Tangut character 𗄵

Its recorded senses are “unreasonable, perverse” and “slanting, tilted.”

A Tangut dictionary called Wén Hǎi (“Sea of Writing”), from the 12th century, records 𗄵 with these glosses. They describe the word’s meanings, not a crooked shape.

The Tangut script—also called Xixia writing—was created in 1036 under Li Yuanhao as part of Western Xia state-building. It gave the Tangut language a native written medium for state use, Buddhist texts and translations of Chinese works. It borrowed Chinese writing conventions while remaining a separate script; neighboring Khitan states had also developed scripts of their own. As of 2026, this glyph appears mainly in research and digital preservation, not as an everyday chat convention.

How do I type 𗄵?

Use Unicode input or HTML markup.

An ordinary keyboard layout is unlikely to have a dedicated key for 𗄵. In a Unicode-aware editor, enter U+17135 with its code-point command; in HTML, write 𗄵.

Font support is separate from character identity: a font without Tangut coverage may show a missing-character box or fallback glyph, while one with coverage draws 𗄵. If you see a box, check the font before editing the text.

Why does 𗄵 look like Chinese?

Tangut borrowed Chinese writing conventions but remained a separate script.

That history explains the visual resemblance. Tangut characters write Tangut, not Chinese; a similar-looking Han character would be a different character, not another rendering of 𗄵.