$my_hash{"T::c"} #### use Data::Dumper; my %my_hash = ( '"with_quotes_in_key"' => 'a value', "without_quotes_in_key" => 'another value', bare_key => 'a third value', "T::c" => 'your value', '"Another::thing"' => 'a fifth value', ); print Dumper \%my_hash;