Kawi Letter E

Use it when a syllable begins with the vowel e.

Kawi consonants carry a default a vowel, which a dependent vowel sign can change. 𑼎 writes e on its own, where no consonant comes first. After a consonant, 𑼾 marks e; although it follows the consonant in writing, Kawi shaping can place it visually before the consonant.

Kawi grew from inscriptions into literature

Kawi developed gradually from earlier Pallava forms. The Plumpungan stele, an inscribed stone monument in Central Java, is an early Kawi record dated around 750 CE. As the script’s letterforms changed over time and across regions, a design based on one period need not match every manuscript.

From the mid-eighth century, Kawi recorded land grants, royal edicts, and other administrative documents. By the late first millennium, it also carried Old Javanese literature. Kawi is historically connected through descent and adaptation to Javanese, Balinese, Batak, Lontara, and other island Southeast Asian scripts. Since the sixteenth century, other scripts have replaced Kawi for most active writing; in the 21st century, revivalists have also used it in social posts and image-making.

Why does 𑼎 render differently?

Its shape depends on the font and historical style.

Kawi letterforms changed across centuries and regions. The sample design used in Unicode references draws mainly on early inscriptions, with some later forms adapted, so a font need not match every manuscript. A blank or box means the selected font lacks Kawi coverage; the character itself has not changed.