0x2642

0x2642 refers to the Unicode code point U+2642, known as the MALE SIGN. The symbol consists of a circle with an arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right and is commonly used to denote male gender and to represent the planet Mars in astronomical contexts. It is part of the Unicode Miscellaneous Symbols block, with the female sign at U+2640 as its counterpart.

Encoding and rendering details: In UTF-8, U+2642 is encoded as the three-byte sequence E2 99 82. In HTML, it can be written as the numeric character reference ♂ or the hexadecimal form ♂. Some environments provide a named entity such as ♂. For emoji-aware rendering, it can also be presented with the variation selector U+FE0F (to request emoji presentation) or U+FE0E (text presentation). The exact appearance of the glyph depends on the font and rendering platform.

Usage and context: The MALE SIGN is widely used in biology, gender studies, data labeling, and signage to indicate male gender. It also appears in various cultural and educational materials and, in some contexts, as the Mars symbol for astronomical or astrological discussions. Its design and interpretation are generally stable, though stylistic differences across fonts can affect its visual form.

See also: U+2640 female sign; HTML entities for Unicode symbols; Emoji vs. text presentation in Unicode.