Nüshu syllable sign mau33

𛉣 is a Nüshu character read as mau33 in Jiangyong, Hunan. Women used it for songs and letters; context determines which of several same-sounding words a sign means.

Text symbol

What 𛉣 means

It records one spoken syllable; context supplies the intended word.

Unicode's reading note lists mau33. Nüshu writes Jiangyong's local Chinese speech by syllable, and one sign can stand for several words pronounced alike.

Nüshu took shape among rural women in Jiangyong in the nineteenth century, adapting Chinese characters for local speech. Many had little access to formal literacy. Traditionally, texts included songs, life stories, friendship letters and bridal “third-day letters”—good wishes given to a bride three days after her wedding. A Taiping Heavenly Kingdom coin (1851–1864), found in Nanjing, is the earliest known artifact; its inscription calls women one family. Since 2003, Jiangyong workshops have taught and preserved Nüshu.

Treat 𛉣 as Nüshu writing for speech, not as a reaction emoji.

Part of the collection

𛅰

Nüshu Script (Women's Writing)

Who writes 𛉣

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Questions people ask

Why does 𛉣 show as a box on some devices?

Not every system ships a font for the Nushu 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.