Tangut character 178DE

It is a Tangut verb glossed as “milk (a cow, etc.).” The Li Fanwen Tangut dictionary lists it as entry 2464.

Why was Tangut writing created?

It served state-building, Buddhist texts, and Tangut identity. Under Emperor Li Yuanhao, the script was created in 1036 as part of building a state. Its aims included a Tangut version of the Buddhist Canon, a collection of Buddhist sacred texts, and a written identity distinct from Song China.

A Khara-khoto manuscript, probably from the 12th or early 13th century, preserves Chinese moral anecdotes translated into Tangut. Tangut books also carried Chinese classics, encyclopedias, military works, literature, and works translated from Tibetan.

Tangut writing was influenced by Chinese writing and followed the earlier example of the neighboring Khitan script, but it was built for a different language. Its square characters use some Chinese-like principles alongside Tangut-specific constructions. After the Mongol conquest in the 13th century, the language fell out of everyday use; the script survives in manuscripts and is studied through dictionaries and digital fonts.

How do I type 𗣞?

Use a Tangut-aware input method or Unicode entry. This character is not on ordinary keyboards. Tangut input projects document dictionary-based RIME schemes, including CCAMC; for Unicode entry, use an editor that accepts hexadecimal code points.