C++ Operators

This table lists all the operators in C++, grouping them by order of precedence . The higher-level precedence operators are evaluated before the lower-level precedence operators. For example, in the expression (a-b*c), the *, operator will be evaluated first and the - operator second, because * has precedence level 13 which is higher than the level 12 precedence of -. The column labeled "Assoc." tells whether an operator is right associative or left associative. For example, the expression (a-b-c) is evaluated as ((a-b)-c) because - is left associative. The column labeled "Arity" tells whether an operator operates on one, two, or three operands (unary, binary, or ternary). The column labeled "Overld" tells whether an operator is overloadable.

Operator Description Prec. Assoc. Arity Overld Example

: : Global scope resolution 17 Right Unary No ::x

: : Class scope resolution 17 Left Binary No X::x

. Direct member selection 16 Left Binary No s.len

-> Indirect member selection 16 Left Binary Yes p->len

[] Subscript 16 Left Binary Yes a[i]

() Function call 16 Left n/a Yes abs(n)

() Type construction 16 Left n/a Yes int(ch)

++ Post-increment 16 Right Unary Yes n++

-- Post-decrement 16 Right Unary Yes n--

sizeof Size of object or type 15 Right Unary No sizeof(a)

++ Pre-increment 15 Right Unary Yes ++n

-- Pre-decrement 15 Right Unary Yes --n

~ Bitwise NOT 15 Right Unary Yes ~s

! Logical NOT 15 Right Unary Yes !p

+ Positive 15 Right Unary Yes +n

- Negative 15 Right Unary Yes -n

* Dereference 15 Right Unary Yes *p

& Address 15 Right Unary Yes &x

new Allocation 15 Right Unary Yes new p

delete Deallocation 15 Right Unary Yes delete p

() Type conversion 15 Right Binary Yes (int)ch

.* Direct member selection 14 Left Binary No x.*q

->* Indirect member selection 14 Left Binary Yes p->*q

* Multiplication 13 Left Binary Yes m * n

/ Division 13 Left Binary Yes m / n

% Remainder 13 Left Binary Yes m % n

+ Addition 12 Left Binary Yes m + n

- Subtraction 12 Left Binary Yes m - n

<< Bit shift left 11 Left Binary Yes cout << n

>> Bit shift right 11 Left Binary Yes cin >> n

< Less than 10 Left Binary Yes x < y

<= Less than or equal to 10 Left Binary Yes x <= y

> Greater than 10 Left Binary Yes x > y

>= Greater than or equal to 10 Left Binary Yes x >= y

== Equal to 9 Left Binary Yes x == y

!= Not equal to 9 Left Binary Yes x != y

& Bitwise AND 8 Left Binary Yes s & t

^ Bitwise XOR 7 Left Binary Yes s ^ t

| Bitwise OR 6 Left Binary Yes s | t

&& Logical AND 5 Left Binary Yes u && v

|| Logical OR 4 Left Binary Yes u || v

? : Conditional expression 3 Left Ternary No u ? x : y

= Assignment 2 Right Binary Yes n = 22

+= Addition assignment 2 Right Binary Yes n += 8

-= Subtraction assignment 2 Right Binary Yes n -= 4

*= Multiplication assignment 2 Right Binary Yes n *= -1

/= Division assignment 2 Right Binary Yes n /= 10

%= Remainder assignment 2 Right Binary Yes n %= 10

&= Bitwise AND assignment 2 Right Binary Yes s &= mask

^= Bitwise XOR assignment 2 Right Binary Yes s ^= mask

|= Bitwise OR assignment 2 Right Binary Yes s |= mask

<<= Bit shift left assignment 2 Right Binary Yes s <<= 1

>>= Bit shift right assignment 2 Right Binary Yes s >>= 1

throw Throw exception 1 Right Unary Yes throw(22)

, Comma 0 Left Binary Yes ++m, --n

Operator	Description	Prec.	Assoc.	Arity	Overld	Example
: :	Global scope resolution	17	Right	Unary	No	::x
: :	Class scope resolution	17	Left	Binary	No	X::x
.	Direct member selection	16	Left	Binary	No	s.len
->	Indirect member selection	16	Left	Binary	Yes	p->len
[]	Subscript	16	Left	Binary	Yes	a[i]
()	Function call	16	Left	n/a	Yes	abs(n)
()	Type construction	16	Left	n/a	Yes	int(ch)
++	Post-increment	16	Right	Unary	Yes	n++
--	Post-decrement	16	Right	Unary	Yes	n--
sizeof	Size of object or type	15	Right	Unary	No	sizeof(a)
++	Pre-increment	15	Right	Unary	Yes	++n
--	Pre-decrement	15	Right	Unary	Yes	--n
~	Bitwise NOT	15	Right	Unary	Yes	~s
!	Logical NOT	15	Right	Unary	Yes	!p
+	Positive	15	Right	Unary	Yes	+n
-	Negative	15	Right	Unary	Yes	-n
*	Dereference	15	Right	Unary	Yes	*p
&	Address	15	Right	Unary	Yes	&x
new	Allocation	15	Right	Unary	Yes	new p
delete	Deallocation	15	Right	Unary	Yes	delete p
()	Type conversion	15	Right	Binary	Yes	(int)ch
.*	Direct member selection	14	Left	Binary	No	x.*q
->*	Indirect member selection	14	Left	Binary	Yes	p->*q
*	Multiplication	13	Left	Binary	Yes	m * n
/	Division	13	Left	Binary	Yes	m / n
%	Remainder	13	Left	Binary	Yes	m % n
+	Addition	12	Left	Binary	Yes	m + n
-	Subtraction	12	Left	Binary	Yes	m - n
<<	Bit shift left	11	Left	Binary	Yes	cout << n
>>	Bit shift right	11	Left	Binary	Yes	cin >> n
<	Less than	10	Left	Binary	Yes	x < y
<=	Less than or equal to	10	Left	Binary	Yes	x <= y
>	Greater than	10	Left	Binary	Yes	x > y
>=	Greater than or equal to	10	Left	Binary	Yes	x >= y
==	Equal to	9	Left	Binary	Yes	x == y
!=	Not equal to	9	Left	Binary	Yes	x != y
&	Bitwise AND	8	Left	Binary	Yes	s & t
^	Bitwise XOR	7	Left	Binary	Yes	s ^ t
\|	Bitwise OR	6	Left	Binary	Yes	s \| t
&&	Logical AND	5	Left	Binary	Yes	u && v
\|\|	Logical OR	4	Left	Binary	Yes	u \|\| v
? :	Conditional expression	3	Left	Ternary	No	u ? x : y
=	Assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	n = 22
+=	Addition assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	n += 8
-=	Subtraction assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	n -= 4
*=	Multiplication assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	n *= -1
/=	Division assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	n /= 10
%=	Remainder assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	n %= 10
&=	Bitwise AND assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	s &= mask
^=	Bitwise XOR assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	s ^= mask
\|=	Bitwise OR assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	s \|= mask
<<=	Bit shift left assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	s <<= 1
>>=	Bit shift right assignment	2	Right	Binary	Yes	s >>= 1
throw	Throw exception	1	Right	Unary	Yes	throw(22)
,	Comma	0	Left	Binary	Yes	++m, --n