Chakma Letter Dhaa

It is a voiced, aspirated dental d. Keep your voice on, touch your tongue to your teeth for d, then release a puff of air; the International Phonetic Alphabet writes the consonant /d̪ʱ/. On its own, 𑄙 includes a long “ah” vowel, so its rough reading is “dhaa.” Chakma 𑄔 is different: it is the retroflex counterpart, made with the tongue curled farther back.

Chakma consonants carry an inherent long vowel. A vowel sign changes it; virama joins the consonant to another in a conjunct, while maayyaa removes the vowel.

When did the Chakma script begin?

Its exact starting date remains uncertain. A 2010 account says the script’s origin period cannot be fixed. An origin ballad links the Agartara religious manuscripts to Bijoygiri’s expedition to Roang in the 9th century; the Chakma Autonomous District Council places written references to the Chakma people from the 10th century.

Agartara preserves religious writing kept by Mahayana Buddhist monks; Vadyali Pudhi is a tradition of medical manuscripts kept by traditional physicians. Village healers, or Vadyas, also recorded plants, herbs, and roots.

Chakma is an abugida in the Brahmic family, a group of scripts descended from ancient Brahmi; its consonants carry an inherent vowel. Historical accounts compare its forms with Tamil, Burmese, Khmer, and Lanna scripts, but resemblance alone cannot show 𑄙 descends from any particular letter. Chakma letterforms vary between Bangladesh and India, and Bengali and Latin scripts have also been used to write the language.

How can I type 𑄙?

On Linux, the IPD layout puts it on Shift+D. On Debian or Ubuntu, select the Institute of Policy Dynamics Chakma layout and press Shift+D. As of 2026, it bundles Noto Sans Chakma; the institute describes the key map as a first cut not reviewed by a native Chakma typist.