:dir()

The :dir() CSS pseudo-class matches elements based on the directionality of the text contained in them.

/* Selects any element with right-to-left text */
:dir(rtl) {
  background-color: red;
}

The :dir() pseudo-class uses only the semantic value of the directionality, i.e., the one defined in the document itself. It doesn't account for styling directionality, i.e., the directionality set by CSS properties such as direction.

Syntax

The :dir() pseudo-class requires one parameter, representing the text directionality you want to target.

Parameters

ltr

Target left-to-right elements.

rtl

Target right-to-left elements.

Formal syntax

:dir( ltr | rtl )

Examples

HTML

<div dir="rtl">
  <span>test1</span>
  <div dir="ltr">test2
    <div dir="auto">עִבְרִית</div>
  </div>
</div>

CSS

:dir(ltr) {
  background-color: yellow;
}

:dir(rtl) {
  background-color: powderblue;
}

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• Language-related pseudo-classes: :lang, :dir