# \,

Adds a thin math space between nearby symbols for fine typographic adjustment in formulas.

https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-2c-

## Metadata

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Topic | [Spacing](https://texform.dev/latex/topics/spacing) |
| Packages | base, textmacros |
| Allowed mode | math, text |
| Tags | spacing |
| Commonality | high |
| Kind | prefix |

## Syntax

### base

Argument specification: ``

Adds a thin math space between nearby symbols for fine typographic adjustment in formulas.

### textmacros

Argument specification: ``

Used to insert a thin manual space inside text fragments, such as fine separation in abbreviations, number-unit formatting, or other tight spacing adjustments.

## Common tasks

### How to add a thin space in a differential

\, is the usual thin space before dx, dA, and similar differentials.

```latex
\int f(x)\,dx
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cint+f%28x%29%5C%2Cdx)

### How to space a sequence of numbers

```latex
1,\,2,\,3,\,\ldots
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=1%2C%5C%2C2%2C%5C%2C3%2C%5C%2C%5Cldots)

### How to separate juxtaposed units or factors

```latex
3\,\mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=3%5C%2C%5Cmathrm%7Bkm%7D%5C%2C%5Cmathrm%7Bs%7D%5E%7B-1%7D)

## Examples

```latex
\int f(x) \, dx
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Cint+f%28x%29+%5C%2C+dx)

```latex
\text{a\,b}
```

[Open in Playground](https://play.texform.dev/?input=%5Ctext%7Ba%5C%2Cb%7D)

## Package variants

| Package | Argument specification | Allowed mode | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base |  | math | Adds a thin math space between nearby symbols for fine typographic adjustment in formulas. |
| textmacros |  | text | Used to insert a thin manual space inside text fragments, such as fine separation in abbreviations, number-unit formatting, or other tight spacing adjustments. |

## Renderer support

| Package | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| base | full | full | full |
| textmacros | full | full | full |

## Usage frequency

13.92% of formulas in the measured corpus contain this entry, rank 3 of 263 entries with frequency data.

## In TeXForm

TeXForm parses this entry as prefix syntax; the package determines its argument specification.

### [base/small-spacer-merge-to-enspace](https://texform.dev/rules/base/small-spacer-merge-to-enspace)

Merge exact half-em small-spacer chunks into enspace in one pass.

Level: authoring. Fidelity: render.

```latex
\,\,\,
```

→

```latex
\enspace
```

```latex
A\,\,\,B
```

→

```latex
A\enspace B
```

## Equivalent forms

```latex
\thinspace
```

exact. Both base mappings call BaseMethods.Spacer with MATHSPACE.thinmathspace.

```latex
\thinspace
```

exact. In the textmacros mappings, \thinspace is sent to the same Spacer method with the same thin-space width.

## See also

- [\\;](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-3b-)
- [\\:](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-3a-)
- [\\!](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-21-)
- [\\>](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/-3e-)
- [\\enspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/enspace)
- [\\negmedspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/negmedspace)
- [\\negthickspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/negthickspace)
- [\\negthinspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/negthinspace)
- [\\qquad](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/qquad)
- [\\quad](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/quad)
- [\\thinspace](https://texform.dev/latex/commands/thinspace)

## Test cases

### base

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \, | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |

### textmacros

| Input | Case | MathJax | KaTeX | XeTeX |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| \, | Positive: baseline | Pass | Pass | Pass |