South Korean Won Symbol (₩)
The Won symbol (₩) represents the currencies of both the Republic of Korea (South Korean Won, KRW) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korean Won, KPW). The glyph consists of a capital Latin letter W crossed by one or two horizontal lines.
Typographic & Developer Encoding Codes
Quickly copy HTML entities, CSS content escape sequences, and Unicode code points for South Korean Won.
| Format | Value / Code | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw Symbol | ₩ | Standard plain text character or abbreviation | |
| Unicode Code Point | U+20A9 | WON SIGN (Currency Symbols) | |
| Windows Input / Alt Code | Word: 20A9, Alt+X / Win + . | Keyboard shortcut for Windows PC | |
| HTML Named / Decimal Entity | None (Numeric: ₩) | HTML5 named character entity | |
| HTML Hex Entity | ₩ | Hexadecimal HTML character reference | |
| CSS Escape Code | \20A9 | For CSS ::before or ::after pseudo-elements |
How to Type South Korean Won Symbol (₩) on Any Device
Windows PC
In Microsoft Word, type 20A9 then press Alt + X. In other Windows applications, press Win + . to open the Symbol panel, or use 1-click copy.
Mac / macOS
No direct shortcut. Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer, or hold Option and enter hex in Unicode Hex Input.
iPhone & iPad (iOS)
Tap 123, long-press $ and select ₩
Android (Gboard)
Tap ?123, long-press $ and select ₩
Formatting Rules & Real-World Examples
Symbol Placement: Before Amount
In standard financial notation, the South Korean Won symbol is positioned immediately before the numerical amount.
Typography & International Usage Guidelines
In international finance, the won symbol precedes the numerical amount (₩1,000). Domestically in South Korea, the Hangul syllable 원 (U+C6D0) is placed after the number (1,000원). Note that in HTML, there is NO named entity `&won;` (which is invalid HTML5); web developers must use numeric entities `₩` or `₩`.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using the invalid HTML named entity &won; (which will not render properly in HTML; use ₩).
- Confusing the halfwidth won symbol (₩, U+20A9) with fullwidth won (￦, U+FFE6).
- Including decimal points for consumer KRW transactions (KRW has 0 decimal digits in cash).
Historical Background & Monetary Evolution
The word 'won' (원) is an etymological cognate of the Chinese yuan and Japanese yen, historically meaning 'round shape'. Following the liberation of Korea in 1945, the Bank of Korea reintroduced the won. The modern South Korean Won was established on June 10, 1962, replacing the temporary hwan at a rate of 10 hwan to 1 won. The Latin letter W with a horizontal stroke was adopted for international recognition. Like Japan, South Korea eliminated fractional units (jeon, 1/100th won) from everyday cash commerce due to postwar economic expansion.
Countries & Jurisdictions Using ₩
Related Tools & Guides for South Korean Won
ISO 4217 Lookup
Search standard three-letter currency codes and ISO country pairings.
ToolCurrency Formatter
Calculate before/after position styles and international decimal notations.
GuideMac Option Key Shortcuts
How to configure and type international financial marks quickly on macOS.
GuideGoogle Docs & Sheets Guide
Insert special characters and configure currency formats in spreadsheets.
GuideiPhone & iPad Shortcuts
Quick long-press keyboard shortcuts on iOS to type monetary symbols.
SpecsUnicode Technical Standards
Master technical index for U+20A0–U+20CF blocks, HTML entities & CSS codes.
Similar & Related Currency Symbols
Standards Verification & Official Registry Specifications
This specification has been verified against official international standards registries (ISO 4217 Maintenance Agency, Unicode Consortium 16.0, and Unicode CLDR).
Frequently Asked Questions about South Korean Won (₩)
Common questions and direct answers regarding currency symbols, typing shortcuts, and international formatting.
Why is &won; an invalid HTML entity?
The W3C and WHATWG HTML5 specifications never defined a named character reference for the won symbol. Unlike € or £, the won sign must be encoded numerically as ₩ (decimal) or ₩ (hexadecimal).
Do South Korea and North Korea share the same symbol?
Yes. Both South Korea (KRW) and North Korea (KPW) call their currency the 'won' and use the symbol ₩. However, they are completely separate monetary systems issued by different central banks with no currency interchangeability.
How to type the Won sign (₩) on Windows?
In Microsoft Word, type 20A9 then press Alt + X. In other Windows software, press Win + . to open the Symbol panel, or use 1-click clipboard copy.