Left Half Block Symbol
The ▌ character is a left half filled block used for partial bars, progress styling, and UI decoration.
U+258C
▌ (LEFT HALF BLOCK) is a block element that looks like a half-width filled rectangle. It’s useful when you want a solid fill on the left side only, such as in simple bars or indicators. Below you’ll find copy variations and code-friendly escape sequences.
Left Half Block Symbol Meaning
▌ is the Unicode character “LEFT HALF BLOCK” (U+258C), a block element designed to represent a half-filled rectangle on the left side. It’s commonly used as a lightweight visual component in text-only interfaces: for example, to build progress bars, indicate partially filled states, or create stepped separators and minimal UI accents. Because it’s a geometric symbol, it usually has no special cultural or contextual meaning beyond its visual role. Its primary value is practical formatting: you can combine it with other block characters to create denser or smoother-looking horizontal shapes depending on the font.
Common uses
- •Building simple text progress bars and loading indicators
- •Creating stepped or segmented UI separators in plain text
- •Visualizing partial values (e.g., 25% filled states) next to labels
- •Designing ASCII-like dashboards where graphics are limited to characters
- •Adding decorative accents in monospace or low-complexity typography
Examples
▌ Left Half Block Symbol (U+258C)
- ▌Loading: ▌▌▌░░ (3/5)
- ▌Battery: ▌░░░ (25%)
- ▌Disk space: ▌▌▌░░░
- ▌Wait for it: ▌▌▌▌░
- ▌Status: ▌ In progress
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+258C | |
| HTML Entity | ▌ | |
| HTML Code | ▌ | |
| CSS | \258C | |
| Alt Code | Alt + 9612 | |
| Decimal | 9612 |
How to type Left Half Block Symbol (▌)
On Windows
Hold Alt and type 9612 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 258C then press Alt + X.
On Mac
Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 258C. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.
On Linux
Press Control + Shift + U, type 258c, 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 does the Left Half Block symbol mean?
▌ is the Unicode character “LEFT HALF BLOCK” (U+258C), a block element designed to represent a half-filled rectangle on the left side. It’s commonly used as a lightweight visual component in text-only interfaces: for example, to build progress bars, indicate partially filled states, or create stepped separators and minimal UI accents. Because it’s a geometric symbol, it usually has no special cultural or contextual meaning beyond its visual role. Its primary value is practical formatting: you can combine it with other block characters to create denser or smoother-looking horizontal shapes depending on the font.
What is the Unicode code point for ▌?
The left half block character ▌ has Unicode code point U+258C.
How do I use ▌ in HTML?
Use the HTML entity ▌ (for ▌).
How do I use ▌ in CSS or JavaScript?
CSS escape: \258C. JavaScript Unicode escape: \u{258C}.
Will ▌ look the same in every font?
It may vary slightly by font and rendering engine, but it should generally appear as a left half filled block. Monospace fonts often make it easiest to align with other block characters.