C2236: Unexpected Token ‘Identifier’ in Unreal Engine 5 (UE5 C++) – What It Means & How to Fix It

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🧠 Why You’re Seeing This Error

The C2236 error means the compiler ran into an identifier (like a variable or function name) where it wasn’t expecting one. This typically happens when something is missing — usually a type keyword like int32, void, or UCLASS() parentheses.

In Unreal Engine 5, it often shows up when:

• You forget to declare the type of a variable
• You mistype or skip the return type of a function
• A macro like UCLASS() or GENERATED_BODY() is malformed
• A class or struct is missing its final semicolon

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💥 Example Error Message

error C2236: unexpected token 'identifier'; did you forget a ';'?

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🛠️ Example Code

// MyActor.h

UCLASS()
class AMyActor : public AActor
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

    Health; // ❌ C2236: unexpected token 'identifier'
};

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✅ How to Fix C2236 UE5 – Step-by-Step

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✔️ 1. Add the Missing Type Before the Identifier

Fix:

int32 Health; // ✅ Now it's a proper variable declaration

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✔️ 2. Add Return Type to Functions

Wrong:

MyFunction()
{
    // logic
}

Correct:

void MyFunction()
{
    // logic
}

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✔️ 3. Check Unreal Macros (UCLASS, GENERATED_BODY, etc.)

Make sure they include parentheses and are correctly placed.

// ❌ This will cause errors
UCLASS
class AMyActor : public AActor { ... };

// ✅ Correct usage
UCLASS()
class AMyActor : public AActor { ... };

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✔️ 4. End Class or Struct Declarations With a Semicolon

If you miss the semicolon at the end of a class or struct, the compiler can get confused on the next line.

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✅ Summary: How to Fix C2236 in UE5

Cause	Solution
Variable missing type	Add int32, float, FString, etc.
Function missing return type	Add void or the appropriate return type
Malformed macro	Use UCLASS(), USTRUCT() with parentheses
Class missing semicolon	Always end class/struct with ;