Copy ∂, the partial derivative sign, to paste, or take ∂f/∂x ready-made or a bold or italic ∂.
Partial Derivative Symbol
∂Partial differentialU+2202Ready to copy
17 partial signs and strings. Tap any value to copy it.
17 partial signs and strings. A character and its name both copy the character. A code copies the code.
Character
Name
Code point
Alt code
Option keys
HTML
LaTeX
U+2202. A stylized cursive d, read partial or curly d. Option+D on the U.S. layout, ∂ in HTML and \partial in LaTeX; neither Alt code table has it.
Made of U+2202, f, a slash, U+2202 and x: the partial derivative of f with respect to x, on one line. Change the letters to your own.
Made of U+2202 and x: the lower half of the fraction, for building a derivative of your own.
U+1D715. The italic cut of the sign, from the block of mathematical letters. unicode-math names it \mitpartial. Styled letters like this one are separate characters, so they survive where text has no fonts to choose.
Made of U+2202, U+2093 and f: the short notation, with the variable as a subscript.
Made of U+2202 and S: the boundary of a set S, the sign's other job, in topology.
U+1D6DB. The upright bold cut. \mbfpartial with unicode-math.
U+1D74F. Bold and slanted at once. \mbfitpartial with unicode-math.
U+1D789. A bold cut without serifs. \mbfsanspartial with unicode-math.
U+1D7C3. The last of the five styles, sans-serif, bold and slanted. \mbfitsanspartial with unicode-math.
Curly d and y: the piece to write when a function also depends on y.
Made of U+2202 and t, the usual letter when the variable is time.
U+03B4. The Greek small delta, first of the two shapes named as easy to confuse with ∂. Alt+235 types it, which no code does for ∂.
U+00F0. A letter of Icelandic, Faroese and Old English: a d shape with a stroke through the stem. Alt+0240 types it.
U+2207. A triangle standing on its point, also called del, which is why partial is the safer name for ∂. ∇ in HTML and \nabla in LaTeX.
U+2146. The d of an ordinary derivative in blackboard style, slanted. ⅆ in HTML. Not a partial sign: it belongs to the differential.
U+A77A. A medieval form of the letter d with the stem bent over, which Unicode also calls d rotunda. A letter, not a math sign. Added in Unicode 5.1 (2008).
The partial derivative symbol is ∂, a stylized cursive d. Unicode names it Partial differential, U+2202, so partial differential symbol is its formal name. It is \partial in LaTeX and ∂ in HTML.
Read the full guide
What the partial derivative symbol is called
It is read partial, curly d or del, and sometimes dee or partial dee; another name is Jacobi's delta. Del also names ∇, so partial is the unambiguous word. ∂z/∂x is read: the partial derivative of z with respect to x.
Where the sign comes from
∂ is a specialized cursive form of the Latin letter d. It was introduced in 1770, adopted for the partial derivative in 1786, and came into wide use after 1841.
The five styled forms are separate characters of the mathematical letters block; the unicode-math package gives each a macro of its own, such as \mbfpartial.
Questions and answers
What is the partial derivative symbol called?
Its Unicode name is Partial differential. In speech it is partial, curly d, del or Jacobi's delta, and it may be said simply dee or partial dee.
What is the partial derivative alt code?
There is none: ∂ is in neither Alt code table, so a partial differential equation cannot be typed with alt codes. Option+D types ∂ on the U.S. layout, ∂ names it in HTML, and \partial in LaTeX.
Is the partial derivative symbol one of the Greek letters?
No. ∂ is a stylized cursive form of the Latin letter d. The Greek letter it resembles is the small delta, δ, a separate character with a code of its own, U+03B4.
How do you draw the partial derivative symbol?
As a cursive d: the character is a stylized cursive form of that letter. It is to be told apart from the Greek δ and from the letter ð, the two shapes named as easy to confuse with it.
All 17 partial signs and strings
Start here 6
∂SBoundary of a setMade of U+2202 and S: the boundary of a set S, the sign's other job, in topology.
𝜕Mathematical italic partial differentialU+1D715. The italic cut of the sign, from the block of mathematical letters. unicode-math names it \mitpartial. Styled letters like this one are separate characters, so they survive where text has no fonts to choose.
∂f/∂xPartial derivative of f in xMade of U+2202, f, a slash, U+2202 and x: the partial derivative of f with respect to x, on one line. Change the letters to your own.
∂ₓfPartial derivative, subscript formMade of U+2202, U+2093 and f: the short notation, with the variable as a subscript.
∂Partial differentialU+2202. A stylized cursive d, read partial or curly d. Option+D on the U.S. layout, ∂ in HTML and \partial in LaTeX; neither Alt code table has it.
∂xPartial xMade of U+2202 and x: the lower half of the fraction, for building a derivative of your own.
Show all 17 partial signs and strings (11 more)
Bold, italic and sans-serif 4
𝝏Mathematical bold italic partial differentialU+1D74F. Bold and slanted at once. \mbfitpartial with unicode-math.
𝛛Mathematical bold partial differentialU+1D6DB. The upright bold cut. \mbfpartial with unicode-math.
𝟃Mathematical sans-serif bold italic partial differentialU+1D7C3. The last of the five styles, sans-serif, bold and slanted. \mbfitsanspartial with unicode-math.
𝞉Mathematical sans-serif bold partial differentialU+1D789. A bold cut without serifs. \mbfsanspartial with unicode-math.
Ready to edit 2
∂tPartial tMade of U+2202 and t, the usual letter when the variable is time.
∂yPartial yCurly d and y: the piece to write when a function also depends on y.
Not the partial sign 5
ⅆDouble-struck italic small dU+2146. The d of an ordinary derivative in blackboard style, slanted. ⅆ in HTML. Not a partial sign: it belongs to the differential.
δGreek small letter deltaU+03B4. The Greek small delta, first of the two shapes named as easy to confuse with ∂. Alt+235 types it, which no code does for ∂.
ðLatin small letter ethU+00F0. A letter of Icelandic, Faroese and Old English: a d shape with a stroke through the stem. Alt+0240 types it.
ꝺLatin small letter insular dU+A77A. A medieval form of the letter d with the stem bent over, which Unicode also calls d rotunda. A letter, not a math sign. Added in Unicode 5.1 (2008).
∇NablaU+2207. A triangle standing on its point, also called del, which is why partial is the safer name for ∂. ∇ in HTML and \nabla in LaTeX.