<i>: The I Element
Last updated: 2026-10-13
<i>The I Element
Renders text in italics without emphasis, often used for foreign words, technical terms, ship names, etc.
| Category | Formatting |
|---|---|
| Content Model | Phrasing content |
| Allowed Parents | Any element that accepts phrasing content |
| Content Tag | Yes — requires closing </i> tag |
| Status | Standard |
📝 Syntax
<i>italic text</i>▶ Example
Edit the code below and see the live result in the playground:
🌐 Browser Support
| Browser |  Chrome |
 Edge |
 Firefox |
 Safari |
 Opera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <i> | ✓ v1 | ✓ v12 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 |
| Supported in all major browsers | |||||
Tip： <i> has no semantics, only changes appearance. Use <em> when the text needs stress emphasis.
❓ FAQ
QWhat does the i tag mean in HTML5?
AHTML5 redefined
<i>: it marks text in an alternate voice or mood, such as technical terms, foreign phrases, taxonomic names, or inner thoughts. It is no longer purely visual italics, but it carries no emphasis either — use <em> for emphasis.QShould I choose i or em?
AIt depends on semantics: use
<em> to convey importance or change sentence stress; use <i> for a different voice such as terms, foreign words, or ship names. For example, this word reads as <i>ねこ</i> in Japanese suits <i>.QIs using the i tag for icons correct?
AIt has long been a convention in Bootstrap, Font Awesome, and similar libraries, but by the HTML spec it is incorrect — an icon is not text. More semantic options are a
<span> with aria-hidden or an inline <svg>. Putting icons in <i> survives mostly on historical momentum.🏷️ Related Tags
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