Non-breaking Hyphen Symbol
A non-breaking hyphen keeps connected text together by preventing line wrapping at the hyphen.
U+2011
The non-breaking hyphen is the symbol “‑”. It looks like a regular hyphen, but it behaves differently when text wraps. This makes it useful for names, codes, and compound terms that shouldn’t split across lines.
Non-breaking Hyphen Symbol Meaning
The non-breaking hyphen (Unicode U+2011) is a punctuation character designed to prevent a line break at the hyphen position. When a layout wraps text, a normal hyphen may allow the browser to break the line, separating the parts of a term. With the non-breaking hyphen, the two sides stay together, which is helpful for things like identifiers, “fixed” compounds, and formatted labels. It’s commonly used in typography and publishing to control wrapping behavior while maintaining a familiar hyphen appearance. For reliable results across platforms, copy the character directly or use the provided HTML/CSS/JavaScript escapes.
Common uses
- •Keep “word‑word” compound terms together on one line
- •Prevent line breaks in product codes, model numbers, and SKUs
- •Maintain formatting for ranges or spans like “section‑subsection”
- •Ensure consistent display of hyphenated names in labels and headings
- •Avoid awkward splits in addresses, references, or document identifiers
Examples
‑ Non-breaking hyphen (U+2011)
- ‑ID: A12‑B34‑C56
- ‑See section‑5 for details
- ‑Contact: Jean‑Luc Martin
- ‑Model XJ‑200‑Pro
- ‑Ticket 104‑203
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+2011 | |
| HTML Entity | ‑ | |
| HTML Code | ‑ | |
| CSS | \2011 |
FAQ
What does the Non-breaking Hyphen symbol mean?
The non-breaking hyphen (Unicode U+2011) is a punctuation character designed to prevent a line break at the hyphen position. When a layout wraps text, a normal hyphen may allow the browser to break the line, separating the parts of a term. With the non-breaking hyphen, the two sides stay together, which is helpful for things like identifiers, “fixed” compounds, and formatted labels. It’s commonly used in typography and publishing to control wrapping behavior while maintaining a familiar hyphen appearance. For reliable results across platforms, copy the character directly or use the provided HTML/CSS/JavaScript escapes.
What’s the difference between a normal hyphen and a non-breaking hyphen?
A normal hyphen may allow a line break at the hyphen. A non-breaking hyphen (U+2011) prevents wrapping at that position, keeping the connected text together.
Will the non-breaking hyphen look different in my browser?
In most fonts, it appears like a regular hyphen. The main difference is its line-wrapping behavior, not its visual shape.
How do I use it in HTML?
You can paste the character directly (‑) or use the HTML entity: ‑.
How do I write it in CSS or JavaScript?
CSS escape: \\2011. JavaScript escape: \\u{2011}.