Ethiopic Syllable Fwe

ᎋ is a syllable sign from older Gurage spelling.

It belongs to the Sebat Bet f-series and marks an f syllable with labialization: say f while rounding your lips, as if preparing to say “we.” Ethiopic writing often combines a consonant and vowel in one sign.

The earliest documented appearance of this f-series is in the 1966 spelling system for Chaha, a Gurage language, designed to write sounds the established inventory lacked.

Why does ᎋ look different in older print?

Its spelling tradition and printing methods both changed.

A separate 1977 publishing effort in the Gurage region used the added f-series in Bible publishing. A 1998–1999 computer-font revision refined the labialized forms. Earlier systems could also build one labialized letter from a base sign and a separate mark, so old print may show two visible parts.

As of 2021, documentation distinguishes modern Gurage spelling from the older Sebatbeit set: ᎋ remains in the retained legacy set, while some neighboring forms are mainly useful when reading historic works.

How do I type ᎋ?

The GFF Sebatbeit layout maps fuu to ᎋ.

This phonetic keyboard uses a mnemonic sequence rather than a dedicated key for the sign. If a box appears, the font may lack the Ethiopic glyph even when the typed character is correct.