---
name: "wcsncat"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/wcsncat"
---

# wcsncat(3)

concatenate two wide-character strings

## NAME

wcsncat - concatenate two wide-character strings

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <wchar.h>
```

**wchar\_t \*wcsncat(**size\_t n;                  **wchar\_t \*restrict** *dest***,**                  **const wchar\_t** *src***\[restrict** *n***\],**                  **size\_t** *n***);**

## DESCRIPTION

The **wcsncat**() function is the wide-character equivalent of the [**strncat**(3)](/strncat/3.md) function. It copies at most *n* wide characters from the wide-character string pointed to by *src* to the end of the wide-character string pointed to by *dest*, and adds a terminating null wide character (L'\\0').

The strings may not overlap.

The programmer must ensure that there is room for at least *wcslen(dest)*+*n*+1 wide characters at *dest*.

## RETURN VALUE

**wcsncat**() returns *dest*.

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **wcsncat**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |

## STANDARDS

C11, POSIX.1-2008.

## HISTORY

POSIX.1-2001, C99.

## SEE ALSO

[**strncat**(3)](/strncat/3.md), [**wcscat**(3)](/wcscat/3.md)