What ፩ means
It means the number one. Ethiopic numerals, also called Geʽez numerals, are used with languages written in the Ethiopic script, including Amharic and Tigrinya. ፩ is a numeral, not a syllabic letter.
Ethiopic numeral origins are disputed. The Anza stela, an upright inscribed stone that records loaves, is dated to the late third century. A 2023 study argues that Ḥənzat Stela 1 preserves older numeral signs; it also notes that earlier inscriptions wrote numbers in words. The study proposes Geʽez letters and punctuation as local roots, while the standard account links the numeral shapes to Greek, possibly through Coptic.
Early Aksumite inscriptions show numeral signs without framing bars. In book numbering, Ethiopic digits suit readers who know the system; Western digits can be clearer for a broad multilingual audience.
Traditional in Ethiopic-script numbering; clarity depends on readers’ familiarity with the system.
For a mixed-language audience, Western digits may be clearer.
Part of the collection
Who writes ፩
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Don't confuse it with
1
Related characters
2
Questions people ask
1Can ፩ appear without bars?
Yes. Early Aksumite inscriptions show Ethiopic numeral signs without framing bars; the surrounding inscription identifies them as numbers.
More like this
10
Collections with ፩
5
How to type or find ፩
- Search it as
- Geʽez numerals · Geʽez numeral one · Amharic numerals · Tigrinya numerals · Ethiopic numerals · ፩ vs 1
- Shows up in
- Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws
፩\1369Codes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.