▌ left half block
▌
U+258C
Copy as
| Character | ▌ | |
|---|---|---|
| Unicode | U+258C | |
| HTML decimal | ▌ | |
| HTML hexadecimal | ▌ | |
| HTML named entity | — | |
| CSS content | \258C | |
| JavaScript / UTF-16 | \u258C | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 96 8C |
Meaning & usage
Left half block (▌) forms part of a text-based line, frame or shaded block.
Match neighboring pieces and use a monospace font when alignment matters; proportional fonts can break a carefully arranged box.
The left half block piece uses a filled block area. Match that style with adjacent box pieces; U+258C is the exact code to preserve its geometry.
left half block occupies one Unicode code point. A similar-looking letter, punctuation mark or emoji is not necessarily interchangeable with ▌ in search, filenames or text processing.
How to type left half block
- Windows
- Use Win + . for the emoji and symbol panel, or Character Map for supported fonts. In Microsoft Word, enter each hexadecimal code (258C) and press Alt + X. There is no universal decimal Alt code for this character; legacy Alt codes depend on the code page.
- Mac
- Open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for left half block. With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled, hold Option and enter the UTF-16 units shown above. Standard Option shortcuts do not cover every Unicode symbol.
- Linux
- In compatible GTK applications, press Ctrl + Shift + U, enter 258C, then Enter. Enter each code point separately for sequences. Other desktops or apps may require their character picker.
- iPhone & Android
- Look for left half block in your emoji keyboard if available, or copy it here and paste. Save frequently used symbols as a text replacement or keyboard shortcut; availability varies by keyboard.