Punctuation

These are the punctuation symbols in C++. The meaning of each symbol is detailed in the linked pages.

Preprocessing operators

Preprocessing operators are recognized by preprocessors.

# (including %:

• Introduce a preprocessing directive.
• The preprocessing operator for stringification.

##(including %:%:

• The preprocessing operator for token pasting.

Single-character operators and punctuators

{ and } (including <% and %>

• In a class definition, delimit the member specification.
• In an enumeration definition, delimit the enumerator list.
• Delimit a compound statement. The compound statement may be part of

• a function definition
• a try block

a lambda expression

(since C++11)

• Part of the aggregate initialization(until C++11) list-initialization(since C++11) syntax of an initializer
• In a namespace definition, delimit the namespace body.
• In a language linkage specification, delimit the declarations.

In a requires expression, delimit the requirements. In a compound requirement, delimit the expression. In an export declaration, delimit the declarations.

(since C++20)

[ and ] (including <: and :>

• Subscript operator; part of operator[] in operator overloading
• Part of array declarator in a declaration or a type-id (e.g. in a new expression
• Part of new[] operator in operator overloading (allocation function)
• Part of delete[] operator in delete expression and operator overloading (deallocation function)

In a lambda expression, delimit the captures. In an attribute specifier, delimit the attributes.	(since C++11)
In a structured binding declaration, delimit the identifier list.	(since C++17)
In a pack indexing, delimit converted constant expression representing an index.	(since C++26)

( and )

• In an expression, indicate grouping.
• Function call operator; part of operator() in operator overloading
• In a function-style type cast, delimit the expression/initializers.
• In a static_cast, const_cast, reinterpret_cast, or dynamic_cast
• Delimit the operand of the following operators:

• typeid
• sizeof

sizeof... alignof noexcept

(since C++11)

• In a placement new expression, delimit the placement arguments.
• In a new expression, optionally delimit the type-id.
• In a new expression, delimit the initializers.
• In a C-style cast, delimit the type-id.
• In a declaration or a type-id, indicate grouping.
• Delimit the parameter list in

• a function declarator (in a declaration or a type-id

a lambda expression	(since C++11)
a user-defined deduction guide	(since C++17)
a requires expression	(since C++20)

• Part of the direct-initialization syntax of an initializer.
• In an asm declaration, delimit the string literal.
• In a member initializer list, delimit the initializers to a base or member.
• Delimit the controlling clause of a selection statement or iteration statement, including:

• if (except consteval if)(since C++23)
• switch
• while
• do-while
• for

range-based for

(since C++11)

• In a handler, delimit the parameter declaration.
• In a function-like macro definition, delimit the macro parameters.
• In a function-like macro invocation, delimit the macro arguments or prevent commas from being interpreted as argument separators.
• Part of a defined , __has_include(since C++17) , __has_cpp_attribute(since C++20)

In a static_assert declaration, delimit the operands. Delimit the operand of the following specifiers: decltype noexcept alignas explicit (since C++20) In an attribute, delimit the attribute arguments.	(since C++11)
Part of decltype(auto) specifier.	(since C++14)
Delimit a fold expression.	(since C++17)
Part of __VA_OPT__ replacement in a variadic macro definition.	(since C++20)

;

• Indicate the end of

• a statement
• a declaration or member declaration

a module declaration, import declaration, global module fragment introducer, or private module fragment introducer a requirement

(since C++20)

• Separate the condition and statement of a for statement.

:

• Part of conditional operator.
• Part of label declaration.
• In the base-clause of a class definition, introduce the base class.
• Part of access specifier in member specification.
• In a bit-field member declaration, introduce the width.
• In a constructor definition, introduce the member initializer list.

In a range-based for statement, separate the item-declaration and the range-initializer In the enum-base of an enumeration declaration, introduce the underlying type.	(since C++11)
In an attribute specifier, separate the attribute-namespace and the attribute-list.	(since C++17)
In a module declaration or import declaration of module partition, introduce the module partition name. Part of a private module fragment introducer (module :private;	(since C++20)

?

• Part of conditional operator.

.

• Member access operator.

In aggregate initialization, introduce a designator. Part of module name or module partition name.

(since C++20)

~ (including compl)

• Unary complement operator (a.k.a. bitwise not operator); part of operator~ in operator overloading
• Part of an identifier expression to name a destructor or pseudo-destructor.

! (including not)

• Logical not operator; part of operator! in operator overloading

Part of consteval if statement.

(since C++23)

+

• Unary plus operator; part of operator+ in operator overloading
• Binary plus operator; part of operator+ in operator overloading

-

• Unary minus operator; part of operator- in operator overloading
• Binary minus operator; part of operator- in operator overloading

*

• Indirection operator; part of operator* in operator overloading
• Multiplication operator; part of operator* in operator overloading
• Pointer operator or part of pointer-to-member operator in a declarator or in a type-id.

Part of *this in a lambda capture

(since C++17)

/

• Division operator; part of operator/ in operator overloading

%

• Modulo operator; part of operator% in operator overloading

^ (including xor)

• Bitwise xor operator; part of operator^ in operator overloading

& (including bitand

• Address-of operator; part of operator& in operator overloading
• Bitwise and operator; part of operator& in operator overloading
• Lvalue-reference operator in a declarator or in a type-id.

