Leftwards Open-Headed Arrow
Block: Arrows
- Symbol
- ⇽
- Unicode
U+21FD- Unicode name
- LEFTWARDS OPEN-HEADED ARROW
- Block
- Arrows
- Category
- Symbol, Math
- Type
- Unicode symbol
Leftwards Open-Headed Arrow (⇽) is encoded as U+21FD and has the formal Unicode name LEFTWARDS OPEN-HEADED ARROW. Unicode classifies it as Symbol, Math in the Arrows block. Its name places it in the arrow/directional family, which gives the page a narrower identity than the glyph alone. Separately encoded named neighbors include ⇾ Rightwards Open-Headed Arrow (U+21FE); those records should be compared by name and code point rather than merged because their shapes or terminology are related.
Unicode Identity First, Local Meaning Second
⇽ is encoded as U+21FD and classified as Symbol, Math. Its formal name narrows it to the arrow/directional family rather than leaving the mark as an unidentified shape.
The Unicode identity and the surrounding document answer different questions: the code point tells you which character is present, while the surrounding formula, interface, document, or notation system determines the local interpretation. Keeping those layers separate prevents a visual guess from being treated as a character definition.
Have another unfamiliar character? Open what is the ⇽ symbol called? and identify it from the glyph itself, a Unicode value, or its appearance.
Digital Representations of U+21FD
U+21FD = decimal 8701 = HTML ⇽ / ⇽. A Unicode escape-style form is u21FD. Its UTF-8 bytes are E2 87 BD.
Use these identifiers in markup, source code, exports, or character diagnostics when the glyph alone is not enough.
Do Not Collapse Leftwards Open-Headed Arrow Into Nearby Named Variants
Unicode stores ⇽ as U+21FD, while nearby records include ⇾ Rightwards Open-Headed Arrow (U+21FE). 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.