jshell&gt; char quack = 'a';
quack ==&gt; 'a'

jshell&gt; (int) quack
$28 ==&gt; 97

jshell&gt; (char) 945
$29 ==&gt; 'α'

jshell&gt; (char) 946
$30 ==&gt; 'β'

jshell&gt; (char) 947
$31 ==&gt; 'γ'

jshell&gt; (char) 948
$32 ==&gt; 'δ'

jshell&gt; (char) 5280
$33 ==&gt; 'ᒠ'