diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/StringUtils.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/StringUtils.java
index deed77ff40..f785767a78 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/StringUtils.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/StringUtils.java
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ public abstract class StringUtils {
 	 * <li>Alphanumeric characters {@code "a"} through {@code "z"}, {@code "A"} through {@code "Z"},
 	 * and {@code "0"} through {@code "9"} stay the same.</li>
 	 * <li>Special characters {@code "-"}, {@code "_"}, {@code "."}, and {@code "*"} stay the same.</li>
-	 * <li>A sequence "{@code %<i>xy</i>}" is interpreted as a hexadecimal representation of the character.</li>
+	 * <li>A sequence "<i>{@code %xy}</i>" is interpreted as a hexadecimal representation of the character.</li>
 	 * <li>For all other characters (including those already decoded), the output is undefined.</li>
 	 * </ul>
 	 * @param source the encoded String