# HTML Entity & Character Reference Read this file when you need to look up the correct HTML entity for a character, or when auditing existing HTML for incorrect character usage. --- ## Quick Substitution Table When generating HTML/JSX, substitute these characters automatically: | If you see | Replace with | Entity | Rule | |------------|-------------|--------|------| | "straight double" | "curly double" | `“` `”` | Always curly quotes | | 'straight single' | 'curly single' | `‘` `’` | Always curly quotes | | it's (straight) | it's (curly) | `’` | Apostrophe = closing single quote | | -- | – | `–` | En dash for ranges | | --- | — | `—` | Em dash for breaks | | ... | … | `…` | Single ellipsis character | | (c) | © | `©` | Real copyright symbol | | (TM) | ™ | `™` | Real trademark symbol | | (R) | ® | `®` | Real registered symbol | | 12 x 34 | 12 × 34 | `×` | Real multiplication sign | | 56 - 12 (math) | 56 − 12 | `−` | Real minus sign | | 6' 10" (curly, in measurements) | 6' 10" (straight) | `'` `"` | Foot/inch must be straight | --- ## Complete Entity Table ### Quotes and Apostrophes ``` “ " U+201C opening double quote ” " U+201D closing double quote ‘ ' U+2018 opening single quote ’ ' U+2019 closing single quote / apostrophe " " U+0022 straight double quote (inch mark only) ' ' U+0027 straight single quote (foot mark only) ``` ### Dashes ``` - U+002D hyphen (compound words, line breaks) – – U+2013 en dash (ranges: 1–10, connections: Sarbanes–Oxley) — — U+2014 em dash (sentence breaks—like this) ­ U+00AD soft/optional hyphen (invisible break suggestion) ``` ### Symbols ``` … … U+2026 ellipsis × × U+00D7 multiplication sign − − U+2212 minus sign ÷ ÷ U+00F7 division sign ± ± U+00B1 plus-minus sign © © U+00A9 copyright ™ ™ U+2122 trademark ® ® U+00AE registered trademark ¶ ¶ U+00B6 paragraph mark (pilcrow) § § U+00A7 section mark & & U+0026 ampersand ° ° U+00B0 degree sign ``` ### Spaces ```   U+00A0 nonbreaking space (prevents line break)   U+2009 thin space (half word-space width)   U+2002 en space (half em width)   U+2003 em space (full em width)   U+200A hair space (thinnest space) ``` ### Primes (Foot/Inch/Minute/Second) ``` ' ' U+0027 foot mark / minute mark (straight single) " " U+0022 inch mark / second mark (straight double) ′ ′ U+2032 true prime (if font supports — sloped) ″ ″ U+2033 true double prime (if font supports — sloped) ``` ### Arrows and Misc ``` ← ← U+2190 left arrow → → U+2192 right arrow ↑ ↑ U+2191 up arrow ↓ ↓ U+2193 down arrow • • U+2022 bullet · · U+00B7 middle dot « « U+00AB left guillemet » » U+00BB right guillemet ``` --- ## Common Accented Characters Always preserve accents in proper names. These are the most frequently needed: ``` é é É É è è È È á á Á Á à à À À í í Í Í ó ó Ó Ó ú ú Ú Ú ü ü Ü Ü ö ö Ö Ö ç ç Ç Ç ñ ñ Ñ Ñ ß ß (Eszett — or just use ss) ``` --- ## Contextual Usage Patterns ### Quoted Text ```html

“She said ‘hello’ to me,” he reported.

``` ### Decade Abbreviations (apostrophe pointing down) ```html

In the ’70s, rock ’n’ roll dominated.

``` ### Ranges and Connections ```html

Pages 4–8

The Sarbanes–Oxley Act

The 2020–2025 period

``` ### Sentence Breaks ```html

The em dash puts a nice pause in text—and is underused.

``` ### Legal/Academic References ```html

Under § 1782, the seller may offer a refund.

See ¶ 49 of the contract.

``` ### Copyright and Trademark ```html ``` ### Measurements ```html

The room is 12' 6" × 8' 10".

``` ### Math ```html

12 × 34 − 56 = 352

``` ### Ellipsis with Nonbreaking Space ```html

From A … to Z

```