Nüshu character 1B1BF

It records a local syllable; context supplies the word. Unicode's reading data spells the Jiangyong sound with Latin letters and a tone number: ciu35. That is a pronunciation label, not a translation.

Nüshu signs usually write syllables, and one sign may stand for several words pronounced alike. The surrounding phrase tells a reader which word was intended.

What did women write with Nüshu?

They wrote songs, life stories, letters, and wedding gifts.

Before 1949, sworn sisters—women bound by a friendship pact—exchanged songs and letters. Close friends also gave a bride a third-day missive: a booklet of poems and good wishes presented after her wedding. Some writings appeared on fans and cloth or were stitched onto handkerchiefs and belts.

When did Nüshu first appear?

Its beginnings are debated; the earliest known artifact is a coin. The coin was minted during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864) and carries a message of sisterhood.

The earliest historical account researchers cite was written in 1931. Nüshu draws on Chinese Han character forms but usually writes local syllables. By the late twentieth century, few fluent writers remained; as of 2025, local and national authorities were backing revival work.