Cuneiform Sign Luh

𒈛 is a Sumerian sign with several readings.

One reading, written luḫ in scholarly transliteration and pronounced roughly “loo-kh,” with a rough final sound like the ch in Scottish “loch,” is a verb meaning “to clean, wash, or refine.” It is attested from Early Dynastic IIIa through Hellenistic texts. In šu-luh, šu means “hand”; the compound describes cleaning hands, and related wording describes cleaning canals.

Other readings include sukkal (roughly “suk-kal,” “secretary” or “envoy”) and huluh (roughly “hu-luh,” “frightened”). In Akkadian writing, LUḪ can serve as a Sumerogram—a Sumerian sign used to write an Akkadian word—for a word meaning “to become clear.”

What does it mean when someone sends 𒈛?

An isolated 𒈛 identifies a sign, not a certain English word.

Without a surrounding word or sentence, the glyph alone cannot tell you which reading is intended. In a transcription, LUH in capitals names the sign; lowercase luḫ is one reading. Ask for the line or transliteration when the intended meaning matters.

Why does 𒈛 look different in fonts?

Its Unicode form is a reference shape, not a tablet facsimile.

Fonts can draw the same encoded sign with different shapes. Cuneiform wedges also vary across periods, regions, and individual scribes. The Unicode glyph represents the sign identity, not every historical hand or one specific tablet. Use a period-specific sign list or the tablet image to identify its actual written form.