What 𗯰 means
Use Unicode code-point input for U+17BF0 in a text editor.
An HTML entity for it is 𗯰. The active font must include Tangut characters for it to display. A small stroke difference may be a documented historical glyph variant of the same character.
What does 𗯰 mean?
It is a Tangut character, not an English translation.
A 2008 reconstruction writes its reading as thji². A survey of Tangut question words glosses that reading as “why” or “how.” Tangut has different characters with the same reading, so this gloss alone does not establish this exact glyph’s dictionary meaning. The Unicode label identifies the character; it is not a translation.
Why does 𗯰 look like Chinese?
Tangut uses Chinese-like strokes but belongs to a separate script.
Tangut script was created for the Tangut language of Western Xia, a medieval state in what is now northwestern China. It served official records, Buddhist translations, printed books, and carved inscriptions. Its creation is traditionally dated to 1036. Tangut writing continued after Western Xia fell; a known late inscription dates to 1502.
Khitan and Jurchen were other state scripts used in medieval East Asia. They are historically comparable writing systems, not alternate forms of Tangut.
Historical and specialist: it belongs in writing about the Tangut language, texts, or history.
Do not turn a reconstructed reading into a certain English translation.
Drift: As of 2026, work to revive Tangut includes scholarship and digital type design; it is not an everyday writing system.
Who writes 𗯰
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Related characters
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Questions people ask
3Is 𗯰 a Chinese character?
No. Tangut is a separate script for the Tangut language, even though its characters use Chinese-like strokes.
Why does 𗯰 display as a box?
Usually, it is a font issue. The character can be present in the text while the active font lacks a Tangut glyph; choose an installed font that supports Tangut.
Can 𗯰 mean “why” or “how”?
Not safely. A reconstructed reading is glossed that way, but Tangut has homophonous characters; the sound alone does not identify this glyph’s meaning.
More like this
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How to type or find 𗯰
- Also called
- Xixia character · Western Xia character
- Search it as
- Tangut · Xixia · Western Xia · Tangut script · Tangut font · Tangut meaning · thji² · 17bf0
- Shows up in
- Anything that takes text · its shape is whatever your font draws
𗯰\17BF0U+17BF0.𗯰.Codes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.