Reference
Braille Numbers
Braille has no separate number shapes. A number is written by placing the numeric indicator (dots 3-4-5-6) in front of the letters A to J, where A stands for 1 and J for 0. So 1 is the indicator plus A, 5 is the indicator plus E, and 100 is one indicator followed by A, J, J.
Last updated 14 July 2026
How are numbers written in braille?
The numeric indicator is a single cell with dots 3-4-5-6 raised, which is the bottom dot of the left column plus the whole right column. On its own it means nothing. Its job is to tell the reader that the cells that follow are digits rather than letters.
After the indicator, the first ten letters do the work. A is 1, B is 2, C is 3, D is 4, E is 5, F is 6, G is 7, H is 8, I is 9 and J is 0. Because those ten letters use only the top four dot positions, digits never collide with the rest of the alphabet.
| Number | Braille | Reuses letter | Dots in the digit cell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numeric indicator | ⠼ | none | 3-4-5-6 |
| 1 | ⠼⠁ | A | 1 |
| 2 | ⠼⠃ | B | 1-2 |
| 3 | ⠼⠉ | C | 1-4 |
| 4 | ⠼⠙ | D | 1-4-5 |
| 5 | ⠼⠑ | E | 1-5 |
| 6 | ⠼⠋ | F | 1-2-4 |
| 7 | ⠼⠛ | G | 1-2-4-5 |
| 8 | ⠼⠓ | H | 1-2-5 |
| 9 | ⠼⠊ | I | 2-4 |
| 0 | ⠼⠚ | J | 2-4-5 |
Braille numbers 1 to 100
One numeric indicator covers the whole number, however many digits it has. 10 is the indicator then A, J. 42 is the indicator then D, B. 100 is the indicator then A, J, J. You do not repeat the indicator between digits, only before the number and again after anything that interrupts it, such as a space.
Every entry in the chart below is generated from that rule rather than typed in, so the cells match exactly what a braille display or embosser would produce for that number.
How do you tell a number from a letter in braille?
Position does the work. Because A to J and 1 to 0 share the same ten cells, the numeric indicator is what separates them, and its effect runs to the end of the number. A space, or a following letter marked with a grade 1 indicator (dots 5-6), returns the reader to normal letters.
This is also why the number sign matters so much when you write braille by hand or with a labelling machine. Leave it out and 1854 reads as the word ahed rather than a year.
Are maths and money written the same way?
For ordinary text, yes: prices, dates, ages and page numbers all use the numeric indicator followed by A to J. Symbols such as currency signs and decimal points have their own cells, and the exact rules depend on the braille code in use.
Mathematics is often different. In the United States, technical material is commonly written in the Nemeth code, which writes digits in the lower part of the cell so they cannot be confused with letters and so no numeric indicator is needed in the same way. Unified English Braille, used in the UK, Australia, Canada and elsewhere, keeps the upper-cell digits shown here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the number sign in braille?
It is a single cell with dots 3-4-5-6 raised, also called the numeric indicator. Placed before A to J it turns them into the digits 1 to 9 and 0.
How do you write 10 in braille?
10 is three cells: the numeric indicator (dots 3-4-5-6), then A (dot 1) for the 1, then J (dots 2-4-5) for the 0.
How do you write 100 in braille?
100 is four cells: the numeric indicator, then A for the 1 and J twice for the two zeros. The indicator is written once for the whole number, not before each digit.
Why do braille numbers reuse the letters A to J?
Louis Braille designed the cell so the first ten letters use only the top four dot positions. Reusing them for digits keeps every number to compact, easily distinguished shapes, with the numeric indicator removing any ambiguity.
Do braille numbers need a space between them?
No. Digits run together inside one number, exactly as they do in print. A space ends the number, so the next letter is read as a letter again.