Using Special Symbols

How To Insert a Special Symbol

The easiest way to insert the symbol you need is to copy and paste it from a library, like the ones below. Another simple way, if you're using a Microsoft Office program (e.g., Word or PowerPoint), is to use the "Alt Code" method.

"Special Symbol" Libraries

Here is a list of our "special symbol" libraries:

• arrow symbols
• currency symbols
• fractions symbols
• Greek-letter symbols
• accented-letter symbols
• heart symbols
• Mathematics symbols
• music symbols
• punctuation symbols
• miscellaneous special symbols

Seven Ways for Inserting a Special symbol

Here are methods ways for inserting a special symbol. We have used the "e acute" symbol (é) as our example of a special symbol.

(Method 1) Copy and paste the symbol.

Here is an example of how the é symbol looks in a library. Click on the box, press the "Copy" button, and then paste the symbol into your document.

(Method 2) Use the "Alt Code."

Every special symbol has an Alt Code. The Alt Code for "e acute" above is 233. If you have a keyboard with a numeric pad, you can use this method. Simply hold down the Alt key and type the number. When you lift the Alt key, the symbol appears. ("Num Lock" must be on.)

Video Explaining How to Insert Special Symbols

This video explains 7 ways to insert a special symbol into an MS Office application (e.g., Word) or a website using HTML, CSS, or JavaScript:

(Method 3) Use the HTML Decimal Code (for webpages).

HTML Text	Output
Here is my résumé.	Here is my résumé.

(Method 4) Use the HTML Entity Code (for webpages).

HTML Text	Output
Here is my résumé.	Here is my résumé.

(Method 5) Use the CSS Code (for webpages).

CSS and HTML Text	Output
<style> span:after { content: "\00E9";} </style> <span>letter: </span>	letter: é

(Method 6) Use the HTML Hex Code (for webpages and HTML canvas).

HTML Text	Output
miércoles	miércoles

On the assumption that you already have your canvas and the context set up, use the Hex code in the format 0xE9 to place the é symbol on your canvas. For example:

JavaScript Text
const x = "0x"+"E9" ctx.fillText(String.fromCodePoint(x), 5, 5);
Output
é

(Method 7) Use the Unicode (for various, e.g. Microsoft Office, JavaScript, Perl).

The Unicode for é is U+00E9. The important part is the hexadecimal number after the U+, which is used in various formats. For example, in Microsoft Office applications (e.g. Word, PowerPoint), do the following:

Type	Output
E9 [Hold down Alt] [Press x]	é (The E9 turns into é. Note that you can omit any leading zeros.)

In JavaScript, the syntax is \uXXXX. So, our example would be \u00E9. (Note that the format is 4 hexadecimal characters.)

JavaScript Text	Output
let str = "\u00E9" document.write("My symbol: " + str)	My symbol: é

To see the formats for C, C++, Java, Perl, and Python, click on the symbol you need from the list below and follow the link.

(Method 8) Use an Image (for various).

HTML Text	Output
<img src = "myImg.png"/>	é

In our various symbol libraries, every entry has its own page, which includes a widget for creating images of the letters in different sizes and fonts.

accented-letters See the page for the é symbol.

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