The ∍ Symbol (Small Contains As Member): Meaning & Usage
The ∍ symbol, officially known in Unicode as the "Small Contains As Member" sign, is a mathematical operator used in set theory to indicate that a specific set includes a particular element. As a compact, reversed version of the standard "element of" symbol (∈), it functions exactly like the regular "contains as member" sign (∋) but is explicitly designed to be smaller for specific typographic formatting in complex mathematical equations.
Introduced in Unicode version 1.1 back in 1993, the ∍ symbol lives in the Mathematical Operators block at code point U+220D. Mathematicians developed these symbols in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to standardize set theory notation. While the standard "element of" symbol was popularized by Italian mathematician Giuseppe Peano, the reversed "contains" versions emerged later. They allow writers to structure equations reading from left to right when they want to start with the entire set rather than an individual element.
In advanced mathematics, computer science, and formal logic, you will spot ∍ when discussing sets and their contents. Programmers and data scientists use it in theoretical papers to express logic cleanly, allowing them to declare a large dataset before specifying its individual data points. Outside of academia, you will not see ∍ trending on social media like a colorful standard emoji. However, its unique, rounded, backward-E shape makes it a popular tool for digital artists. You will frequently find it hiding in plain sight within Japanese Kaomoji or text-based emoticons, often acting as a stylized nose or a quirky design element in custom usernames.
Typing ∍ directly from a standard keyboard requires a few tricks. On Windows, you can type 220D followed by Alt+X in Microsoft Word to generate the character. Mac users can find it in the Character Viewer by pressing Ctrl+Cmd+Space and searching for "Small Contains As Member." If you write in HTML, use the entity ∍ or the hex code ∍. For LaTeX users typesetting equations, the command \smallni generates this precise character. Copying and pasting from the web remains the fastest method for casual use.
The ∍ symbol has a few close relatives in the Unicode standard. Its most famous sibling is the standard "element of" sign (∈ U+2208), which flips the direction to show that an item belongs to a set. There is also the regular "contains as member" symbol (∋ U+220B), which is identical in meaning to ∍ but standard in size. If you need to express the exact opposite, the "does not contain as member" symbol (∌ U+220C) adds a harsh slash through the middle to reject an element entirely.