Varphi in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for varphi (φ) is \varphi (variant phi (script)).

\varphi

Greek Lowercase · Unicode φ (U+03C6) · no package needed

Writing a paper? The table generator and the BibTeX cleaner are one click away, no account.

Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\varphi` recommended	none	Loopy phi, the usual one in most texts.
`\phi`	none	Straight-stroke phi.
`\upvarphi`	`upgreek`	Upright loopy phi.
`\varnothing`	`amssymb`	The empty set, round form: not a phi.

Table 1. Ways to write varphi in LaTeX. Every line was compiled with pdfLaTeX (TeX Live 2026) loading only the package shown.

Common mistake. Neither \varphi nor \phi is the empty set: write \emptyset or \varnothing.

How to type Varphi

Write \varphi inside math mode, that is between $…$ for inline math or in a \[ … \] or equation block for display math. It is part of core LaTeX math, so no extra package is required.

Example

$\varphi(n) = n \prod_{p \mid n} \left(1 - \frac{1}{p}\right)$

\varphi(n) = n \prod_{p \mid n} \left(1 - \frac{1}{p}\right)

Open this example in the live preview: it renders as you type, with no compiler and no signup.

Often confused with

Phi \phi (ϕ)
Emptyset \emptyset (∅): empty set
Varnothing \varnothing (∅): variant empty set (preferred)

Related Greek Lowercase symbols

\rho\varrho\sigma\varsigma\tau\upsilon\phi\chi\psi\omega\alpha\beta\gamma\delta

Lowercase Greek letters in LaTeX: the full table or search all 350+ LaTeX symbols.

FAQ

How do you write varphi (φ) in LaTeX?

Use \varphi in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $\varphi(n) = n \prod_{p \mid n} \left(1 - \frac{1}{p}\right)$.

Which package provides \varphi?

None: \varphi is built into LaTeX, so no extra package is required.

What is the most common mistake with varphi in LaTeX?

Neither \varphi nor \phi is the empty set: write \emptyset or \varnothing.