Georgian letter Jani

Select a Georgian Mkhedruli keyboard layout.

The layout determines which character a key enters; a Latin j stays Latin in a Latin layout.

What sound does Georgian ჯ make?

It is jani, the Georgian letter for the “j” sound in “jam.”

When Georgian words are written in Latin letters, ჯ is represented by j. Mkhedruli also writes Svan and Mingrelian, so the letter appears in text in those languages too.

What are the old Georgian forms of ჯ?

They are historically related script forms, not font styles.

Georgian writing is attested in Asomtavruli at a church in Palestine in the fifth century; within Georgia, the Bolnisi Sioni inscription is dated 493/494. These are early dates for Georgian writing, not the first appearance of modern ჯ.

An account describes the Asomtavruli form Ⴟ as a diagonal crossing of Christ's initials, formed after Georgia's conversion to Christianity and used as a Christ monogram. Manuscript Nuskhuri later joined Asomtavruli in Khutsuri, the church-writing tradition. By the 11th century, Mkhedruli was used for secular writing; the exact transition is uncertain.