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Delta Symbol (Δ)

The delta symbol (Δ) is the Greek capital letter delta — in science and maths it means 'change', as in ΔT for a change in temperature.

Greek Capital Letter Delta · U+0394 · Greek Letters

Click the symbol or the button to copy it, then paste it anywhere — documents, messages, bios and code.

Delta Symbol codes

Code	Value
Unicode code point	`U+0394`
Unicode name	`Greek Capital Letter Delta`
HTML named entity	`Δ`
HTML decimal	`Δ`
HTML hex	`Δ`
CSS content code	`\394`
JavaScript / JSON	`\u0394`
Windows Alt code	No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above
LaTeX	`\Delta`

Delta Symbol variants (3)

3 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.

δGreek Small Letter Delta∆Increment△White Up-Pointing Triangle

Meaning & usage

Δ is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, and its triangular shape inspired the name of river deltas, where a river splits into a triangle of channels. Science adopted it as the universal sign for change or difference: Δx is 'the change in x', and pilots and gamers meet it in 'delta-v'.

The lowercase δ is used for smaller or partial changes and in calculus. Together they are among the most copied Greek letters on the internet.

Examples in use

ΔT = 8°C (temperature rose by 8 degrees)
Δ = final value − initial value
The Nile Delta is named after Δ's shape

How to type the delta symbol

Windows

There is no Alt code or direct key for Δ. In Microsoft Word, type 0394 and press Alt+X to convert it. Everywhere else, click the Copy button at the top of this page and paste it (Ctrl+V) — that always works.

Mac

There is no Option-key shortcut for Δ on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "Delta Symbol", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.

iPhone & Android

Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for Δ. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)

Linux

Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 0394 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.

Frequently asked questions

What does Δ mean in an equation?

It means 'change in' or 'difference'. ΔT is the change in temperature, ΔP the change in price — always final value minus starting value.

How do I type Δ on a keyboard?

There is no standard Alt code for Δ. Copy it from this page; in Word, type 0394 then Alt+X converts it.

Why does Δ sometimes show as a box or question mark?

The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+0394 (Greek Capital Letter Delta). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.

Is the Delta Symbol free to use?

Yes. Δ is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.

Related symbols

ΣSigma Symbol πPi Symbol αAlpha Symbol