diff --git a/src/html.rs b/src/html.rs
index a82b329..a484b34 100644
--- a/src/html.rs
+++ b/src/html.rs
@@ -402,6 +402,7 @@ impl<'s, I: Iterator<Item = Event<'s>>, W: std::fmt::Write> Writer<'s, I, W> {
                             number, number, number
                         )?;
                     }
+                    Atom::Symbol(sym) => write!(self.out, ":{}:", sym)?,
                     Atom::LeftSingleQuote => self.out.write_str("&lsquo;")?,
                     Atom::RightSingleQuote => self.out.write_str("&rsquo;")?,
                     Atom::LeftDoubleQuote => self.out.write_str("&ldquo;")?,
diff --git a/src/inline.rs b/src/inline.rs
index 1a52bfb..93a624a 100644
--- a/src/inline.rs
+++ b/src/inline.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use Container::*;
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum Atom {
     FootnoteReference,
+    Symbol,
     Softbreak,
     Hardbreak,
     Escape,
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ impl<I: Iterator<Item = char> + Clone> Parser<I> {
             self.parse_verbatim(&first)
                 .or_else(|| self.parse_attributes(&first))
                 .or_else(|| self.parse_autolink(&first))
+                .or_else(|| self.parse_symbol(&first))
                 .or_else(|| self.parse_footnote_reference(&first))
                 .or_else(|| self.parse_container(&first))
                 .or_else(|| self.parse_atom(&first))
@@ -351,6 +353,37 @@ impl<I: Iterator<Item = char> + Clone> Parser<I> {
         }
     }
 
+    fn parse_symbol(&mut self, first: &lex::Token) -> Option<Event> {
+        if first.kind == lex::Kind::Sym(Symbol::Colon) {
+            let mut ahead = self.lexer.chars();
+            let mut end = false;
+            let mut valid = true;
+            let len = (&mut ahead)
+                .take_while(|c| {
+                    if *c == ':' {
+                        end = true;
+                    } else if !c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() && !matches!(c, '-' | '+' | '_') {
+                        valid = false;
+                    }
+                    !end && !c.is_whitespace()
+                })
+                .map(char::len_utf8)
+                .sum();
+            (end && valid).then(|| {
+                self.lexer = lex::Lexer::new(ahead);
+                self.span = self.span.after(len);
+                let span = self.span;
+                self.span = self.span.after(1);
+                Event {
+                    kind: EventKind::Atom(Symbol),
+                    span,
+                }
+            })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
     fn parse_footnote_reference(&mut self, first: &lex::Token) -> Option<Event> {
         if first.kind == lex::Kind::Open(Delimiter::Bracket)
             && matches!(
diff --git a/src/lex.rs b/src/lex.rs
index ebb70db..25f11e1 100644
--- a/src/lex.rs
+++ b/src/lex.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ pub enum Symbol {
     Quote2,
     Tilde,
     Underscore,
+    Colon,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ impl<I: Iterator<Item = char> + Clone> Lexer<I> {
             }
             '<' => Sym(Lt),
             '|' => Sym(Pipe),
+            ':' => Sym(Colon),
 
             '`' => self.eat_seq(Backtick),
             '$' => self.eat_seq(Dollar),
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8553d4b..3d759f7 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@ pub enum OrderedListStyle {
 pub enum Atom<'s> {
     /// A footnote reference.
     FootnoteReference(&'s str, usize),
+    /// A symbol, by default rendered literally but may be treated specially.
+    Symbol(CowStr<'s>),
     /// Left single quotation mark.
     LeftSingleQuote,
     /// Right double quotation mark.
@@ -654,6 +656,7 @@ impl<'s> Parser<'s> {
                             number,
                         )
                     }
+                    inline::Atom::Symbol => Atom::Symbol(self.inlines.src(inline.span)),
                     inline::Atom::Quote { ty, left } => match (ty, left) {
                         (inline::QuoteType::Single, true) => Atom::LeftSingleQuote,
                         (inline::QuoteType::Single, false) => Atom::RightSingleQuote,
@@ -1088,6 +1091,18 @@ mod test {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn symbol() {
+        test_parse!(
+            "abc :+1: def",
+            Start(Paragraph, Attributes::new()),
+            Str("abc ".into()),
+            Atom(Symbol("+1".into())),
+            Str(" def".into()),
+            End(Paragraph),
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn link_inline() {
         test_parse!(