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Male Symbol (♂)
The male symbol (♂) is the sign of Mars — a circle with an arrow — used for men, males in biology, and the planet Mars.
Male Symbol codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+2642 |
| Unicode name | Male Sign |
| HTML named entity | ♂ |
| HTML decimal | ♂ |
| HTML hex | ♂ |
| CSS content code | \2642 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u2642 |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Male Symbol variants (8)
8 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
♂ pictures the shield and spear of Mars, god of war and the red planet: a circle with an arrow bursting out at 45 degrees. Linnaeus put it to work in the 1700s as the standard mark for male plants and animals, and it has labelled everything from genetics charts to restroom doors since.
Alchemists knew it as iron. Together with ♀ it anchors the whole family of gender symbols in the variants grid.
Examples in use
- Kittens: 4 ♂, 1 ♀
- ♂ Mars rises late tonight
- Survey results by gender: ♂ 46% ♀ 54%
How to type the male symbol
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for ♂. In Microsoft Word, type 2642 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 ♂ on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "Male Symbol", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.
iPhone & Android
Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for ♂. 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 2642 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type the male symbol?
There is no standard keyboard shortcut for ♂. Copy it from this page — it pastes as plain text anywhere.
Why does ♂ have an arrow?
The arrow is the spear of Mars, the Roman god of war, and the circle is his shield. The female symbol ♀ is Venus's hand mirror.
Why does ♂ sometimes show as a box or question mark?
The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+2642 (Male Sign). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Male Symbol free to use?
Yes. ♂ 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
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13