Copy a colon or a semicolon to paste, or the ratio ∶, the double colon ∷ and the currency ₡.
Colon Copy and Paste
:ColonU+003AReady to copy
29 colons and semicolons. Tap any value to copy it.
29 colons and semicolons. A character and its name both copy the character. A code copies the code.
Character
Name
Code point
HTML
LaTeX
U+003A. Two dots, one over the other: Shift and the semicolon key on the U.S. layout. Number 58 in ASCII, so Alt+58 types it. : in HTML.
U+003B. Shares a key with the colon, to the right of L, and needs no Shift. ASCII gives it number 59, hence Alt+59. ; in HTML.
U+2236. Made for formulas: where a colon means divided by, or a scale such as that of a map, this is the character the standard would rather see. ∶ in HTML.
U+2237. Four dots in a square: the double colon that stands between two ratios. ∷ in HTML.
U+FF1A. Takes up a whole square, to sit evenly among kanji or hangul.
U+FF1B. The wide semicolon, the match for wide lettering.
What two presses of the key give, where the single four-dot sign is out of reach.
U+20A1. A currency sign, not punctuation: the colón of Costa Rica, and of El Salvador by the note in the standard. No Alt code. \textcolonmonetary in LaTeX.
U+FE55. A reduced copy of the keyboard colon, kept as a compatibility character.
U+FE13. For writing in columns: the two dots as they sit in a vertical line of text.
U+02D0. Two small triangles, point to point: the length mark of phonetic writing.
U+02F8. A colon lifted above the baseline, added in Unicode 4.0 (2003).
U+A789. A colon that counts as a letter: a tone letter in some orthographies, the standard notes.
U+2982. The colon of the Z notation, used to specify computing systems; in that notation every expression has a type.
U+1365. The colon of the Ethiopic block.
U+1366. Its neighbor in the code chart, one position on.
U+1804. The colon of Mongolian script, in the standard since version 3.0.
U+05C3. By its note it can be a Hebrew punctuation colon.
U+FE54. U+003B reduced, a compatibility form.
U+FE14. The semicolon for columns of text.
U+037E. A question mark in Greek writing, though it is drawn exactly like U+003B, which the standard prefers and treats as its equal.
U+061B. Arabic script has its own; the standard adds that modern Thaana and Syriac text use it too.
U+204F. A mirrored semicolon. ⁏ in HTML.
U+1364. The semicolon among the Ethiopic marks.
U+2254. A colon set before an equals sign, as one character. ≔ in HTML.
U+2255. Equals first, dots second. ≕ in HTML.
U+2A74. Two colons and an equals sign fused. ⩴ in HTML.
U+205A. Taller than a colon: its dots span from the foot of the line to the top of a capital. An old mark for the close of a sentence or a new speaker.
U+0589. Shaped like a colon, yet it ends a sentence in Armenian; vertsaket is its name there.
The colon is :, U+003A, two equally sized dots, one above the other; on the U.S. keyboard it is Shift and the semicolon key. The semicolon is ;, U+003B, a dot over a comma.
Read the full guide
Colon and semicolon codes
The colon ASCII code is 58 and the ASCII value of the semicolon is 59, so the Alt codes are Alt+58 and Alt+59. In HTML the two are : and ;. A colon often comes before an explanation or a list; a semicolon links two closely related clauses in one sentence.
The colon in math
Between two numbers a colon writes a ratio, 3:1, and Unicode has a math symbol for that use, the ratio sign ∶. The double colon symbol is ∷, named proportion, and ≔ is the sign named colon equals.
The Costa Rican colon is a currency: its symbol is ₡, U+20A1, colon sign.
For semicolon text in an aesthetic wide style, the fullwidth ； is the matching form.
In Greek the semicolon shape is a question mark, U+037E.
Questions and answers
What is the Alt code for a colon?
Alt+58: hold Alt, type 58 on the number pad and let go. The semicolon is Alt+59. Both numbers are the ASCII codes of the characters; in Unicode they are U+003A and U+003B.
How do I type a colon on the keyboard?
