (decimal) | − | |
| HTML (hex) | − | |
| CSS content | \2212 | |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u2212 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | 0xE2 0x88 0x92 | |
| UTF-16 units | 0x2212 |
How to type the minus sign 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.
- HTML: write
−in your markup. - CSS: use
content: "\2212"in a::beforeor::afterrule. - JavaScript: the escape
\u2212produces this character in a string.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy the minus sign 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 minus sign?
The minus sign has the Unicode code point U+2212. In HTML you can write it as − or −.
Is the minus sign 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 math symbols hub, or return to the searchable symbol grid.