Problem in saving the ½, ¼, ¾ values in database using xml

Hi

I am developing a java swing based application. In which I send data in xml format and save it on a online webstore through API calls.

When I send the data in following format 3½, 3¼, 3¾. It saves only 3 not the whole value means It is ignoring the values ½, ¼, ¾.

Here is my xml code which I am sending on network.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16" standalone="yes"?>
<product>
<product-type>Shirts</product-type>
<title>testStyle</title>
<variants type="array">
<variant>
<fullfilment-service>manual</fullfilment-service>
<inventory-management>shopify</inventory-management>
<inventory-policy>deny</inventory-policy>
<option1>Black</option1>
<option2>3¼</option2>
<option3 nil="true"></option3>
<price>40.0</price>
<requires-shipping>true</requires-shipping>
<sku>1307681713338</sku>
<taxable>true</taxable>
</variant>
<variant>
<fullfilment-service>manual</fullfilment-service>
<inventory-management>shopify</inventory-management>
<inventory-policy>deny</inventory-policy>
<option1>Black</option1>
<option2>3½</option2>
<option3 nil="true"></option3>
<price>40.0</price>
<requires-shipping>true</requires-shipping>
<sku>1307681714634</sku>
<taxable>true</taxable>
</variant>
</variants>
</product>

In option2 tag I am passing ½, ¼, ¾.

Please give me some solutions .

Thanks

How are you saving it?
I would have thought that would be the obvious bit of code to give us.