What is the Unicode code point for the empty set symbol?

The empty set sign is U+2205 in the Unicode standard, used in set theory to denote a set with no elements.

What is the HTML entity for the empty set symbol?

Use ∅ or the numeric entity ∅ in HTML. Both render as ∅.

How do I type the empty set symbol in LaTeX?

Use \emptyset inside math mode, for example $A \cap B = \emptyset$. The amssymb package also provides \varnothing, a slashed-zero variant some journals prefer.

How do I type the empty set symbol on a Mac?

Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search "empty set", then double-click the symbol to insert it. There is no direct Option key shortcut for this character.

How do I type the empty set symbol on Windows?

In Microsoft Word, type 2205 then press Alt+X to convert it to ∅. Outside Word, use the Character Map app or copy the symbol from a page like this one.

Is the empty set symbol the same as a slashed zero?

No. The empty set symbol (∅, U+2205) is a dedicated math character, while a slashed zero is either the letter Ø (U+00D8) or a font-specific rendering of the digit 0. They look similar but are different characters with different meanings.

Empty Set Symbol

Name: Empty Set Symbol
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Copy the empty set symbol (∅) and find the exact Unicode value, HTML entity, LaTeX command, or keyboard shortcut for your platform.

Empty Set Symbol

Click the symbol to copy it

Formats

Character ∅

Unicode U+2205

HTML entity ∅

HTML decimal ∅

LaTeX \emptyset

LaTeX (varnothing) \varnothing

CSS escape \2205

JS / JSON escape ∅

Click any row to copy that exact string.

Keyboard Shortcuts

System	Shortcut	Notes
Windows (Word)		Type 2205 then press Alt+X to convert it.
Windows (general)		No plain Alt code exists; use Character Map or copy the symbol above.
Mac		Opens Character Viewer; search "empty set" and double-click to insert.
Linux (GTK)		Type the hex code, then press Enter or Space.
LaTeX		Use inside math mode, for example $A \cap B = \emptyset$.

Try it

Enter a set name to build a ready-to-paste "is empty" statement.

= ∅

A = ∅

Copied!

Summary

Copy the empty set symbol (∅) and find the exact Unicode value, HTML entity, LaTeX command, or keyboard shortcut for your platform.

How it works

Click the large empty set symbol to copy it to your clipboard.
Or click any format in the list (Unicode, HTML entity, LaTeX, CSS escape) to copy that exact string.
Use the shortcut table to type the symbol directly from your keyboard on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
Paste the symbol anywhere: documents, spreadsheets, code, or chat.

Use cases

Write set theory statements in math homework or proofs, such as A ∩ B = ∅.
Insert the empty set symbol into a LaTeX document with \emptyset.
Show that a set has no elements in a spec sheet or slide instead of typing "empty".
Add the empty set symbol to code, CSS content, or HTML without breaking encoding.
Learn the keyboard shortcut so you never need to look it up again.
Copy the correct HTML entity for a web page instead of pasting a raw Unicode character.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu