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Question Mark Symbol (?)
The question mark (?) ends a question — legend says it began as a scribe's shorthand for the Latin word 'quaestio'.
Question Mark codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+003F |
| Unicode name | Question Mark |
| HTML named entity | ? |
| HTML decimal | ? |
| HTML hex | ? |
| CSS content code | \3F |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u003F |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
Question Mark variants (5)
5 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
The ? is medieval shorthand: monks writing 'quaestio' (a question) stacked the q over the o until it slimmed into today's hook and dot. It ends direct questions, carries doubt in brackets [?], and in chess notation a single ? flags a bad move while ??
is a blunder. Spanish uses it twice — opening ¿ and closing ? — so readers know a question is coming from the first word.
Examples in use
- What time does the shop close?
- He said he would come [?]
- Chess notes: move 12 ? was a mistake
How to type the question mark
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for ?. In Microsoft Word, type 003F 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 "Question Mark", 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 003f and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the question mark key?
On most keyboards it is Shift+/ (the slash key). On phones it is a primary key in the symbol layout.
Why does Spanish use ¿ at the start?
The upside-down ¿ opens the question so readers get the questioning tone from the start of a long sentence. It has been standard in Spanish since 1754.
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+003F (Question Mark). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the Question Mark 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.
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13