Apostrophe / Single Quote
Block: Basic Latin
- Symbol
- '
- Unicode
U+0027- Unicode name
- APOSTROPHE
- Block
- Basic Latin
- Script
- Common
- Category
- Punctuation, Other
- Type
- Punctuation character
Apostrophe / Single Quote (') is encoded as U+0027 and has the formal Unicode name APOSTROPHE. Unicode classifies it as Punctuation, Other in the Basic Latin block. U+0027 is named APOSTROPHE in Unicode and is also used as a straight single quotation mark. Separately encoded named neighbors include ’ Right Single Quotation Mark (U+2019) and ‘ Left Single Quotation Mark (U+2018); those records should be compared by name and code point rather than merged because their shapes or terminology are related.
Typography Uses the Character, Not Just the Shape
' is Apostrophe / Single Quote (U+0027), classified by Unicode as Punctuation, Other. In digital typography, that encoded identity is separate from the font drawing: a typeface can change width, stroke, or placement without turning the character into another code point.
This matters when punctuation, currency, or measurement marks have close visual neighbors. Preserve the intended character first; language- or style-guide spacing rules can then be applied without silently substituting a different mark.
If this is not the character you meant, use what symbol is '? to identify the mark from pasted text, Unicode, or its visual shape.
Encoding ' in HTML and Source Text
U+0027 = decimal 39 = HTML ' / '. A Unicode escape-style form is u0027. Its UTF-8 bytes are 27.
Use these values in a source file, import rule, or find-and-replace pass to distinguish this typographic mark from a visually similar keyboard character.
Check the Code Point Before Replacing '
This character is linked with nearby or confusable records including ’ Right Single Quotation Mark (U+2019), ‘ Left Single Quotation Mark (U+2018), and ′ Prime (U+2032). The relationship is useful for identification, but it does not make those characters interchangeable.
Fonts can reduce or exaggerate visual differences, so use each character's Unicode value and name when the distinction matters. Replacing one code point with another can change meaning, search behavior, parsing, sorting, or typography even when the glyphs appear close on screen.
How ' Is Used
' is used in the role described for Apostrophe / Single Quote: u+0027 is named APOSTROPHE in Unicode and is also used as a straight single quotation mark.
In that context, U+0027 identifies the character itself. The surrounding text supplies the specific information or notation that the mark accompanies, so character identity and document context should be kept separate.
Do Not Collapse Apostrophe / Single Quote Into Nearby Named Variants
Unicode stores ' as U+0027, while nearby records include ’ Right Single Quotation Mark (U+2019) and ‘ Left Single Quotation Mark (U+2018). These are separate encoded identities, not alternate font drawings of one character.
The comparison is useful because a shared word in the name, a mirrored direction, or a similar outline can make two symbols appear interchangeable. When the distinction matters, compare the complete Unicode name and code point before replacing one record with another.