Arabic Letter Jeh

Switch to Persian input; press Shift+C.

On an ISIRI 9147-compatible layout, Shift+C produces ژ. If it does not, choose Persian (Standard): an Arabic or custom layout may assign C differently.

What sound does ژ represent?

It represents the /ʒ/ sound in Persian.

This is the “zh” consonant in the English word “television.” Persian adapted Arabic-derived writing for a sound that traditional Arabic spelling did not mark with a dedicated letter. The earliest surviving New Persian evidence cited in the supplied research is notes dated 905 CE; that date is for the writing tradition, not a securely identified first ژ.

The letter takes the basic shape of ز and adds two dots. It belongs with پ, چ, and گ, other Persian additions to Arabic-derived writing. Studied pottery inscriptions often omit distinctions for these Persian-specific letters through the early twelfth AH century.

Is ژ Persian or Arabic?

It is a Persian addition to Arabic-derived writing.

Persian uses ژ as a regular letter, and Pashto uses it for /ʒ/ in its consonant system. Urdu uses it too, though Urdu teaching materials describe it as somewhat rare. The same letter therefore appears in different language settings.