at symbol
About at symbol
@ is the at symbol (also known as the commercial at sign). Its official Unicode name is COMMERCIAL AT. The at symbol has become one of the most recognizable characters in the digital age, primarily serving as the indispensable separator between the user name and domain name in email addresses (e.g., `name@domain.com`). Additionally, the at symbol functions in pricing contexts to indicate "at the rate of" (e.g., `5 items @ $1 each`).
The at symbol @ consists of a lowercase 'a' enclosed within a full circular swirl, a design whose origins may trace back to medieval European trade or to the French word "à" meaning "at." As a Unicode character officially named COMMERCIAL AT, the at symbol holds the codepoint U+0040, placing it within the basic ASCII set and ensuring near-universal compatibility across all digital systems, keyboards, and fonts.
【Evolution from Commerce to Digital】 Before the internet era, the at symbol was primarily used in commerce and accounting to denote unit pricing. Its pivotal moment arrived in 1971 when Ray Tomlinson chose the at symbol to separate user names from host computers in the first email system, reasoning that it was a seldom-used symbol unlikely to appear in user names. This decision made the at symbol the anchor of email communication worldwide.
【Modern Applications】 Today, the at symbol extends far beyond email: it is used to mention users on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (e.g., `@username`); it identifies command prefixes in IRC and some programming environments; and it remains in active use in commercial invoices and price tags. The at symbol has truly become a digital-age icon.
How to Type at symbol
Windows Input
Method 1: Hold Shift and press 2 (on US keyboards) or Alt Gr + 2 (on UK/European keyboards); Method 2: Hold Alt and type 64 on the numeric keypad; Method 3: Type at in the Microsoft Pinyin input method and look for @ in the candidate list.
Mac Input
Method 1: On US keyboards, press Shift + 2; on UK keyboards, press Option + 2; Method 2: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer and search for "at sign" or "commercial at".
HTML/CSS Input
HTML: @ or @; CSS: content: "\0040";
LaTeX Input
In LaTeX text mode, simply type @ directly; in math mode, use \texttt{@} or \text{@} (requires the amstext package).
at symbol FAQ
Why is the at symbol @ used in email addresses?
The at symbol @ was chosen by Ray Tomlinson in 1971 for the first email system because it was rarely used in names and clearly meant 'at'—indicating that the user was 'at' a specific host computer. This intuitive meaning made @ the universal email separator and has remained the global standard ever since.
What are the different names for the at symbol @ around the world?
The at symbol @ has colorful names globally: in English it is 'at sign' or 'commercial at'; in Italian it's 'chiocciola' (snail); in German 'Klammeraffe' (spider monkey); in Russian 'sobachka' (little dog); in Chinese it is called '艾特符' (from the English pronunciation 'at') or '圈a' (circled a). These names reflect how different cultures perceive the visual swirl of the at symbol.
How do I type the at symbol @ on a keyboard that doesn't have a dedicated @ key?
For keyboards without a dedicated @ key, you can type the at symbol @ using: ① On Windows, hold Alt and type 64 on the numeric keypad; ② On most international keyboards, press Alt Gr + 2 or Alt Gr + Q; ③ Use the on-screen keyboard or Character Map; ④ On mobile devices, @ is usually on the symbols or numbers keyboard page.
What is the Unicode codepoint for the at symbol @?
The Unicode codepoint for the at symbol @ is U+0040, which falls within the basic ASCII range. Its decimal entity is @, and its hexadecimal entity is @. Because @ is part of ASCII, it is universally supported across all fonts, operating systems, and devices without any compatibility issues.
Can the at symbol @ be used in social media usernames?
Yes, the at symbol @ is widely used on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to mention or tag other users. In a social media context, typing @ followed by a username creates a clickable mention that notifies the mentioned user and links to their profile—a function that has become a central feature of social media interaction.