<rp>: The RP Element
Last updated: 2026-10-13
<rp>The RP Element
Provides parentheses around ruby annotations for browsers that don't support ruby; usually ignored by modern browsers.
| Category | Text Content |
|---|---|
| Content Model | Flow content |
| Allowed Parents | Any element that accepts flow content |
| Content Tag | Yes — requires closing </rp> tag |
| Status | Standard |
📝 Syntax
<rp>(</rp>reading<rp>)</rp>▶ Example
Edit the code below and see the live result in the playground:
🌐 Browser Support
| Browser |  Chrome |
 Edge |
 Firefox |
 Safari |
 Opera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <rp> | ✓ v1 | ✓ v12 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 |
| Supported in all major browsers | |||||
Tip： rp is optional; it lets old browsers show annotations like (zì) with parentheses.
❓ FAQ
QIs rp still needed?
AAll modern browsers support ruby, so the
<rp> fallback parentheses rarely show. It is defensive writing: in old or unusual environments, the annotation degrades to the inline form text(annotation), which stays readable. Omitting it is acceptable; the spec still recommends keeping it.QWhat goes inside rp?
AA pair of parentheses (or brackets) placed before and after
<rt>: <ruby>漢字<rp>(</rp><rt>かんじ</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>. Ruby-capable browsers do not render them; without ruby they separate the annotation visually.QCan rp appear outside ruby?
ANo —
<rp> may only appear as a child of <ruby> alongside <rt>; standalone it is meaningless and validators will flag it.🏷️ Related Tags
💡 Related Cases
More case studies coming soon — check back later.
📚 Related Tutorials
