Tangut character 𗧄

A Tangut dictionary or sentence gives the character its reading.

The Unicode name identifies the encoded sign but does not tell you which Tangut word or syllable it writes. Tangut has its own writing system; although its square forms reflect structural ideas from Chinese characters, this glyph belongs to Tangut writing.

How did Tangut writing outlast Western Xia?

It remained in religious use after the state fell.

In 1036, Emperor Jingzong ordered the script for Western Xia's government and cultural life. Schools taught it, officials wrote records in it, and diplomatic documents could pair Tangut with Chinese. Buddhist works translated from Chinese and Tibetan were also printed in Tangut.

The Mongol conquest ended Western Xia in 1227, but Tangut writing continued in Buddhist use. A pair of Buddhist pillars erected at Baoding in present-day Hebei in 1502 bear the last known example of the script.

How do I type 𗧄?

Use a Tangut character or dictionary lookup tool.

Tangut lookup tools search by character, meaning, pronunciation, or handwriting; some also accept code-based input. In a tool that takes Unicode values, enter U+179C4.

The font also matters: software may substitute a missing-glyph box when no available font supports Tangut. Choose a Tangut-capable font to see the character as intended.