Cherokee Letter Du

It represents one spoken syllable in Cherokee.

The syllabary reading is du. Cherokee teaching materials place Ꮪ in the d-series with da, de, di, do, and dv; in some speech, du may sound closer to tu. Here, du names the syllable—it is not an English word or a full translation.

If someone sends Ꮪ alone, read it as Cherokee writing, a syllable fragment, or a learner's example. The surrounding message gives any extra meaning.

Where did the Cherokee syllabary come from?

It was developed for Cherokee speech in the early nineteenth century.

Sequoyah developed the system, first trying word-like picture signs before assigning signs to recurring Cherokee syllables. The Cherokee Nation adopted it in 1825. A 2011 archaeological article proposed carvings at Red Bird River Shelter as early experiments, but the identification was disputed in a published exchange. As of 2020, that interpretation remained contested.

The syllabary let Cherokee speech travel on paper—in messages, records, lessons, and print. Cherokee collaborators and Samuel Worcester adapted the signs for type in 1827. The Cherokee Phoenix paired Cherokee and English in 1828. During removal, writing and the newspaper helped dispersed Cherokee communities stay informed; later print also carried religious and educational works.

How do I type Ꮪ?

On PC, choose a Cherokee keyboard layout.

The Cherokee Nation layout maps keys to syllabary strokes; Cherokee Phonetic accepts phonetic input and produces Cherokee characters. With the phonetic layout, enter du for Ꮪ. An ordinary English keyboard types Latin letters instead.

The keyboard layout and font do different jobs: the layout enters characters, while the font displays them. Cherokee's familiar forms have cap height; as of 2026, separate small-letter forms have uneven font and keyboard support.