U+2208 · Mathematical Operators
Element Of ∈
The element-of symbol states that an object belongs to a set: x ∈ A reads "x is an element of A." It is one of the most basic symbols in set theory and appears constantly when defining variables, domains and ranges in math, statistics and computer science, including set-builder notation.
Character codes
| Unicode code point | U+2208 | |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 8712 | |
| HTML named entity | ∈ | |
| HTML (hex) | ∈ | |
| HTML (decimal) | ∈ | |
| CSS | \2208 | |
| JavaScript | \u2208 | |
| Python | \u2208 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 88 88 | |
| UTF-16 | 2208 | |
| URL-encoded | %E2%88%88 |
Character details
| Official name | ELEMENT OF |
|---|---|
| Unicode block | Mathematical Operators |
| General category | Math Symbol (Sm) |
| SymbolHero category | Math Symbols |
| Emoji | No |
How to type ∈
Windows
- In Microsoft Word or Outlook: type
2208then press Alt + X. - Open Character Map (search “Character Map” in Start), tick “Advanced view”, search for “element of”, then Select and Copy.
Mac
- Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search “element of”, and double-click the result.
- With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type
2208.
iPhone & Android
- Tap Copy at the top of this page, then long-press where you want it and choose Paste.
Docs & web
- Google Docs: Insert → Special characters, then search “element of” or enter
U+2208. - HTML:
∈or∈ - Excel / Google Sheets:
=UNICHAR(8712)
Examples
- x ∈ ℝ
- 3 ∈ {1, 2, 3}
- for each i ∈ {1, …, n}
Good to know
Don’t mix it up: It is frequently confused with the Greek small epsilon ε (U+03B5), which is a letter, not a set relation.
Tip: Use the HTML named entity ∈ to write it on a web page.
Display: the character itself is always the same code point, but its shape comes from the font on the device showing it. If you see an empty box, the font lacks this glyph—the text is still correct.
Similar math symbols
Questions
What is the Unicode for ∈?
It is U+2208 (ELEMENT OF), decimal 8712.
Is there a Windows Alt code for it?
No standard Alt code exists for this character. In Word type 2208 then Alt+X, or copy it from this page.
How do I type it on a Mac?
There is no built-in Option shortcut. Use the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space) and search “element of”, or copy it from this page.
What is the HTML code?
Use the named entity ∈ or the numeric reference ∈.