U+2042 "⁂" Asterism Unicode Character
Unicode Version 17.0
⁂
U+2042 "⁂" Asterism is a typographic symbol composed of three asterisks arranged in a triangular formation, often used to mark a significant break or division in a text, such as a scene change, a pause, or a subchapter, and it originated in medieval manuscripts as a device to draw attention to a notable passage or transition. It is distinct from a single asterisk or a dinkus, and while its use has declined with modern digital typography, it occasionally appears in classic literature and specialized publications to create a visual separation without resorting to headings or extra spacing.
General Properties
| Code Point | U+2042 |
| Version Added | 1.1 |
| Name | Asterism |
| Block | General Punctuation |
| General Category | Other Punctuation |
| Canonical Combining Class | Not Reordered |
| Bidirectional Class | Other Neutral |
Encodings
| HTML Decimal Encoding | ⁂ |
| HTML Hex Encoding | ⁂ |
| UTF-8 Encoding | 0xE2 0x81 0x82 |
| UTF-16 Encoding | 0x2042 |
| UTF-32 Encoding | 0x00002042 |
| C/C++/Java Escape | \u2042 |
Unicode Properties
| NFC Quick Check | Yes |
| NFD Quick Check | Yes |
| NFKC Quick Check | Yes |
| NFKD Quick Check | Yes |
| Numeric Type | None |
| Numeric Value | NaN |
| Line Break | Alphabetic |
| Script | Common |
| Script Extensions | Common |
| Indic Syllabic Category | Other |
| Pattern Syntax | Yes |
| Vertical Orientation | Upright |
| Grapheme Base | Yes |
| Grapheme Cluster Break | Other |
| Word Break | Other |
| Sentence Break | Other |