Ethiopic Syllable Qhu

ቑ represents the qhu syllable in an Ethiopic-script word. Its meaning comes from the whole word, while Tigrinya romanization may use ḳu for the same character.

Text symbol

What ቑ means

It is one syllable, not a full word.

The qhu vs ḳu difference reflects Latin-letter conventions: CLDR gives qhu, while a Tigrinya romanization gives ḳu.

How did Ethiopic writing develop?

The script developed as a way to write Ge’ez over centuries.

Monuments inscribed in Proto-Ge’ez, an early form of the script, are dated around the fourth–fifth centuries BCE; clearly defined Ethiopic writing appears in the second–third centuries CE. The script shows South Arabian influence and local development; some scholars argue for independent innovation. Around 350 CE, adding vowel marks sped Ge’ez writing, especially sacred texts. Amharic adopted it by the 13th or 14th century. As of 2026, it also serves Tigrinya and Tigre.

Part of the collection

ሀ

Tigrinya Alphabet & Letters

Who writes ቑ

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Don't confuse it with

ቁ

Ethiopic Syllable Qu

ቁ belongs to the Ethiopic q series, romanized qu; ቑ is in the qh series, romanized qhu.

Questions people ask

Why does ቑ show as a box on some devices?

Not every system ships a font for the Ethiopic block. Where none is installed, the character shows as an empty box; adding a font such as Noto fixes it. The character itself is still correct and copies correctly.