Cham digit one

It is the written digit for one in Cham.

Cham numerals use ꩑ for 1, then combine it with ꩐ (zero): ꩑꩐ means ten and ꩑꩐꩐ means one hundred. In these sequences, the following zero changes the place value.

How old are Cham numerals?

Cham writing developed from Pallava-related Brahmi writing around 200 CE. Brahmi is an ancient South Asian script; Pallava is another historical writing tradition in the region. The Đông Yên Châu inscription—a text carved into a lasting surface—dates to the 4th century AD and is identified as the oldest surviving Cham text. Cham writing is also historically connected to other Southeast Asian scripts, including Khmer and Thai.

An Old Cham stone block from Mỹ Sơn, dated 1036 Śaka, records quantities of gold and silver for temple repairs and offerings. Its edition gives the number words in transliteration rather than showing this exact digit, but the account shows how numerical writing served practical record-keeping.

Cham writing has Eastern and Western traditions. In Cambodia, Cham-script Islamic manuscripts declined from the mid-19th century as Jawi—a script based on Arabic letters—and Malay scholarship spread; the Imam San, a Cham religious community, maintained a local manuscript tradition. European-style digits also appear in Cham texts through Vietnamese influence. These changes mark differences in writing tradition, not in ꩑’s value.

How do I type Cham digit one?

Use a Unicode character map or input method.

Enter U+AA51 in a Unicode character map or through a Unicode input method; the exact keystrokes depend on your platform.