What 𑑓 means
It is the Newa-script digit for three. In Nepal Bhasa, a classifier—a word marking what is being counted—may identify people, objects, days, or time; this digit supplies the number.
How did Newa writing develop and change?
It grew from the ancient Brahmi writing tradition. An early written record of Newa is a manuscript of the Buddhist Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra dated 908 CE; that date belongs to the script’s record, not to this individual digit. Newa developed through Northern Gupta, an earlier script, and belongs to the Kutila or “proto-Bengali” script family. It is related to Bengali, Odia (historically called Oriya), and Tirhuta, and was influenced by Devanagari. Ranjana and Bhujimol are distinct Newar writing traditions.
Newa use in central Nepal declined after the 1769 conquest overthrew its dynasties. In 1905, Nepal’s Rana government banned the script and the Newar language, Nepal Bhasa; people who studied or published in the language risked imprisonment or exile. The ban was lifted in 1951. As of 2026, Newa is being revived, though Nepal Bhasa is most often written in Devanagari.
How do I type 𑑓?
Use a Unicode input method supported by your system.
Neutral in Newa writing; alone, it still reads as the numeral three.
Don't confuse it with
1Questions people ask
2Why does 𑑓 display as a box?
As of 2026, a box, question-mark fallback, code label, or blank usually means the app or font lacks a Newa glyph.
Can I use 𑑓 in ordinary text?
Yes. Choose it when you want the numeral written in Newa; use 3 when the script choice does not matter.
How to type 𑑓
𑑓\11453Codes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.