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En Dash Symbol (–)
The en dash (–) is the middle-length dash: it joins ranges like 10–20 and connections like London–Paris, sitting between the short hyphen and the long em dash.
En Dash codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+2013 |
| Unicode name | En Dash |
| HTML named entity | – |
| HTML decimal | – |
| HTML hex | – |
| CSS content code | \2013 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u2013 |
| Windows Alt code | Alt+0150 |
En Dash variants (7)
7 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
The en dash is named after the en, a typesetting unit about the width of the letter N — which makes it exactly half an em dash. Its home ground is ranges: pages 45–52, 9am–5pm, the years 1939–45, scores like 3–1. It also links two equal partners in compound terms, as in the mother–daughter relationship or the Vienna–Budapest train.
British style guides often use the en dash, spaced, where American style prefers the closed-up em dash for sentence breaks. It is not a minus sign and it is not a hyphen: the hyphen joins words, the en dash joins ranges, and the minus subtracts.
Examples in use
- Read pages 120–135 before Friday
- The 08:15 London–York train
- Temperatures of –2–3 °C (note the minus before the range)
How to type the en dash
Windows
Hold the Alt key and type 0150 on the numeric keypad (Num Lock on), then release Alt. The code is Alt+0150. It also works in Word with the same keys.
Mac
There is no Option-key shortcut for – on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "En Dash", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.
iPhone & Android
Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for –. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)
Linux
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2013 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an en dash and an em dash?
The en dash (–) is half the width of the em dash (—). En dashes work in ranges (10–20) and links; em dashes break up sentences. If it is between two numbers, it is almost certainly an en dash.
How do I type an en dash in Word?
Hold Alt and type 0150 on the numeric keypad, or type the first number, a hyphen, the second number and a space — Word usually converts the hyphen to an en dash in ranges. On this page you can also just copy it.
Should an en dash have spaces around it?
In ranges, no: 10–20 stays closed up. When it stands in for a sentence dash in British style, it is usually spaced – like this.
Why does – sometimes show as a box or question mark?
The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+2013 (En Dash). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the En Dash free to use?
Yes. – is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13