In a lambda capture, indicate by-reference capture. Ref-qualifier in member function declaration.

(since C++11)

| (including bitor)

• Bitwise or operator; part of operator| in operator overloading

=

• Simple assignment operator; part of operator= in operator overloading, which might be a special member function (copy assignment operator or move assignment operator(since C++11)
• Part of the copy-initialization and aggregate initialization(until C++11) copy-list-initialization(since C++11) syntax of an initializer
• In a function declaration, introduce a default argument.
• In a template parameter list, introduce a default template argument
• In a namespace alias definition, separate the alias and the aliased namespace.
• In an enum definition, introduce the value of enumerator.
• Part of pure-specifier in a pure virtual function declaration.

Capture default in lambda capture, to indicate by-copy capture. Part of defaulted definition (=default;) or deleted definition (=delete;) in function definition In a type alias declaration, separate the alias and the aliased type.	(since C++11)
In a concept definition, separate the concept name and the constraint expression.	(since C++20)

<

• Less-than operator; part of operator< in operator overloading
• In a static_cast, const_cast, reinterpret_cast, or dynamic_cast
• Introduce a template argument list.
• Introduce a template parameter list in

• a template declaration
• a partial specialization

a lambda expression

(since C++20)

• Part of template<> in template specialization declaration
• Introduce a header name in

• a #include directive

a __has_include preprocessing expression	(since C++17)
an import declaration	(since C++20)

>

• Greater-than operator; part of operator> in operator overloading
• static_cast, const_cast, reinterpret_cast, or dynamic_cast
• Indicate the end of a template argument list.
• Indicate the end of a template parameter list in

• a template declaration
• a partial specialization

a lambda expression

(since C++20)

• Part of template<> in template specialization declaration
• Indicate the end of a header name in

• a #include directive

a __has_include preprocessing expression	(since C++17)
an import declaration	(since C++20)

,

• Comma operator; part of operator, in operator overloading
• List separator in

• the declarator list in a declaration
• initializer list in initialization
• the placement argument list in a placement new
• the argument list in a function call expression
• the enumerator list in an enum declaration
• the base class list in a class declaration
• the member initializer list in a constructor definition
• a function parameter list
• a template parameter list
• a template argument list

a lambda capture list an attribute list	(since C++11)
the declarator list in a using-declaration the identifier list in a structured binding declaration	(since C++17)
the argument list in a multi-argument subscript expression	(since C++23)

• the macro parameter list in a function-like macro definition
• the macro argument list in a function-like macro invocation, unless found between the parentheses of an argument

In a static_assert declaration, separate the arguments.

(since C++11)

Multi-character operators and punctuators

...

• In the parameter list of a function declaratoror lambda expression(since C++11) or user-defined deduction guide(since C++17), signify a variadic function
• In a handler, signify catch-all handler.

In a macro definition, signify a variadic macro. Indicate pack declaration and expansion.	(since C++11)
In pack indexing expression and specifier.	(since C++26)

::

• Scope resolution operator in

• a qualified name
• a pointer-to-member declaration
• a new or delete expression, to indicate that only global allocation or deallocation functions are looked up

In an attribute, indicate attribute scope.	(since C++11)
Part of nested namespace definition.	(since C++17)

.*

• Pointer-to-member access operator.

->

• Member access operator; part of operator-> in operator overloading

In a function declarator or lambda expression, introduce the trailing return type.	(since C++11)
In a user-defined deduction guide, introduce the result type.	(since C++17)
In a compound requirement, introduce the return type requirement.	(since C++20)

->*

• Pointer-to-member access operator; part of operator->* in operator overloading

+=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator+= in operator overloading

-=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator-= in operator overloading

*=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator*= in operator overloading

/=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator/= in operator overloading

%=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator%= in operator overloading

^= (including xor_eq

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator^= in operator overloading

&= (including and_eq

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator&= in operator overloading

|= (including or_eq

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator|= in operator overloading

==

• Equality operator; part of operator== in operator overloading

!= (including not_eq

• Inequality operator; part of operator!= in operator overloading

<=

• Less-than-or-equal-to operator; part of operator<= in operator overloading

>=

• Greater-than-or-equal-to operator; part of operator>= in operator overloading

<=> Three-way comparison (spaceship) operator; part of operator<=> in operator overloading

(since C++20)

&& (including and

• Logical and operator; part of operator&& in operator overloading

Rvalue-reference operator in a declarator or in a type-id. Ref-qualifier in member function declaration.

(since C++11)

|| (including or)

• Logical or operator; part of operator|| in operator overloading

<<

• Bitwise shift operator; part of operator<< in operator overloading (bitwise operator or stream insertion operator

>>

• Bitwise shift operator; part of operator>> in operator overloading (bitwise operator or stream extraction operator

<<=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator<<= in operator overloading

>>=

• Compound assignment operator; part of operator>>= in operator overloading

++

• Increment operator; part of operator++ in operator overloading

--

• Decrement operator; part of operator-- in operator overloading

References

See also

Alternative representations	alternative spellings for certain operators
C documentation for Punctuation