Reference Mark Symbol

The symbol ※ is commonly read aloud as "refer to" or "reference mark," and in East Asian contexts it is often called "kome" (rice) in Japanese or "chàhào" (fork mark) in Chinese. It has a practical role as a typographic marker used to draw attention to a footnote, marginal note, or supplementary explanation, functioning similarly to an asterisk but with a distinct visual shape.

In Japanese and Chinese publishing, this character serves as a standard indicator for footnotes or endnotes, appearing after a word or sentence to direct readers to additional information. It is also used in East Asian dictionaries and reference works to denote cross-references or to highlight examples and usage notes. Outside of these specialized contexts, it appears occasionally in informal writing as a general-purpose attention marker.