Step 1: Determine the UTF-8 encoding bit layout
The character ; has the Unicode code point U+003B. In UTF-8, it is encoded using 1 byte because its codepoint is in the range of
0x0000to0x007f.
Therefore we know that the UTF-8 encoding will be done over 7 bits within the final 8 bits and that it will have the format:0xxxxxxx
Where thexare the payload bits.UTF-8 Encoding bit layout by codepoint range Codepoint Range Bytes Bit pattern Payload length U+0000 - U+007F 1 0xxxxxxx 7 bits U+0080 - U+07FF 2 110xxxxx 10xxxxxx 11 bits U+0800 - U+FFFF 3 1110xxxx 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx 16 bits U+10000 - U+10FFFF 4 11110xxx 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx 21 bits Step 2: Obtain the payload bits:
Convert the hexadecimal code point U+003B to binary:
00111011. Those are the payload bits.Step 3: Fill in the bits to match the bit pattern:
Obtain the final bytes by arranging the paylod bits to match the bit layout:
00111011
SEMICOLON·U+003B
;
Character Information
Code Point
U+003B
HEX
003B
Unicode Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane
Category
Other Punctuation
Character Representations
Click elements to copy| Encoding | Hex | Binary |
|---|---|---|
| UTF8 | 3B | 00111011 |
| UTF16 (big Endian) | 00 3B | 00000000 00111011 |
| UTF16 (little Endian) | 3B 00 | 00111011 00000000 |
| UTF32 (big Endian) | 00 00 00 3B | 00000000 00000000 00000000 00111011 |
| UTF32 (little Endian) | 3B 00 00 00 | 00111011 00000000 00000000 00000000 |
HTML Entity
;
URI Encoded
%3B
Description
The Unicode character U+003B, also known as the semicolon (;), plays a significant role in digital text by separating two related independent clauses within the same sentence. This punctuation mark is not only common in everyday writing but also serves as a powerful symbol for various programming languages, where it represents a range of functions and operations depending on its context. In terms of cultural, linguistic, or technical significance, the semicolon has played a crucial role in the evolution of computing, particularly in the early days of programming when memory was scarce, and every character counted. In modern digital text, while it may not be as widely used as other punctuation marks like the comma or period, the semicolon remains an important tool for writers and programmers alike, reflecting the complexity and richness of human language and thought. The semicolon belongs to the Basic Latin Unicode block, which is a foundational part of the Unicode system. This block encompasses 128 essential characters, including control codes and special symbols, that are crucial for communication across multiple platforms and devices. Despite its historical roots in the ASCII character set, the Basic Latin Unicode block has evolved to accommodate modern needs and continues to be an integral part of digital communication.
How to type the ; symbol on Windows
Hold Alt and type 0059 on the numpad. Or use Character Map.