What is the Unicode code point for the nabla symbol?

The nabla sign is U+2207 in the Unicode standard. It looks like an inverted triangle and is also called the del operator.

What is the HTML entity for the nabla symbol?

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

How do I type the nabla symbol in LaTeX?

Use \nabla inside math mode, for example $\nabla f$ for a gradient or $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{F}$ for a divergence.

How do I type the nabla symbol on a Mac?

There is no default single-key shortcut. Open Character Viewer (Control+Command+Space), search "nabla," and double-click the result, or copy the symbol from a page like this one.

How do I type the nabla symbol on Windows?

In Microsoft Word, type 2207 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.

What does the nabla symbol mean in vector calculus?

Nabla represents the del operator, a vector of partial derivatives. Applied to a scalar field it gives the gradient (∇f), dotted with a vector field it gives the divergence (∇·F), crossed with a vector field it gives the curl (∇×F), and applied twice to a scalar field it gives the Laplacian (∇²f).

Is nabla the same as delta?

No. Delta (Δ) usually denotes a change or the Laplacian operator in some texts, while nabla (∇) denotes the vector differential operator itself. The Laplacian is often written as ∇² or, less commonly, as Δ.

Nabla Symbol

Name: Nabla Symbol
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

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

Nabla Symbol

Click the symbol to copy it

Formats

Character ∇

Unicode U+2207

HTML entity ∇

HTML decimal ∇

LaTeX \nabla

CSS escape \2207

JS / JSON escape ∇

Click any row to copy that exact string.

Keyboard Shortcuts

System	Shortcut	Notes
Windows (Word)		Type 2207 then press Alt+X to convert it.
Windows (general)		No plain Alt code exists; use Character Map or copy the symbol above.
Mac		No single-key default; search "nabla" in Character Viewer.
Linux (GTK)		Type the hex code, then press Enter or Space.
LaTeX		Use inside math mode, for example $\nabla f$.

Vector Calculus Builder

Pick an operation and a field name to build a ready-to-paste nabla expression.

∇f

The gradient turns a scalar field into a vector that points toward the steepest increase.

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Summary

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

How it works

Click the large nabla 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.
Use the vector calculus builder to generate a ready-to-paste gradient, divergence, curl, or Laplacian expression.
Paste the symbol or expression anywhere: documents, spreadsheets, code, or chat.

Use cases

Write the gradient of a scalar field in vector calculus notes, such as the gradient of f.
Insert the nabla symbol into a LaTeX document with \nabla.
Build a divergence or curl expression for a homework answer, slide, or paper.
Add the nabla 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