Leftwards Harpoon With Barb Upwards Symbol
A left-pointing harpoon arrow with a barb that points upward.
U+21BC
The symbol ↼ is a directional arrow character from the “Arrows” category. It visually suggests a leftward action with a specific harpoon-style shape. Use it in text, labels, and UI where you need a leftwards arrow marker.
Leftwards Harpoon With Barb Upwards Symbol Meaning
↼ (U+21BC) is “leftwards harpoon with barb upwards,” a stylized arrow that points left and includes a barbed tip with an upward barb. In everyday use, it’s typically treated as a leftward directional indicator—often closer in spirit to “go left,” “move left,” or “pointing to the left side”—while the harpoon/barb styling can imply a stronger or “targeting” direction than a simple arrow. Designers may choose it when they want a distinctive left arrow for diagrams, annotations, controls, or status indicators. It’s also useful as a typographic ornament where plain arrows feel too generic.
Common uses
- •Labeling a left navigation action or “previous” direction in UI mockups
- •Indicating a leftward direction in diagrams, flowcharts, or technical notes
- •Marking left-side callouts in posters, signage, or infographic annotations
- •Styling chat or game HUD indicators to represent moving left or aiming left
- •Adding a distinctive typographic arrow symbol in documents and presentations
Examples
↼ Leftwards Harpoon with Barb Upwards
- ↼Use ↼ to indicate the previous step.
- ↼Move ↼ to return to the left panel.
- ↼Arrow points ↼ toward the sidebar controls.
- ↼Aim ↼, then confirm with the action button.
- ↼Diagram: input comes from the right and points ↼ to the output.
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+21BC | |
| HTML Entity | ↼ | |
| HTML Code | ↼ | |
| CSS | \21BC | |
| Alt Code | Alt + 8636 | |
| Decimal | 8636 |
How to type Leftwards Harpoon With Barb Upwards Symbol (↼)
On Windows
Hold Alt and type 8636 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 21BC then press Alt + X.
On Mac
Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 21BC. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.
On Linux
Press Control + Shift + U, type 21bc, then press Enter or Space.
Anywhere
Copy ↼ with the button above and paste it wherever you need it — this works on every device and in every app, with no keyboard shortcut to remember.
FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for ↼?
↼ is U+21BC.
How can I copy ↼ from this page?
Copy the character directly as “↼”, or use one of the provided encodings (HTML entity, CSS escape, or JavaScript escape).
What does ↼ look like?
It’s a left-pointing harpoon arrow with a barb that points upward.
Which category does ↼ belong to?
It is categorized under “Arrows”.