Cube root symbol copy and paste — every format
Whatever you're pasting into — a browser, LaTeX document, spreadsheet, or CSS file — grab the exact cube root symbol text format it expects.
Text & code
Symbol
∛
Unicode code point
U+221B
HTML entity (numeric)
∛
CSS content
content: "\221B";
LaTeX
\sqrt[3]{x}
LaTeX (square root, for comparison)
\sqrt{x}
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows
No Alt-code — use the Unicode trick below
Windows Unicode input
221B, Alt + X
Mac
No Option-key shortcut — use Character Viewer
Spreadsheets
Excel / Google Sheets formula
=SIGN(A1)*ABS(A1)^(1/3)
Need a whole equation, not just the symbol?
The equation writer builds a copyable cube root expression — like ∛(27) — instead of a bare symbol.
Open the equation writerWriting software instead of a document?
See Unicode escapes, LaTeX, and Math.cbrt() across JavaScript, Python, Excel, and more — plus where cube root and square root diverge on negative numbers.
Open cube root in codeFrequently asked questions
What is the Unicode code point for the cube root symbol?
The cube root symbol is Unicode character U+221B — one code point after the square root symbol, U+221A. You can reference it in code as \u221B (JavaScript/Java), \u221b (Python), or ∛ (HTML numeric entity) — all resolve to the same ∛ character.
How do I add the cube root symbol in HTML?
Use the numeric entity ∛ directly in your markup, or paste the ∛ character itself — HTML files are UTF-8 by default in virtually every modern setup, so the raw character renders fine too. Unlike √ (√), there's no named HTML entity for the cube root symbol; the numeric entity is the only entity form available.
What's the LaTeX command for a cube root?
\sqrt[3]{x} renders a proper radical with a small 3 in the index position and a bar over x, in any LaTeX or MathJax environment. Dropping the bracketed number, \sqrt{x}, gives a plain square root instead.
How do I calculate a cube root in Excel or Google Sheets?
Neither app has a built-in CBRT function. Pasting ∛ into a cell only displays the character. To actually calculate a cube root, use =SIGN(A1)*ABS(A1)^(1/3) — a plain =A1^(1/3) works for positive numbers but returns a #NUM! error for negative ones, since raising a negative base to a fractional power isn't defined in either app's formula engine.
Is there a Windows alt code for the cube root symbol?
No. Windows' numeric-keypad Alt-codes (like Alt + 251 for √) come from a fixed legacy code page that never included ∛. The reliable substitute is typing 221B in Word or Outlook and pressing Alt + X immediately after, which converts the Unicode code point into ∛.