CSS line-break Property
Specifies how to break lines of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean text
Syntax
line-break: auto | loose | normal | strict | anywhere;Values
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
| auto | Browser default rules |
| loose | Least restrictive breaking |
| normal | Standard CJK break rules |
| strict | Strictest CJK break rules |
| anywhere | Allow breaks anywhere |
Example
.cjk-text {
line-break: strict;
}Understanding CSS line-break
The CSS line-break property specifies how to break lines of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean text. As part of the Typography module in CSS, it is one of the most commonly used properties for controlling the visual presentation of web pages.
You can set line-break to values such as auto, loose, normal, strict, among others. Each value changes how the browser renders the affected element, giving you fine-grained control over your page layout and design. Choosing the right value depends on the specific design requirements of your project.
Common use cases for the line-break property include responsive web design, component-based layouts, and creating visually consistent interfaces across devices. It works closely with related properties like word-break, overflow-wrap, white-space to achieve complex styling effects. Understanding how these properties interact helps you write cleaner, more maintainable stylesheets.
Browser support for line-break is excellent across all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For older browsers, consider using fallback values or progressive enhancement strategies. The property can also be set dynamically via JavaScript using element.style.lineBreak or the CSS custom properties (variables) approach for theming.
Related Properties
word-breakSpecifies how words should break when reaching the end of a line
overflow-wrapControls whether the browser can break at normally unbreakable points to prevent overflow
white-spaceControls how whitespace inside an element is handled
hyphensSpecifies how words should be hyphenated when text wraps across lines
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