On the U.S. layout the colon and the semicolon share the key to the right of L. Pressed alone it types the semicolon; with Shift it types the colon.
Is a colon a special character?
Yes, in the usual sense of a character that is neither a letter nor a digit: it is ASCII punctuation, number 58, and HTML gives it the name :.
What is the double colon symbol in math?
∷, U+2237, named Proportion, which stands between two ratios. Typed with the key it is two colons, and Unicode also has ⩴, double colon equal.
What is the colon currency symbol?
₡, U+20A1, named Colon sign: the sign of the Costa Rican colón, and Unicode notes El Salvador as well. LaTeX writes it \textcolonmonetary. It shares only its name with the punctuation mark.
All 29 colons and semicolons
Start here 8
:ColonU+003A. Two dots, one over the other: Shift and the semicolon key on the U.S. layout. Number 58 in ASCII, so Alt+58 types it. : in HTML.
₡Colon signU+20A1. A currency sign, not punctuation: the colón of Costa Rica, and of El Salvador by the note in the standard. No Alt code. \textcolonmonetary in LaTeX.
：Fullwidth colonU+FF1A. Takes up a whole square, to sit evenly among kanji or hangul.
；Fullwidth semicolonU+FF1B. The wide semicolon, the match for wide lettering.
∷ProportionU+2237. Four dots in a square: the double colon that stands between two ratios. ∷ in HTML.
∶RatioU+2236. Made for formulas: where a colon means divided by, or a scale such as that of a map, this is the character the standard would rather see. ∶ in HTML.
;SemicolonU+003B. Shares a key with the colon, to the right of L, and needs no Shift. ASCII gives it number 59, hence Alt+59. ; in HTML.
::Two colonsWhat two presses of the key give, where the single four-dot sign is out of reach.
Show all 29 colons and semicolons (21 more)
Colons 10
፥Ethiopic colonU+1365. The colon of the Ethiopic block.
፦Ethiopic preface colonU+1366. Its neighbor in the code chart, one position on.
׃Hebrew punctuation sof pasuqU+05C3. By its note it can be a Hebrew punctuation colon.
꞉Modifier letter colonU+A789. A colon that counts as a letter: a tone letter in some orthographies, the standard notes.
˸Modifier letter raised colonU+02F8. A colon lifted above the baseline, added in Unicode 4.0 (2003).
ːModifier letter triangular colonU+02D0. Two small triangles, point to point: the length mark of phonetic writing.
᠄Mongolian colonU+1804. The colon of Mongolian script, in the standard since version 3.0.
︓Presentation form for vertical colonU+FE13. For writing in columns: the two dots as they sit in a vertical line of text.
﹕Small colonU+FE55. A reduced copy of the keyboard colon, kept as a compatibility character.
⦂Z notation type colonU+2982. The colon of the Z notation, used to specify computing systems; in that notation every expression has a type.
Semicolons 6
؛Arabic semicolonU+061B. Arabic script has its own; the standard adds that modern Thaana and Syriac text use it too.
፤Ethiopic semicolonU+1364. The semicolon among the Ethiopic marks.
;Greek question markU+037E. A question mark in Greek writing, though it is drawn exactly like U+003B, which the standard prefers and treats as its equal.
︔Presentation form for vertical semicolonU+FE14. The semicolon for columns of text.
⁏Reversed semicolonU+204F. A mirrored semicolon. ⁏ in HTML.
﹔Small semicolonU+FE54. U+003B reduced, a compatibility form.
Colons in math 3
≔Colon equalsU+2254. A colon set before an equals sign, as one character. ≔ in HTML.
⩴Double colon equalU+2A74. Two colons and an equals sign fused. ⩴ in HTML.
≕Equals colonU+2255. Equals first, dots second. ≕ in HTML.
Not a colon 2
։Armenian full stopU+0589. Shaped like a colon, yet it ends a sentence in Armenian; vertsaket is its name there.
⁚Two dot punctuationU+205A. Taller than a colon: its dots span from the foot of the line to the top of a capital. An old mark for the close of a sentence or a new speaker.