⊂ Subset Symbol
The subset sign (⊂) says every element of one set is also in another — A ⊂ B. Its partner ⊆ allows the two sets to be equal.
Also known as: subset symbol, subset sign, subset symbol copy paste, is a subset of symbol, notation for subset, subset symbol latex.
Codes
| Symbol | ⊂ | |
| Subset or equal | ⊆ · U+2286 | |
| Not a subset | ⊄ · U+2284 | |
| Unicode | U+2282 | |
| HTML entity (named) | ⊂ · ⊂ | |
| HTML entity (decimal) | ⊂ | |
| HTML entity (hex) | ⊂ | |
| CSS | \2282 | |
| LaTeX | \subset | |
| Windows Alt code | Alt + 8834 |
How to type ⊂ (Subset Symbol)
Alt + 8834 works in apps that accept decimal-Unicode Alt input (Word among them). There is no short Alt code. In Word you can also type 2282 then Alt + X; elsewhere press Win + . (period) and search “subset”.
No default keystroke. Open Character Viewer (Control + Cmd + Space) and search “subset of”, or copy ⊂ above.
Type 2282, then press Alt + X to convert it to ⊂ (2286 then Alt + X gives ⊆).
Insert → Special characters, then search “subset” — or inside an Equation type \subset.
Use \subset in math mode; \subseteq gives ⊆, \subsetneq gives ⊊ (proper subset, made explicit) and \not\subset or \nsubseteq negates it.
Usage
- A ⊂ B means every element of A is also in B: {1, 2} ⊂ {1, 2, 3}.
- ⊂ vs ⊆ — the distinction that trips people up. ⊆ definitely allows A = B. ⊂ is ambiguous by convention: many authors use it to mean exactly the same as ⊆, while others reserve it for a *proper* subset where A ≠ B. If the difference matters in your work, write ⊆ for “subset or equal” and ⊊ for “proper subset”, and say which convention you are using.
- The mirror image ⊃ (U+2283) is superset: B ⊃ A says the same thing from B's point of view.
- In probability, A ⊂ B means event A implies event B, so P(A) ≤ P(B).
- Do not substitute the lookalikes: ⊏ (U+228F) is “square image of”, used for orders in computer science, and ( is just a parenthesis. Only ⊂ is the set-inclusion relation.