Proportional To
U+221DMathematical Operators
Also known as proportional symbolproportionality signvaries asproportional to signproportional
Copy and paste ∝. The Proportional To character has Unicode code point U+221D and decimal HTML code ∝.
Symbol codes
- Unicode
U+221D- HTML Code
∝- CSS Code
\221D- HTML Entity
∝- HEX Code
∝
Technical properties
Unicode 18.0.0
- Code point
- U+221D
- Decimal
- 8733
- Unicode name
- PROPORTIONAL TO
- Block
- Mathematical Operators · U+2200–U+22FF
- General category
- Math Symbol (Sm)
- Script
- Common
- Introduced
- Unicode 1.1
- JavaScript
- "\u221D"
Appears in
About Proportional To
The proportional-to sign is a mathematical relation showing that one quantity varies in direct proportion to another.
∝ is encoded in Unicode as code point U+221D (decimal 8733). Its official Unicode name is PROPORTIONAL TO.
It belongs to the Mathematical Operators block (U+2200–U+22FF), its General Category is Math Symbol (Sm), and it was added in Unicode 1.1, released in 1993. Its script value is Common: it is shared across writing systems rather than belonging to one.
Common uses
- Stating direct proportionality in mathematics and physics
- Writing a relationship before its constant is known
Examples
- Direct proportion
- y ∝ x
Sources: Unicode Character Database 18.0.0, the HTML Standard’s list of named character references, and Unicode’s code page mappings.
How to type or insert Proportional To
- Any device
- Select Copy symbol, then paste with Ctrl+V, or ⌘+V on a Mac.
- Microsoft Word
- Type
221D, then press Alt+X. - macOS Character Viewer
- Press Control+⌘+Space and search for “proportional to”.
- Linux (GTK and IBus)
- Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type
221d, then press Space. - HTML
∝or∝. In a UTF-8 page you can also paste the character itself.- CSS
content: "\221D";in a::beforeor::afterrule.- JavaScript
"\u221D"
Common questions about Proportional To
What is the Proportional To symbol?
The proportional-to sign is a mathematical relation showing that one quantity varies in direct proportion to another. In Unicode it is U+221D, officially named PROPORTIONAL TO. It is also known as proportional symbol, proportionality sign, varies as, and proportional to sign.
Is ∝ the same as the Greek letter alpha (α)?
No. ∝ is a mathematical relation meaning “is proportional to,” and α is a Greek letter. They look alike in some fonts, so copy ∝ from this page when you mean proportionality.
How do I copy and paste the Proportional To symbol?
Select Copy symbol at the top of this page, then paste with Ctrl+V on Windows and Linux or ⌘+V on a Mac. On a phone, tap Copy symbol, then touch and hold where you want it and choose Paste. ∝ pastes as ordinary text, so it works in documents, messages, and code.
How do I type the Proportional To symbol on Windows?
In Microsoft Word, type 221D and press Alt+X to turn the code into ∝. In any app, open Character Map from the Start menu, search for “proportional to”, then select and copy the character.
How do I type the Proportional To symbol on a Mac?
Press Control+⌘+Space to open the Character Viewer, search for “proportional to”, and double-click the result to insert it.
How do I type the Proportional To symbol on an iPhone or Android phone?
The simplest way is to copy it from this page and paste it where you need it. If you use it often, save it as a text shortcut: on iPhone, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement; with Gboard on Android, go to Gboard settings > Dictionary > Personal dictionary.
Can I use the Proportional To symbol in Word, Google Docs, and social media?
Yes. ∝ is a standard Unicode character, so you can paste it into Microsoft Word, Google Docs, emails, and posts or bios on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok. In Google Docs you can also choose Insert > Special characters and search for “proportional to”. In Word, choose Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, set from to Unicode (hex), and enter 221D as the character code.
Is the Proportional To symbol an emoji?
No. ∝ is a text symbol, not an emoji. It takes the color and size of the surrounding text, and its exact shape depends on the font.
Why does the Proportional To symbol show as a box or question mark?
An empty box or a question mark means the font on that device has no glyph for ∝. The character is still there: it appears correctly wherever a font covers Unicode’s Mathematical Operators block, and free font families such as Google Noto cover nearly all of Unicode.
What are the HTML and CSS codes for the Proportional To symbol?
In HTML, write ∝ (decimal) or ∝ (hexadecimal), or the named entity ∝. In CSS, use content: "\221D"; in a ::before or ::after rule, and in JavaScript "\u221D". See all HTML codes.