Return to Answer

If you already are using tikz package or if you need other letters, symbols or numbers circled, or even if you want to change style or size in your symbol you can use my solution from here.

Code:

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\f@size*#1},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}


\end{document}

Output:

If you already are using tikz package or if you need other letters, symbols or numbers circled, or even if you want to change style or size in your symbol you can use my solution from here.

Code:

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\f@size*#1},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}


\end{document}

Output:

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1\dimexpr\f@size\relax},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}


\end{document}

You can have other options too like:

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\dimexpr#1\f@size\relax},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}

\newcommand*\bcircled[2][6pt]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1},] (char) {#2};}}
\makeatother

\newcommand*\ccircled[2][6pt]{\tikz[]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1},] (char) {#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
A) This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}

B) This is a \bcircled{*} and a \bcircled{$\star$} and a \bcircled{$\ast$}.

This is a \bcircled[12pt]{*} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\ast$}

This is a \bcircled[16pt]{*} and a \bcircled[16pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[16pt]{$\ast$}

C) This is a \ccircled{*} and a \ccircled{$\star$} and a \bcircled{$\ast$}.

This is a \ccircled[12pt]{*} and a \ccircled[12pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\ast$}

This is a \ccircled[16pt]{*} and a \ccircled[16pt]{$\star$} and a \ccircled[16pt]{$\ast$}

\end{document}

That gives:

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\f@size*#1},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}


\end{document}

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\f@size*#1},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}


\end{document}

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\f@size*#1},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}

\newcommand*\bcircled[2][6pt]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1},] (char) {#2};}}
\makeatother

\newcommand*\ccircled[2][6pt]{\tikz[]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1},] (char) {#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
A) This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}

B) This is a \bcircled{*} and a \bcircled{$\star$} and a \bcircled{$\ast$}.

This is a \bcircled[12pt]{*} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\ast$}

This is a \bcircled[16pt]{*} and a \bcircled[16pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[16pt]{$\ast$}

C) This is a \ccircled{*} and a \ccircled{$\star$} and a \bcircled{$\ast$}.

This is a \ccircled[12pt]{*} and a \ccircled[12pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\ast$}

This is a \ccircled[16pt]{*} and a \ccircled[16pt]{$\star$} and a \ccircled[16pt]{$\ast$}

\end{document}

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1\dimexpr\f@size\relax},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}


\end{document}

\documentclass{article}

\makeatletter
\usepackage{tikz}
% #1 is a multiplier of fontsize for the minimum diameter of the circle
% #2 is the symbol to be circled.
\newcommand*\circled[2][1.6]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={\dimexpr#1\f@size\relax},] (char) {\vphantom{WAH1g}#2};}}

\newcommand*\bcircled[2][6pt]{\tikz[baseline=(char.base)]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1},] (char) {#2};}}
\makeatother

\newcommand*\ccircled[2][6pt]{\tikz[]{
    \node[shape=circle, draw, inner sep=1pt, 
        minimum height={#1},] (char) {#2};}}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
A) This is a \circled{*} and a \circled{$\star$} and a \circled{$\ast$}.

This is a \circled[1.2]{*} and a \circled[1.2]{$\star$} and a \circled[1.2]{$\ast$}

This is a \circled[0.8]{*} and a \circled[0.8]{$\star$} and a \circled[0.8]{$\ast$}

B) This is a \bcircled{*} and a \bcircled{$\star$} and a \bcircled{$\ast$}.

This is a \bcircled[12pt]{*} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\ast$}

This is a \bcircled[16pt]{*} and a \bcircled[16pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[16pt]{$\ast$}

C) This is a \ccircled{*} and a \ccircled{$\star$} and a \bcircled{$\ast$}.

This is a \ccircled[12pt]{*} and a \ccircled[12pt]{$\star$} and a \bcircled[12pt]{$\ast$}

This is a \ccircled[16pt]{*} and a \ccircled[16pt]{$\star$} and a \ccircled[16pt]{$\ast$}

\end{document}