Punctuation Symbols
Copy punctuation symbols for editorial, legal, and international text: inverted marks ¿ ¡, legal and section signs § ¶, footnote daggers † ‡, asterism ⁂, and the interrobang ‽.
Click any symbol to copy it. 38 symbols
Inverted and expressive marks
5Section and reference marks
8Dots, bullets and separators
7Decorative and archaic punctuation
10Commercial and abbreviations
8Traditional editorial and proofreading marks
Specialized punctuation symbols have anchored legal publishing, typography, and scholarly editing for centuries. Unlike everyday commas and periods found on standard computer keyboards, advanced editorial glyphs communicate structural hierarchy and reference citations. The section sign § (U+00A7), historically known as the signum sectionis, introduces numbered legal statutes and code clauses. The pilcrow ¶ (U+00B6), originating in medieval rubrication, marks paragraph boundaries and structural breaks in formal manuscripts.
When drafting legal citations, editorial reports, or scholarly treatises, using genuine typographical punctuation maintains academic authority and visual elegance. For quotation conventions, explore our guide to quotation marks, review sentence breaks in dash symbols, or inspect enclosures in bracket symbols.
Spanish inverted question and exclamation conventions
In standard Spanish orthography, sentences containing questions or exclamations require inverted punctuation at the beginning of the clause: the inverted question mark ¿ (U+00BF) and inverted exclamation mark ¡ (U+00A1). Mandated by the Real Academia Española in 1754, these opening marks alert the reader to the tone of the sentence before reading the words aloud, eliminating vocal ambiguity in complex sentences like ¿Cómo estás? or ¡Qué sorpresa!
On Windows keyboards, you can type the inverted question mark using the alt code Alt + 0191 (or Alt + 168), and the inverted exclamation mark using Alt + 0161 (or Alt + 173). On a Mac, press Option + Shift + ? for ¿ and Option + 1 for ¡.
The canonical footnote sequence for scholarly citations
Before modern word processors automated numerical footnotes, traditional book publishers followed a strict sequence of reference marks to cite notes at the bottom of a page without numbering clutter. The canonical sequence progresses: asterisk (*), dagger † (U+2020), double dagger ‡ (U+2021), section sign § (U+00A7), parallels (||), and pilcrow ¶ (U+00B6). If a page required additional notes, the sequence repeated with doubled marks (**, ††, ‡‡).
Frequently asked questions
What is the section symbol § used for?
The section symbol § (U+00A7, signum sectionis) cites specific statutory sections, clauses, and regulations in legal codes and academic treatises.
How do I type inverted punctuation ¿ and ¡ on a keyboard?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0191 for ¿ or 0161 for ¡ on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option + Shift + ? for ¿ and Option + 1 for ¡.
What is the interrobang symbol ‽?
The interrobang ‽ (U+203D), created in 1962, combines a question mark and exclamation mark into a single glyph to express shocked inquiry (e.g. "You did what‽").
What is the pilcrow symbol ¶?
The pilcrow ¶ (U+00B6, paragraph sign) originated in medieval rubrication to mark distinct paragraph divisions and formatting breaks in text editors.