Macron: ā, ē, ū and combining U+0304

Uses and scope

Latvian uses ā, ē, ī and ū, while Lithuanian includes ū. Pinyin uses a macron for its first tone. These examples show why the common description 'long-vowel mark' is useful in some contexts but cannot be applied universally. A romanization convention must specify its own use of the bar. [43], [44], [48], [49], [4]

Similar shapes, different characters

Combining overline U+0305 is a different mark, often intended to extend across adjacent characters. Macron below U+0331 is below the base and is not the same accent moved by a font. A plain underscore or hyphen placed beside a vowel cannot replace a combining macron. [1], [2], [43], [44], [48], [49], [4]

Typing and text forms

Copying is exact; preview circles are excluded. Compare normalization forms.

Word for Windows

Select a hex code, then Alt+X; repeat for each scalar.

Mac and mobile

Hold a letter for supported variants; use Character Viewer on Mac or a language keyboard on mobile.

HTML

Use UTF-8 text or the numeric references in Details, in order.

Full typing instructions ·HTML, CSS and JavaScript entry ·Verified Alt codes.

Sources and method

Usage statements link to the authority that supports their scope. Character names, categories, combining classes and normalization results come from the pinned Unicode data. A canonical decomposition does not establish language membership or spelling frequency.

Source access date: 2026-09-14.

• [4] Unicode combining mark names and annotations. Names, cross references and narrowly attributed usage annotations. Historical annotations are not automatically current recommendations.
• [43] Latvian Language Agency: alphabet. Latvian letters, case pairs and example words.
• [44] Vytautas Magnus University: letters and sounds. Lithuanian alphabet and vowel/consonant inventory.
• [48] Chinese Ministry of Education: GB/T 16159, 2012. Hanyu Pinyin orthography, vowel tone marks and neutral tone; this is romanization, not added marks on Han characters.
• [49] Henan Normal University: reproduced Pinyin spelling standard. Readable university reproduction of GB/T 16159-2012; section on tone placement and unmarked neutral tone. Used alongside the official Ministry PDF.
• [1] Unicode Character Database 17.0.0.
• [2] Unicode normalization, UAX #15.
• [10] Microsoft: Unicode character entry in Word.
• [11] Apple: enter characters with accent marks.
• [12] Google: use Gboard.
• [13] Unicode: fonts and keyboards FAQ.
• [14] HTML numeric character references.

Read the editorial method and inspect the underlying datasets.