Step 1: Determine the UTF-8 encoding bit layout
The character ✱ has the Unicode code point U+2731. In UTF-8, it is encoded using 3 bytes because its codepoint is in the range of
0x0800to0xffff.
Therefore we know that the UTF-8 encoding will be done over 16 bits within the final 24 bits and that it will have the format:1110xxxx 10xxxxxx 10xxxxxx
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+2731 to binary:
00100111 00110001. 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:
11100010 10011100 10110001
HEAVY ASTERISK·U+2731
✱
Character Information
Code Point
U+2731
HEX
2731
Unicode Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane
Category
Other Symbol
Character Representations
Click elements to copy| Encoding | Hex | Binary |
|---|---|---|
| UTF8 | E2 9C B1 | 11100010 10011100 10110001 |
| UTF16 (big Endian) | 27 31 | 00100111 00110001 |
| UTF16 (little Endian) | 31 27 | 00110001 00100111 |
| UTF32 (big Endian) | 00 00 27 31 | 00000000 00000000 00100111 00110001 |
| UTF32 (little Endian) | 31 27 00 00 | 00110001 00100111 00000000 00000000 |
HTML Entity
✱
URI Encoded
%E2%9C%B1
Description
The Unicode character U+2731 is known as the Heavy Asterisk or the Eight-Pointed Star. It is primarily used in digital text for its decorative function, often employed to embellish documents or convey a sense of importance or emphasis. This symbol has eight points, making it distinct from the standard asterisk (*) which has five. Despite its decorative role, this character does not serve any specific cultural, linguistic, or technical context in particular. Its versatile nature allows it to be utilized across various platforms and applications, contributing to its popularity in modern typography. Due to its distinct appearance and multi-functionality, the Heavy Asterisk has become a favored choice for designers and content creators seeking to add an element of visual interest or emphasis to their work.
How to type the ✱ symbol on Windows
Hold Alt and type 10033 on the numpad. Or use Character Map.