---
name: "putwchar"
section: "3"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fputwc"
---

# putwchar(3)

output a wide character to a stream

Part of [fputwc(3)](/fputwc/3.md).

## NAME

**fputwc**, **putwc**, **putwchar** – output a wide character to a stream

## LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<stdio.h\>**

**#include \<wchar.h\>**

*wint\_t*\

**fputwc**(*wchar\_t wc*, *FILE \*stream*);

*wint\_t*\

**putwc**(*wchar\_t wc*, *FILE \*stream*);

*wint\_t*\

**putwchar**(*wchar\_t wc*);

## DESCRIPTION

The **fputwc**() function writes the wide character *wc* to the output stream pointed to by *stream*.

The **putwc**() function acts essentially identically to **fputwc**().

The **putwchar**() function is identical to **putwc**() with an output stream of stdout.

## RETURN VALUES

The **fputwc**(), **putwc**(), and **putwchar**() functions return the wide character written. If an error occurs, the value WEOF is returned.

## SEE ALSO

[ferror(3)](/ferror/3.md), [fopen(3)](/fopen/3.md), [getwc(3)](/getwc/3.md), [putc(3)](/putc/3.md), [stdio(3)](/stdio/3.md)

## STANDARDS

The **fputwc**(), **putwc**(), and **putwchar**() functions conform to ISO/IEC 9899:1999 (“ISO C99”).