What ｼ means
It comes from a space-saving format for Japanese text. The single-byte kana set later known as JIS X 0201 let kana fit systems built around one-byte characters. Later standards added fullwidth kana, but Shift JIS retained the earlier forms so existing text and software would keep working.
In a text field, ｼ may signal a format constraint; its Japanese reading stays the same.
As of 2026, PayPay Bank lists halfwidth kana as an input error. If a form requests fullwidth kana, enter シ.
Don't confuse it with
1Questions people ask
1Will normalization change ｼ?
Yes. NFKC can fold ｼ to シ; NFC preserves the distinction.
How to type ｼ
Windows (Word)
Alt+XType FF7C, then Alt+X to get ｼ.
Windows
Win+Rrun charmap for the full table, or use the emoji picker's Ω symbols tab (Win + .).
macOS
Control+Command+SpaceOpen the character viewer and search “halfwidth katakana letter si”.
Linux
Ctrl+Shift+UType ff7c, then Enter or Space.
HTML
ｼCSS
\FF7CWindows Japanese IME
As of 2026, type the kana and press F8 to convert the selected text to halfwidth Katakana.
Codes and encoding1 code points
HTML decimal
ｼ
HTML hex
ｼ
CSS content
content: "\FF7C";
Each escape is closed by the next backslash; a trailing space is needed before a literal hex digit.
URL encoded
%EF%BD%BC
1
On screen
1
Code points
1
JS .length
3
UTF-8 bytes
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.