Step 1: Determine the UTF-8 encoding bit layout
The character ✠ has the Unicode code point U+2720. 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+2720 to binary:
00100111 00100000. 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 10100000
MALTESE CROSS·U+2720
✠
Character Information
Code Point
U+2720
HEX
2720
Unicode Plane
Basic Multilingual Plane
Category
Other Symbol
Character Representations
Click elements to copy| Encoding | Hex | Binary |
|---|---|---|
| UTF8 | E2 9C A0 | 11100010 10011100 10100000 |
| UTF16 (big Endian) | 27 20 | 00100111 00100000 |
| UTF16 (little Endian) | 20 27 | 00100000 00100111 |
| UTF32 (big Endian) | 00 00 27 20 | 00000000 00000000 00100111 00100000 |
| UTF32 (little Endian) | 20 27 00 00 | 00100000 00100111 00000000 00000000 |
HTML Entity
✠
URI Encoded
%E2%9C%A0
Description
The Unicode character U+2720 is known as the Maltese Cross, a symbol widely used in various religious and cultural contexts. This typographical icon holds significant importance in the Christian tradition, particularly within the Roman Catholic Church, where it serves as a potent emblem of protection, virtue, and sacrifice. The Maltese Cross has eight points that represent the eight beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. It is typically utilized in digital text to denote or commemorate these religious themes, as well as to symbolize resilience, courage, and dedication due to its historical association with knights and military orders. Its presence within typography contributes to its rich cultural heritage, while its precise design and distinctive appearance make it easily recognizable across numerous languages and scripts. In summary, the Maltese Cross (U+2720) is a multi-faceted symbol deeply rooted in Christian tradition, utilized in digital text to represent protection, virtue, sacrifice, and resilience.
How to type the ✠ symbol on Windows
Hold Alt and type 10016 on the numpad. Or use Character Map.