Tangut character 17693

The dictionary gives it the meaning “to close.”

The Tangut rhyme dictionary Sea of Writing—a reference organized by rhyme—lists it under 8.172 by the mid-12th century. In a Buddhist rendering of Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language, the word hetu- appears as the Tangut sequence 𗙕𗚓 (scholarly transliteration xa ti̯u). There, 𗚓 helps spell the word’s sound; translating it as “to close” would miss the point.

Why was Tangut writing created?

Tangut was the official script of the Western Xia state.

Created by imperial decree in 1036, Tangut writing gave the Tangut language an official written form. Its character shapes were modeled on Chinese, but Tangut and Chinese were separate scripts that readers could not read interchangeably. Surviving texts include Buddhist translations and manuscripts, plus books printed from carved wooden blocks or movable type (separate reusable pieces of type). Neighboring Khitan and Jurchen states also developed scripts during the same regional period.

How do I type 𗚓?

Use a Tangut input method with a loaded dictionary.

Tangut input tools offer lookup by dictionary number, four-corner shape, radical (a recurring character component), Xuanpin, or Cangjie. Some RIME input-method setups need an extra Tangut dictionary file loaded.

Tangut-capable fonts can draw the same character in different visual styles, so its appearance may vary across fonts.